Think about that piece of furniture you put together that ended up being crooked or wobbly, despite painstakingly going step-by-step with the instructions. Or when you bought that universal remote control that wasn’t compatible with your TV – or in my case, only some of the buttons are compatible. Or when you purchased a new toy for your child and the product inside the box looked nothing like the picture displayed on package. We’ve all been there at one point or another – attempting to follow instructions that were not clear or being misguided by product packaging. Errors and misrepresentations in product documentation have been around for a long time and have been the source of much frustration.
This frustration is not present with certified plumbing products. That’s because when product standards are developed, a team of industry leaders come to agreement on what documentation must be provided with the product. In ASSE standards, requirements for markings, instructions, and packaging are listed in the last few sections of the standard. The certification process is then used to verify that document requirements are met.
Product standards are written to protect the consumer with three key elements:
- Set specifications detailing how a product must function
- List what tests must be conducted to verify that product was designed properly
- Give requirements for documentation
When plumbing products are installed or maintained with incomplete or inaccurate instructions, the product could fail, and that failure could easily destroy property or cause serious injuries. Plumbing standards address documentation to avoid as many of these calamities as possible. Product documentation must be included to give critical information such as size, specifications, and requirements for construction and maintenance.
The process of document review for product certification includes reviewing product markings, instructions, packaging, and specification sheets. The lab is also required to review all of this documentation. Finally, the documentation is included in the certification file sent to the Seal Control Board. Ensuring that instructions are clearly explained, maintenance requirements are provided, and important specification details are easily found is a team effort across multiple people and agencies. Knowing that the product you are working with has gone through this rigorous process should bring peace of mind.
Because of the destructive power of water, plumbing products must be held to a higher standard. This can be seen in the construction of plumbing products. Plumbing’s higher standards can also be seen in the accuracy and content of plumbing product markings, instructions, and packaging. Incorrect instructions and packaging have frustrated most of us and we at ASSE are be proud to work in the plumbing certification industry where incorrect instructions and packaging are simply not tolerated.
Some indications that the product you are working with is not certified:
- If you cannot find a certification mark, read the information provided on the packaging. If the packaging seems short on the information you are used to, it is likely not certified
- If the maximum pressure and temperature aren’t listed, it is likely
not certified - If the instructions don’t include maintenance requirements, it is likely not certified
- If the size or other typical specifications are missing, it is likely not certified
It can be difficult explaining this superior quality of plumbing products. One way to explain this superiority is to compare plumbing product instructions with most other instructions. Chances are high that the universal remote you bought will not work 100 percent as indicated on the package, or those furniture assembly instructions will have errors. It is common for consumers to find errors on product labels and instructions. Certified plumbing products do not normally have these errors, but it could happen. If it does, contact ASSE or the listed certifier and the error will be corrected. Superior documentation is critical and has been achieved in the plumbing industry because manufactures, certifiers, and industry expert volunteers all work together to make it happen.
