From Pupils to Masters Installation Masters is a nationwide training and certification program for installers of residential and light commercial windows and exterior glass doors. Developed by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the program was transferred in 2003 to the InstallationMasters Institute, which administers it from start to finish, says Dave Moyer, vice president of certification services.
As was the case with roofers, the certification program is an industry response to a request from AAMA’s members for help in reducing the number of customer callbacks and complaints and to head off lawsuits. Research found that more than 90% of complaints were related not to product performance but to poor installation.
“The industry has recognized installation was the Achilles’ heel of performance, and this is a viable solution to the problem,” Moyer says.
To be certified, installers need to prove they have been working in the field for at least a year, enroll in a two-day certification class with an InstallationMasters accredited trainer, and pass a 70-question written test. (New installers can take the course and the test but are labeled as trainees until they have a year’s experience.) Once certified, they receive a certificate of their achievement and a photo ID badge they can wear that identifies them as a certified installer. The certification lasts for four years, after which they need to take an open-book test to update their skills.
Installation Masters trainer Chris Lorber says there are three key benefits for participants: Learning the right way to install window and door products minimizes callbacks; the participants learn practical information that elevates their professionalism; and the sponsoring home improvement company can differentiate itself by using it in marketing.
“There’s a lot of ongoing litigation with window products,” says Lorber, vice president of sales at window and door manufacturer B.F. Rich Co., in Newark, Del. “Even the best window made won’t do the job properly if it’s not put on properly.”
Lorber usually offers the 12-hour course in combination with a plant tour and training on B.F. Rich products. The charge for the course is on a scale, he says, with the highest amount being $150 for the course and $150 for the test itself. (Salespeople and business owners, as well as code officials and specifiers, often take the course for the information but don’t need to spend the money to be certified installers.)
A certification program is imminent for vinyl siding installers, also under the Installation-Masters umbrella. The organization has been working with the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) to develop a program, says VSI spokesperson Kathleen Brady.
Certification is a “natural outgrowth,” Brady says, of an installation training program VSI has offered for the past several years. Participants in the class took a test and were evaluated and received a certificate.
“It won’t certify an installation —they’re certifying installers,” she says. “They’re certifying that the people have a body of knowledge. We’re still developing the hands-on testing and written testing.”