How to Calculate CADR for an Air Purifier
Air purifiers are designed to make living spaces more comfortable and healthy because they reduce the amount of airborne particles that can contribute to poor indoor air quality. In addition, air purifiers are excellent at trapping common allergens such as dust and pollen, therefore making them invaluable to those who suffer from asthma, allergies, or other respiratory disorders.
In order to standardize air purifier specifications and to provide consumers with a method of comparing air cleaners, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the independent industry organization that represents the manufacturers of home appliances, has developed a system for rating air purifiers. Although air purifier manufacturers are not required to submit their units for testing, many do, and every quarter, the AHAM publishes its directory of Certified Room Air Cleaners to the public.
An air purifier with the AHAM seal (usually found on the box of the unit's box) will list three CADR numbers: one for pollen, one for dust, and one for tobacco smoke (some very highly rated models include the Blueair 601 air purifier and the Airgle 750). The CADR indicates the volume of filtered air delivered by the air purifier (measured in cubic feet per minute), and the higher the CADR numbers, the faster and more efficiently the unit filters the air. To determine the CADR appropriate for your space, simple multiply the room's square footage by 0.75. For example, if you are trying to clean the air in a room that measures 15 feet by 15 feet, your calculations would look like this:
CADR = Square Footage x 0.75
15'x 15'= 225 square feet
225 x 0.75 = 168.75
CADR Required = 168.75
Therefore, for a 225 square foot room, you would need an air purifier with at least CADR. In addition, if your room has ceilings higher than 8 feet, move up to the next level CADR for a larger room. Moreover, if you have an open floor plan, purchase two small units because they can be moved to different areas in the room and will clean the air more efficiently than one unit alone.
In order to standardize air purifier specifications and to provide consumers with a method of comparing air cleaners, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the independent industry organization that represents the manufacturers of home appliances, has developed a system for rating air purifiers. Although air purifier manufacturers are not required to submit their units for testing, many do, and every quarter, the AHAM publishes its directory of Certified Room Air Cleaners to the public.
An air purifier with the AHAM seal (usually found on the box of the unit's box) will list three CADR numbers: one for pollen, one for dust, and one for tobacco smoke (some very highly rated models include the Blueair 601 air purifier and the Airgle 750). The CADR indicates the volume of filtered air delivered by the air purifier (measured in cubic feet per minute), and the higher the CADR numbers, the faster and more efficiently the unit filters the air. To determine the CADR appropriate for your space, simple multiply the room's square footage by 0.75. For example, if you are trying to clean the air in a room that measures 15 feet by 15 feet, your calculations would look like this:
CADR = Square Footage x 0.75
15'x 15'= 225 square feet
225 x 0.75 = 168.75
CADR Required = 168.75
Therefore, for a 225 square foot room, you would need an air purifier with at least CADR. In addition, if your room has ceilings higher than 8 feet, move up to the next level CADR for a larger room. Moreover, if you have an open floor plan, purchase two small units because they can be moved to different areas in the room and will clean the air more efficiently than one unit alone.
Labels: air_purifiers, blueair, CADR
posted by Jeanie at
11:41 AM
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