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The Friedrich C-90B
is no longer manufactured.
See P600XL
for superior substitute.
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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.
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