CADR
clean air delivery rate
CADR (clean air delivery rate) measures how much particle-free air a portable air cleaner delivers, in cubic feet per minute; the higher it is, the larger the room the unit can serve.
EPA’s guide to air cleaners explains that the higher the CADR, the more particles an air cleaner removes and the larger the area it can serve. For rooms with 8-foot ceilings it lists minimums from 65 cfm for 100 square feet to 390 cfm for 600 square feet, which works out to 65 cfm per 100 square feet. Rooms with higher ceilings need a unit rated for a larger area.
EPA also advises avoiding air cleaners that intentionally produce ozone, a lung irritant; no federal agency has approved such devices for use in occupied spaces. Filters in a central system are rated by MERV instead.
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