| The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers | | | | microns. The larger particle size focus is far above |
| (AHAM), which tests air purifiers, certifies, and | | | | the .3 micron HEPA range, it favors cheaper |
| publishes Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADR), is a home | | | | units.Since 90% of all particles are smaller than .3 |
| appliance manufacturers industry lobbying group.In the | | | | microns, and these tiny fragments are the most |
| 1980's AHAM established a testing system and | | | | hazardous to health, what is important is the air |
| certification program for portable room air purifiers: | | | | purifier's ability to remove sub-micron particles in the |
| Clean Air Delivery Rate.The delivery rate was | | | | .5 micron and smaller range. CADR is designed to |
| designed to "help" buyers evaluate air cleaners. | | | | divert attention away from this critical area.Secondly, |
| Objective standards were, and still are, needed. It is | | | | CADR is completely irrelevant to chemical |
| difficult to critique a flawed system which stands | | | | contamination of all kinds. Volatile Organic Chemicals |
| between consumers and anarchy.Air purifier | | | | (VOC's) are molecular sized.Next to them .9 microns |
| advertising often claims that the AHAM delivery rate | | | | is the Rocky Mountains. Air purifiers with real carbon |
| is the key information consumers should use to | | | | chemical filtration and tightly sealed and gasketed |
| evaluate air purifier performance. "Just look for the | | | | filters are at a big disadvantage in the CADR game. |
| AHAM seal."AHAM uses an independent laboratory to | | | | With real carbon filters and ultraviolet light air purifiers, |
| verify clean air exhaust volumes submitted by | | | | faster is not necessarily better.Third, the short tests |
| manufacturers for given air purifier models.Air | | | | obscure long term performance shortcomings of |
| cleaners are rated for ability to remove dust, pollen | | | | electrostatic precipitators and inferior HEPA models, |
| and smoke.CADR tests last only 20 minutes.A closed | | | | both of which have efficiency declines with |
| chamber is filled with dirty air to clean; particles | | | | age.AHAM certification is voluntary, and only 27 |
| ranging in size from .09 microns to 11 microns, | | | | companies have joined up. Builders have to pay a fee |
| represent tobacco smoke, mulberry pollen or Arizona | | | | as high as $10,000 to have their product certified. |
| road dust.Clean air delivery rate is the volume of air | | | | AHAM also extracts a commission on every sale of a |
| that a specific air purifier cleanses of a specific | | | | box bearing the CADR seal. Who pays for this? |
| particulate pollutant in cubic feet per minute.Strong air | | | | Buyers do.Many quality brands and smaller companies |
| purifiers have CADRS in the 400 area, machines | | | | have not submitted their products to AHAM.While |
| rated below 100 are very weak.The AHAM CADR | | | | CADRs are handy in comparing products form a |
| directory is published twice a year.So what's wrong | | | | single manufacturer, consumers should avoid placing |
| with the AHAM delivery rate?It's what CADRs avoid | | | | too much emphasis on a single number. Many great |
| saying that makes them so useful to marketers of | | | | air purifiers are marketed without the AHAM seal.Click |
| mass produced air purifiers.First, and worst, CADR | | | | for the web's best Air Purifier Reviews. The Author, |
| does not measure removal of the health hazards we | | | | Ed Sherbenou, is an experienced air purifier user, with |
| buy air purifiers to collect! Experienced users will have | | | | 40 years of direct experience due to chemical |
| noticed the large particle size specified: .9 to 11 | | | | sensitivity and severe allergies. |