Leveraging Your NSF Certification: Now that you've received NSF Certification ... why not leverage the Mark to your advantage.
NSF (previously known as The National Sanitation Foundation) is an independent, private, not-for-profit, third-party certification, testing, and standards-writing organization. NSF writes consensus standards for products, materials, and system assessment. NSF provides an array of testing services to many different industries. [Back]
NSF is accredited by ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, and SCC, the Standards Council of Canada, for its testing, standards writing, and certification programs. NSF is recognized for its decades of experience and technical expertise in the areas of water and food safety by the World Health Organization (WHO) through our designation as a Collaborating Center. [Back]
NSF offers conformity assessment services in the areas of public health safety to the plumbing industry. We conduct physical performance product and material testing, long-term strength evaluations, microbiological safety testing, chemical extraction or leaching testing, toxicological risk assessment, as well as offering production facility inspection services. [Back]
NSF Testing and Certification is recognized by every plumbing code in North America. There is no certification mark more widely recognized and accepted in the plumbing industry. NSF Certification is considered the benchmark for product safety and performance validation. [Back]
Under NSF/ANSI Standards 14, 24, 50, 61, and the Mechanical Plumbing Program, NSF provides the plumbing industry testing and product certification services for items such as pipes, fittings, valves, pumps, chemical feeding equipment, water heaters, sinks, showers, toilets, faucets, controllers, filters, materials, and ingredients. NSF conducts testing, listing, certification, as well as enforcement of its trademark. [Back]
This is our way to evidence that a product meets a standard or criteria. When a product is NSF Listed, you can be assured that the product meets all requirements of the applicable standard. [Back]
Certification is a word we use to describe our system of conformity assessment. NSF Certification is the process by which we confirm that a product or system meet the requirements of a standard. [Back]
NSF evaluates products based on end use and based on standards. Our evaluations routinely include health safety assessment and performance validation of products and materials. Beyond testing, NSF staff members conduct assessments of the quality control and quality assurance systems employed by the production facility. NSF registers a list of materials and suppliers to manufacturers to maintain consistency and ensure quality. We also conduct unannounced surveillance inspections at the production site to review materials of use, production process, product quality, and to obtain monitoring (re-testing) samples. [Back]
NSF/ANSI Standard 14 Plastic Piping System Components and Related Materials is a consensus standard that enables comprehensive assessment of plumbing system products, materials, and ingredients. The assessment is for health effects, quality control, quality assurance, marking, material property requirements, long-term strength evaluation, and short-term product performance evaluation to various standards such as ASME, ASTM, ASSE, etc.
NSF/ANSI Standard 14 is used to evaluate a product for the minimum performance requirements. If the product is to be used with potable water, the product is also evaluated to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 to meet the NSF/ANSI Standard 14 potable water requirements. NSF conducts its own testing, review, and facility inspections when certifying products. NSF/ANSI Standard 14 addresses health and performance, NSF/ANSI Standard 61 only addresses health effect concerns. [Back]
NSF/ANSI Standard 61 Drinking Water System Components-Health Effects is a consensus standard promulgated by NSF International. This standard enables in-depth assessment of a variety of drinking water system products and materials for health effects. This standard is used to evaluate a product for health effect concerns only. NSF/ANSI Standard 61 is narrow in its scope when compared to NSF/ANSI Standard 14 in respect to quality and performance. NSF conducts its own testing, review, and facility inspections when certifying products like PE and PEX. NSF/ANSI Standard 14 addresses health and performance, NSF/ANSI Standard 61 only addresses health effect concerns. [Back]
PEX is similar to PE that has undergone some additional physical changes. The "X" in PEX standards for cross linked. This means that PEX has additional links between the polymer chains. The additional links lend additional performance capabilities that ordinary PE does not have. The cross linking gives PEX tubing high performance capabilities at high operating pressures and temperatures of 160psi at 73F, 100psi at 180F, and 80psi at 200F (as noted for SDR 9 tubing in ASTM F876). [Back]
PEX tubing was developed in the 1960s in Europe. PEX has been in use in many European countries for decades. In the 1980s, PEX tubing started to be used in the United States. Since that time, there has been a significant increase in both market demand and production of PEX in North America. [Back]
PEX tubing and various fittings, either plastic or metal, are tested together as systems for performance and health effects in accordance with industry standards to ensure product quality and end-user safety. [Back]
PEX tubing is evaluated for conformance with standards for performance and health effects to protect the end user. Both the product manufacturer and independent third parties conduct routine quality control and quality assurance evaluations to ensure the product meets ASTM and NSF/ANSI Standards. Compliance with ASTM F 876 and F 877 as well as NSF/ANSI Standard 14 ensure the end user of safety and quality. [Back]
ASTM is an independent, not-for-profit standards-writing organization. They promulgate standards in many diverse technical disciplines. ASTM is the forum for a majority of standards in the USA, especially those related to plastic materials and products testing. ASTM writes standards and conducts educational training seminars (specifications, test methods and guides). ASTM does not conduct testing, listing, certifying, or enforcement of its standards. [Back]
ASTM F 876-Standard Specification for Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEX) Tubing: This standard for PEX tubing products contains over one dozen different performance tests such as: burst pressure, sustained pressure, environmental stress cracking, density, dimensions, workmanship, degree of crosslinking, and stabilizer functionality. This performance standard is used by the industry as the benchmark for minimum short-term product performance of PEX tubing. [Back]
ASTM F 877-Standard Specification for Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEX) Plastic Hot- and Cold-Water Distribution Systems: This standard for PEX tubing and distribution components contains nine different performance tests such as: burst pressure, sustained pressure, density, dimensions, workmanship, thermocycling, hot and cold bent tube testing, and excessive temperature. This performance standard is used by the industry as the benchmark for minimum short-term product performance of PEX tubing and distribution components, like fittings. [Back]