Regulation (EU) 2016/426, Gas Appliance Regulation (GAR): conformity assessment for gas appliances must be carried out by a notified body such as IMQ

The GAR has been in force since 21 April 2018 and is aimed at manufacturers, importers and distributors of:

APPLIANCES: appliances burning gaseous fuels used for cooking, refrigeration, air-conditioning, space heating, hot water production, lighting or washing, and also forced draught burners and heating bodies (2) to be equipped with such burners;

FITTINGS: safety devices, controlling devices or regulating devices and sub-assemblies thereof, designed to be incorporated into an appliance or to be assembled to constitute an appliance.

Certification pursuant to the GAR, and hence assessment of conformity with the requirements of the GAR, must be carried out by a notified body such as IMQ, and involves analysing technical documentation, conducting laboratory tests on the product prototype and subsequent annual production surveillance that the manufacturer decides to have carried out in accordance with the various "modules" laid down by the directives. The tests for assessing conformity with the GAR include combustion tests with different types of gas (according to customer requirements – countries in which the appliance is to be sold) as well as referencing parts of other Directives (Efficiency and Electrical).

Support provided by IMQ in its capacity as a notified body for the GAR (CE 0051)

IMQ’s laboratories are ISO 17025 accredited and equipped to carry out the necessary tests for the purposes of conformity with the GAR. The main appliances on which IMQ conducts laboratory testing are as follows: Wall-mounted and floor-standing boilers, hot water units, hot air generators, fan coils, gas-fired steam generators, radiant strip heaters, luminous radiant gas heaters, forced draught burners, catering appliances, domestic cooking appliances, barbecues, gas appliances for camping, gas refrigerators, gas washing machines, gas irons.
The tests carried out in our laboratories adhere to technical standards such as EN 15502, EN 26, EN 89, EN 30, EN 298, EN 203 and include:

Heat output;
CO and NOx emissions;
Surface temperatures;
Efficiency;
Combustion;
Protection against environmental influences (flame control boards);
Protection against internal faults (flame control boards);
Mechanical strength;
Leak-tightness (ball valves);
Analysis of materials;
Resistance to ageing;
Analysis of control SW (flame control boards).

Management system certification is the endorsement enjoyed by organisations that have chosen to equip themselves with efficient management systems and suitable skills and structures, aimed at continuous improvement. And the higher the prestige of the awarding body, the higher the value of the guarantee. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, our laboratories have full capability to put products through all the checks required by the major European directives and international standards. The certifications issued by IMQ are synonymous with trust. They guarantee safety, performance, efficiency and quality standards. More than 10,000 companies have turned to IMQ to certify their products and stand out on the market. Notified body for the main EU directives, IMQ offers tests and CE certifications to assess the conformity of the products to the requirements required to be marketed on the European market. Inspections and audits validate the conformity of electrical installations, equipment, supplies and services with the applicable technical and legislative specifications. IMQ is leader in Europe in the conformity assessment activity, technical partner chosen by Ministries and Authorities for market control purposes. IMQ is a brand recognized by the market as a synonym of safety and quality, and an internationally recognized partner, a valued member of the main international regulatory work groups. All IMQ personnel are required to strictly observe professional secrecy. IMQ has been working for 70 years trying to anticipate the future, to make the present safer.