What is the ECAU rating on sanitary fittings?
Like any other equipment included in the sanitary water and heating systems, sanitary fittings are regulated by quality standards and certifications. The ECAU classification is derived from the NF sanitary fittings mark and applies to mechanical and thermostatic mixing valves.
What is the purpose of this classification? Why choose a certified product? We explain it all here.
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NF mark and certifications
What is the NF Mark?
The NF Mark – not to be confused with the NF EN standard – is a French certification mark which attests to the conformity of a product to standards according to safety and quality criteria.
The characteristics validated by AFNOR Certification – owner of the NF Mark – are specified in specifications called Certification Rules, drawn up in consultation with manufacturers, distributors, consumer associations, laboratories and public authorities.
The NF Mark goes beyond compliance with national, European or international standards because it adds additional technical specifications. The checks can also be more closely spaced than in other assessment schemes.
The certification process is not mandatory but is part of a voluntary approach. All the requirements to be met by professionals for each product category are described in the NF Certification Rules.
NF mark and sanitary fittings
The NF-Sanitary fittings mark certifies the conformity of the products to the NF-077 certification rules approved by AFNOR.
It checks :
- the general appearance,
- the dimensions,
- corrosion resistance,
- interchangeability,
- noise,
- flow rate,
- durability or wear resistance
The actual performance of valves and mixers is specified in the ratings.
Focus on the ECAU classification
What is the ECAU classification?
Taps, mixers, shower hoses, showerheads or waste disposal devices for sanitary appliances: sanitary fittings products meet requirements that vary according to individual needs and the stresses they are subjected to.
The ECAU rating assesses the performance of sanitary fittings in terms of water savings, energy savings, noise levels and service life.
To make the performance criteria more readable and to allow professionals and consumers to identify them more easily, the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment – CSTB – has created a simple and explicit identity for the ECAU rating.
The ECAU label qualifies the performance of sanitary fittings according to 4 criteria:
- E for Water Saving
- C for Comfort
- A for Acoustics
- U for Wear
Each ECAU performance criterion is represented by a pictogram associated with a rating scale from A to D, making it possible to quickly visualise the performance level achieved.
The ECAU label to evaluate sanitary fittings
The ECAU rating allows you to quickly find a fitting that is suitable for your use and has a number of advantages:
- For manufacturers: it brings added value to the market
- For distributors: it increases customer confidence and satisfaction
- For customers: it meets targeted needs and guarantees product quality
The ECAU rating is a guarantee of product quality and allows you to choose the level of performance required for a given use.
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Why favour certified products?
The benefits of certification
Certified products are a guarantee for the consumer, and a mark of commitment for the manufacturer and the certifier.
The advantages are many:
- Offer a product that meets the expectations of the market and the rules of the profession
- Provide proof that your products comply with the standards in force
- Strengthen the confidence of your customers and acquire new ones
- Increase quality within your company
- Distinguish yourself from the competition
- Reaching new markets
Certification guarantees the performance and stability of product quality. The manufacturer is obliged to constantly monitor his products and to report the results to the AFNOR inspection body.
Test benches for sanitary equipment
Products that claim the NF mark are tested and controlled on a laboratory test bench to ensure their conformity.
Our hydraulic test benches are designed for sanitary fittings tests and comply with sanitary fittings certifications and standards.
Performance test benches, endurance test benches and test benches: all our test benches can be used to carry out hydraulic tests on your sanitary equipment.
Our hydraulic performance benches can test several types of products (cartridges, mechanical or thermostatic valves, etc.) and respond to the problems of manufacturers, distributors or test laboratories.
The CSTB uses our hydraulic test benches for many types of fittings and sanitary fittings to check that the pipework is in good condition, to verify the conformity of cisterns or the conformity of heating tapes. The hydraulic test benches guarantee the conformity of your product’s characteristics and its added value on the market.
To find out more about standards and certifications, read our article on standards and markings for valves in France and around the world.
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