AHAM Certification
AHAM Program for Room Air Cleaners

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) sponsors the Room Air Cleaner Certification Program. The Program provides a uniform and commercially practical verification of the clean air delivery rate (CADR) for tobacco smoke, dust, and pollen removal from the air by a portable air cleaner. The verification testing is provided by an independent laboratory under contract to AHAM.

Who Developed the Testing Procedures?
CADR was developed by AHAM and its participating member manufacturers. It is based on the recommended standard for particulate removal adopted in 1988 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The standard is known as ANSI/AHAM AC-1-1988.

What is CADR?
The Clean Air Delivery Rate is the amount of clean air measured in cubic feet per minute that an air cleaner delivers to a room. Tobacco smoke is what the room size rating is based on. Smoke was chosen because it is the smallest particle size measured in the Program, and therefore, the most difficult to remove for most air cleaners. The room size rating is calculated based on the removal of at least 80 percent of smoke particles in a steady-state room environment, assuming one air change per hour with complete mixing in the room.

How is CADR measured?
CADR is measured by injecting test particulates of tobacco smoke, dust and pollen into the test chamber at a known level. Sophisticated, electronic particle-counting devices monitor the exact concentration of contaminants. The first test is conducted without the air cleaner being turned on. This procedure establishes the natural decay rate, which will be subtracted from the rate established during the second test when the air cleaner is turned on. In this way, the system is not credited with any performance that is attributable to gravity.

What Seal Should I Look For?
The CADR seal looks like this:

This seal certifies the CADR of the appliance, listing the volume in cubic feet for the three most common pollutants.