I just want to discuss the testing procedures, and standards used and given to dehumidification machines.
AHAM
DOE
AHAM rates/rated dehumidifiers based on test parameters of 80F and 60% RH. That’s what the ratings (in pints per day or PPD) on dehumidifiers used to be (and some still are).
DOE rates dehumidifiers based on test parameters of 65F and 60% RH. This results in a lower PPD number, even though a dehumidifier previously rated by AHAM is the same machine, they would now (if given a DOE rating, retested etc.) be significanly less in their rating.
Some machines/marketing will say straight up, eg: “50 pints per day DOE”. Some will say, eg: “55 pints per day AHAM”. But some will just say “X pints per day”, and won’t say which of these standards it relates to. This is a pretty big deal, because DOE is essentially a more difficult testing paramater/method (cold air holds less water, harder to dehumidify), and better represents how good the dehumidifier is at it’s job, regardless of where it’s being used.
I think one of the main reasons for this change was the most people’s basements, where a lot of these units are used or designed for, are not 80F, they’re cold(er) - closer to 65F.
Note: some/many units also give a square footage they’ll cover. But this seems a little bit more confusing, and I’m not sure I’d go with this over the ppd ratings and such.
If you have any knowledge, professionally or just from lots of experience, and know anything about this, it’d be great if you could weigh in.
Useful link for a short explanation with AHAM to DOE ratings comparisons (shows how much you’d have to “de-rate” a unit that is tested/rated to AHAM if it were rated to DOE, for both portables and whole home units).
EDIT: Additional useful link I’m going through:
A more “industrial” sounding brand and device example (see it’s ppd rating, at saturation, and at AHAM:
Alorair Sentinel HD55
-53ppd AHAM (so maybe…30ppd DOE…?)
-About $800 CAD reg. price I think.
-“Applications” mentions “basements and crawlspaces” among others, but the others seem like areas/situations of very high (saturation?) humidity where you’d think the temps would likely be close to or above 80F. But basements and crawlspaces? Are most people’s basements 80F? I don’t think so. I’ve no experience with a crawlspace, but maybe in Florida or similar? You tell me.
A consumer grade, big box store example (see it’s ppd rating, it doesn’t state what standard, though I called and asked Danby, and he went off and checked, and said it was DOE. I don’t feel confident though, because I wanna see it in writing/specs):
Danby 23.6 L (50 Pint) Energy Star Dehumidifier with WIFI and Pump
-Claims 50ppd, no standard given, but Danby rep said it’s DOE. If it’s DOE, then it’s closer to 70ppd AHAM.
-$280-350 CAD reg. price, depending where, and maybe promotions.