A higher CADR means a system removes more allergens and pollutants, such as tobacco smoke, pollen, dust, pet dander, mold spores, airborne viruses, and more. This improves indoor air quality (IAQ) and helps everyone breathe easier.
Clean air delivery rate = (efficiency x air flow rate). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), CADR is a fair and objective measurement of air cleaner technology.
The clean air delivery rate for room air purifiers is certified by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) via third-party testing. If you are buying a room air purifier, look for the AHAM-certified CADR rating.
HVAC filters will have a MERV rating. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It’s a rating system for air filter effectiveness that ranges from 1 to 16. The higher the number, the better the filter is at capturing the smallest particles. Performance above MERV 16 is rated as HEPA performance. MERV can affect CADR.
For HVAC air purification systems, which help filter or clean the air in your entire home, products undergo rigorous testing and use the CADR method to rate not only the efficiency with which particles are removed from filtered air but also the rate at which clean air is delivered to your living space. This is a more accurate representation of an air cleaner’s performance because it measures the end benefit to you.
As a rule of thumb, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) recommends the CADR of an air purifier/air cleaner should be at least 2/3 of a room's size. For example, a room that is 12 ft x 20 ft has an area of 240 square feet. A good CADR for this room would be ⅔ of 240, which is 160 CFM.
While a room portable air purifier is a good solution for a dorm room or nursery, if you want the air in your entire house to be cleaner, consider a whole-house air purification system.
The CADR rating of various filters and systems varies widely. Take a look at the table below to see the average ratings.
| Typical Room Air Purifier | Standard 1” HVAC Filter | Room HEPA Appliance | Whole-House 5” Media Filter | Whole-House Electronic Air Cleaner | AccuClean® Whole-House Air Cleaner |
| Clean Air Delivery Rate10 | Clean Air Delivery Rate12 | Clean Air Delivery Rate150 | Clean Air Delivery Rate240 | Clean Air Delivery Rate660 | Clean Air Delivery Rate1,200 |
American Standard has two whole-house air purification systems: the QuikBox™ Air Cleaner and the AccuClean® Whole-House Air Cleaner. The QuikBox™ has a 5” media filter with up to a MERV of 13. The AccuClean® is our top-of-the-line unit, able to capture and remove up to 99.98% of airborne particles and delivers a CADR of 1,200.
Interested in improving your indoor air quality? Contact your local American Standard dealer for product recommendations tailored to your home.
Air filtration systems utilize an air filter to remove harmful particles from the air you breathe. In most air filtration systems, you can change and maintain filters on your own.
Air cleaners reduce the total volume of allergens, dust, pollen, dander, and other harmful particles from the newly cooled or heated air circulating in your home.
Brand name for American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning’s whole-home air filtration that removes up to 99.98 percent of airborne allergens from the filtered air in your home.
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