SANS 613 is the South African fenestration standard — it governs how windows and doors perform against wind load, air and water.
Windows and doors are more than glass in a frame: they are engineered assemblies that have to resist wind, keep out water and air, and carry their own hardware for years of use. In South Africa, that performance side is addressed by SANS 613, the fenestration standard. This guide explains what it covers and why it matters for aluminium windows, aluminium doors and shopfronts.
Fenestration performance
“Fenestration” simply means the windows and doors in a building envelope. SANS 613 treats them as performance products: an assembly is expected to achieve defined levels of structural strength, air tightness and water resistance for its intended exposure. That performance thinking is why a window is specified for its position and conditions, rather than assumed to be interchangeable with any other window of the same size.
Structural strength and wind load
The most safety-critical aspect is structural strength under wind load. Wind exerts pressure on a facade, and a window or door must resist it without excessive deflection or failure. The load depends on the building’s height, its geographic location and how exposed the site is — which is why the same product cannot automatically be used everywhere. Our dedicated guide on wind loads and aluminium windows explains this in more detail.
Air leakage and water penetration
Two everyday performance measures are air infiltration and water penetration. Air leakage affects comfort and energy efficiency; water penetration affects durability and can cause damage if a window admits water in driving rain. SANS 613 frames these as performance levels an assembly should meet, achieved through frame design, seals and drainage working together. Good drainage detailing in particular is what lets a window shed the water that inevitably reaches it.
Frame design, hardware and glazing compatibility
Performance is a system outcome. The frame design provides stiffness and drainage paths; the hardware (hinges, locks, operators) must suit the size and weight of the sash; and the glazing must be compatible with the frame — correctly supported, sealed and sized. Change the glass, the size or the exposure and the whole assembly may need reconsidering. This is also where installation to SANS 10137 matters: even a well-designed window underperforms if it is glazed or fixed poorly.
Why larger openings need more consideration
As openings get bigger, wind loads and deflection grow, and the mullions and transoms that divide and stiffen the assembly become more important. Large panes, tall facades and exposed sites push an assembly toward the limits of a standard solution, and may call for specialist design or a competent person. The practical rule: the larger or more exposed the opening, the more the specification should be confirmed against SANS 613 and the project design rather than generalised.
SANS 613 in a nutshell
In a nutshell, SANS 613 treats windows and doors as performance products: structural strength under wind load, air tightness and water resistance for the intended exposure. It is why the same window cannot be used everywhere, and why larger openings need extra consideration under SANS 613.
Sources
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What this means in practice on a real project
Reading about sans 613 is one thing; evidencing it on a live project is another. In our experience the difficulties almost never come from the requirement itself — they come from nobody having decided, early enough, who is responsible for the decision and who will produce the paperwork at the end. That question is worth settling at specification stage rather than at handover.
Decide who is responsible before the glass is ordered
On a supply-only order the responsibilities split. The supplier is accountable for manufacturing what was specified and for describing accurately what has been supplied. The party doing the installing is accountable for how the unit is fitted, packed and sealed. Whoever signs off the completed work is accountable for confirming that the installed result is appropriate for the application. Those are three different roles, and on smaller projects they are often three different companies, which is exactly how gaps appear.
Ask for the documentation while the job is still open
Whatever record your project needs is far easier to obtain during the contract than a year later. Keep the order confirmation showing what was supplied, keep the delivery documentation, and photograph the glass markings before the units are installed and the edges are covered by beading. Those three items answer most later questions about what was actually fitted, and they cost nothing to collect at the time.
Where Coetz™ fits in
Coetz™ supplies aluminium windows and doors glazed as standard with 6.38 mm clear laminated safety glass, and states on the order what has been supplied. Aluminium windows and doors are supplied only; automatic door systems are installed and serviced by our team. We are glad to confirm in writing what a given order contains, which is usually what a contractor or building inspector actually needs from the supplier.
An important limit on this page. The summary above is general guidance, not a compliance opinion, and it is not a substitute for the published standard or for professional advice. Requirements vary with the application, the building and the specifics of the installation. Where a decision about sans 613 carries safety or regulatory consequences, work from the current published text and engage a suitably qualified competent person for your project.