Why Did Dehumidifier Pint Ratings Drop in 2019?
Because the U.S. Department of Energy changed the standardized test conditions, not because dehumidifiers got weaker. DOE's June 13, 2016 final rule moved the capacity test from 80°F/60% relative humidity to 65°F/60% RH, effective for units manufactured on or after June 13, 2019. Cooler test air holds less moisture, so the same physical machine condenses fewer pints during the test and earns a lower official rating.
What actually changed
- Test temperature: 80°F → 65°F (relative humidity held at 60% in both).
- Efficiency metric: Energy Factor (EF) → Integrated Energy Factor (IEF), which also accounts for standby/off-cycle energy use.
- Effective date: Units manufactured on or after June 13, 2019 must use the new test.
What did not change
The physical dehumidifiers themselves. A given compressor-and-coil design removes the same amount of moisture per hour at a given real-world temperature and humidity as it always would have — nothing about the hardware was recalled, redesigned, or downgraded because of this rule. Only the standardized number used to compare products across the industry changed, and it changed for every brand at once, so relative rankings between current models are still valid.
Why 65°F specifically
65°F is closer to the temperature many dehumidifiers actually run in — basements, crawlspaces, and similar below-grade spaces — than the older 80°F lab condition. The change was intended to make the pint rating on the box closer to what a buyer should expect in their actual space.
See the exact old-to-new numbers at The Pint Rating Conversion Index.
This page is a regulatory-history and specification reference, not a health or mold-safety determination.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Department of Energy's June 13, 2016 final rule changed the standardized capacity test from 80°F/60% RH to 65°F/60% RH, effective for units manufactured on or after June 13, 2019. Cooler air holds less water vapor, so the identical physical dehumidifier condenses fewer pints during the test and earns a lower official rating.
No. The hardware did not change. Only the test conditions used to generate the number on the box changed. A 2019-tested unit removes the same moisture per hour at a given temperature and humidity as it always would have — the rating simply reflects a cooler, more basement-realistic test environment than before.
65°F is closer to the temperature many dehumidifiers actually operate in — basements and crawlspaces, where the appliance's real job most often happens. The old 80°F test conditions were viewed as producing capacity numbers that didn't reflect typical use conditions.
Based on ENERGY STAR's published conversion reference, portable units drop roughly 30-40% depending on the specific old rating point, and whole-home/ducted units drop a smaller roughly 13-18%. See the full Pint Rating Conversion Index for the exact pairs.