As a builder who specifies products for clients, understanding the importance of safety and quality certifications is critical, especially if you are less familiar with a particular brand. Several third-party providers offer certification, including CSA Group, LC, UL, and Intertek. Ortal has chosen CSA certification to demonstrate a commitment to quality, safety, and sustainability. When a manufacturer goes through the process to get the CSA mark, you know that it is dedicated to delivering only the best products and stands behind them.
When talking to clients about your product recommendations, discuss the importance of certification and let them know why it is an important feature to prioritize. If they want to know more about CSA certification, you can be prepared to share the benefits below.
What is CSA Certification?
Comprised of two organizations—one for developing standards and another for testing, inspection, and certification—CSA Group is a global entity that is committed to ensuring products are safe and sustainable. When a product is CSA certified, it is an indicator that the manufacturer shares the same commitment.
Impartial Standards Development
CSA Group is a global organization with a membership base of more than 10,000 volunteer experts. The organization does not take money from corporate donors, and its individual members are committed to developing standards that meet the needs of multiple stakeholders, with the end goals of:
- Driving innovation
- Ensuring quality and safety
- Providing peace of mind
- Identifying potential safety risks
- Reducing environmental impact
- Enhancing trade
Ongoing research helps inform decisions about product standards and contributes to the value system of continual improvement.
A Time-Tested Approach
CSA Group is not new on the scene—the organization has been operating for more than 100 years in more than 150 countries. In North America, it has been accepted as a testing lab by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) since 1992, and it is also approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as an Accredited Standards Developer. When specifying modern gas fireplaces, it’s important to know that CSA Group is the No. 1 provider of testing and certification for gas appliances. With these credentials, why wouldn’t you require CSA certification for every gas fireplace you specify?
Consumer Confidence
This type of certification may be valuable to your clients. In North America, 69 percent of consumers that were surveyed said that having the CSA mark influences their decision to buy a product. When specifying products for clients, it’s smart to be aware of this important consumer behavior.
Third-party testing helps gives consumers the peace of mind that comes with knowing their product will live up to its claims and comply with nationally mandated safety requirements. This is especially important with fireplaces, which must meet safety and efficiency standards in addition to satisfying the aesthetic goals of residential and commercial projects.
Efficiency Matters
One factor that CSA certification addresses is the efficiency of an appliance. Knowing that their fireplace will perform to its stated efficiency rating is important to clients, especially if they are environmentally conscious or sensitive to ongoing costs. In addition to ensuring a clean burn, efficiency also impacts monthly utility costs, especially if your clients plan to use their fireplace on a regular basis. When a fireplace has the CSA mark, both you and your clients can be confident that it will live up to its efficiency claims.
Help Clients Protect Their Investments with Ortal
Ortal fireplaces have been CSA certified since 2011, so you can be confident that no matter which model or style you select, it will meet all of its efficiency claims and comply with national standards. If your clients are comparing multiple options, help them evaluate the differences between them, including third-party safety and quality certifications. You might find that CSA certification and the efficiency information the report provides can make all the difference.
To learn more about which features to look for when specifying fireplaces for your clients, read our luxury fireplace Buyer’s Guide.
