What Is Integrated Humidity Load (IHL)?
Short answer: Integrated Humidity Load (IHL) is an informal way to describe the total moisture the air in a space carries, not a rating printed on a dehumidifier listing. Listings on this site show capacity in pints per day, area in square feet, and condition words. To choose a capacity group, read those labels and the maker's page, and let ENERGY STAR's condition descriptions frame your situation.
Integrated Humidity Load Is a Concept, Not a Printed Rating
Integrated Humidity Load (IHL) is not a standard rating that appears on dehumidifier listings. The U.S. Department of Energy defines a dehumidifier as a self-contained assembly with a refrigerated surface, a refrigerating system, an air-circulating fan, and a way to collect or dispose of condensate, and it rates capacity in pints per day. ENERGY STAR explains efficiency with an integrated energy factor. Neither publishes an “IHL” number.
A humidity load is the total moisture a space adds to the air: moisture already in the air, moisture from activities in the room, and moisture that enters from outside. Listings rarely print a load figure. Instead, a listing shows two labels: a capacity in pints per day and an area figure in square feet, both from the seller. This article explains how to read those labels against your situation, and what a review on this site can and cannot tell you about them.
- What a listing does not print: a load number, a drying time, or a humidity level reached.
- What a listing does print: a capacity group, an area label, a kind, a pump, a drain hose, and possibly an Energy Star mark.
- What to do: read the condition words, then open the maker's page for the measuring standard.
Reading the Load in Condition Words
ENERGY STAR's buying guidance describes the load with condition words before any capacity number. Its chart sorts spaces as slightly to moderately damp, very damp, and wet, with relative humidity bands attached to each. The chart pairs slightly to moderately damp with 50 to 75 percent relative humidity, very damp with 75 to 90 percent, and wet with 90 to 100 percent.
The same chart lists capacity ranges in pints per day: for a small to medium room, 20 to 30 pints for slightly damp, 25 to 40 for very damp, and 30 to 50 for wet; for a large room, 30 or more, 40 or more, and 50 or more. Those figures come from the ENERGY STAR page linked in the sources; this site does not measure them. Use the chart as a frame for your own space, not as a promise about a specific unit.
Area figures on a listing title are the seller's own labels, not a warranty of coverage. A title that reads “1,500 square feet” describes the space the seller had in mind when naming the unit, not a guarantee that the unit will dry that floor area. The article on square-foot ratings versus real-world spaces explains why.
- For guidance on what damp conditions can mean in a home, read the EPA and CDC mold and moisture pages, linked in the sources.
Why One Unit Carries Two Capacity Figures
Capacity figures changed in 2019 and 2020 because the U.S. Department of Energy changed the rating conditions. Portable dehumidifiers are now rated at 65 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 80 degrees, so a unit rated under the old conditions reports a smaller number under the new ones, as ENERGY STAR explains in its capacity pages.
That is why a listing may appear with 2 capacity figures in the title, such as a 70-pint name alongside a newer 40 to 45 pint figure. The table below shows a few pairs from the ENERGY STAR capacity page.
| Old rating (through 2019) | New approximate rating (2020) | Product type |
|---|---|---|
| 70 pints per day | 40 to 45 pints per day | Portable |
| 100 pints per day | 85 pints per day | Whole-home |
| 120 pints per day | 100 pints per day | Whole-home |
| 200 pints per day | 170 pints per day | Whole-home |
IHL, IEF, and Capacity: Three Different Words
Integrated Energy Factor (IEF) is the efficiency metric the DOE uses for dehumidifiers, measured in liters of water removed per kilowatt-hour of energy consumed. ENERGY STAR states that a higher IEF means a more efficient unit. IHL is not that metric, and it is not capacity.
Keep the three words apart: capacity is pints per day, efficiency is IEF in liters per kilowatt-hour, and humidity load is the informal concept of what your space adds. Reviews on this site quote the first two from the listing when the seller states them, and never convert one into the other. The articles on energy factor versus Energy Star rating and the integrated energy factor cover the efficiency side.
ENERGY STAR is a certification program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that labels products meeting its efficiency criteria; the mark on a listing tells you the unit carries that label, nothing more. Whole-home units are sized and installed by a licensed HVAC installer; this article only explains the listing words.
Choosing a Capacity Group by Your Situation
To choose a capacity group, start with the condition words you would use for your space, then look at the capacity label on the listing title, then open the maker's page to confirm which rating standard the figure uses. A damp basement with no floor drain fits the 50-to-99-pint group with a pump; a large open basement fits the 100-pint group; a garage or workshop fits a large-area group.
This article cannot tell you how long a unit will take to dry your space, what humidity level it will reach, or whether it will keep up with a very wet room. Those depend on conditions the listing does not state. The pick table below matches common shopping situations to the guides on this site, all of which review units on stated details.
What Reviews Can and Cannot Tell You
A review on this site is written from stated listing details: the pints-per-day group, the area group, the kind, the pump, the drain hose, the Energy Star mark, and the brand. A review can show you how a title reads, how one detail relates to another, and which unit matches your shopping situation.
A review cannot tell you measured moisture removal, noise, energy use, or drying time, because the catalogue this site reviews does not publish those figures. Take the model number from a review to the maker's page and read the manual for placement, drain, and care instructions. The review hub compares the picks side by side.
What to pick for your situation
| If you | Pick | Buying guide |
|---|---|---|
| Your finished basement stays damp and has no floor drain nearby | A 50-to-99-pint unit with a built-in pump | Best 50 to 99 Pint Dehumidifiers With a Pump (2026): 9 Models Reviewed |
| Your basement is large and open, with a drain or pump plan | A 100-pint unit from the 100-pint group | Best 100 Pint Basement Dehumidifiers (2026): 9 Models Reviewed |
| A garage or workshop over 2,000 square feet | A unit from the 1,501-to-3,000 square-foot group | Best Dehumidifiers for 1,501 to 3,000 Sq Ft (2026): 8 Models Reviewed |
| A job site or commercial space | A 150-pint commercial unit | Best 150 Pint Commercial Dehumidifiers (2026): 7 Models Reviewed |
| A very wet space you are drying | An LGR unit from the LGR group | Best LGR Dehumidifiers (2026): 4 Models Reviewed |
| A normal damp basement on a strict budget | A basement unit under a budget tier | Best Basement Dehumidifier Under $300 (2026): 12 Models Reviewed |
| You want to compare reviews before buying | Start with the review hub | Best Dehumidifier Reviews (2026): 11 Models Compared by Use and Spec |
Questions
Is IHL printed on any dehumidifier listing?
No. Integrated Humidity Load is not a DOE or ENERGY STAR rating, and it does not appear on listings. Read capacity in pints per day and the area label instead.
Which number tells me how much moisture a unit removes?
Capacity, in pints per day, is the figure that describes moisture removal at a rated condition. Efficiency is a separate metric, integrated energy factor in liters per kilowatt-hour.
Why do I see 2 capacity figures for one unit?
The DOE changed rating conditions in 2019 and 2020, so an older figure is often larger than the new one. The maker's page states which standard a title uses.
Can a review tell me how fast a unit will dry my basement?
No. Reviews on this site read stated listing details; drying time and measured moisture removal are not published in the catalogue and are not promised.
Should I compute my room's humidity load mathematically?
No. Read the condition words you would use for your space, compare them to ENERGY STAR's condition descriptions, and read the EPA and CDC mold and moisture pages linked in the sources.
Recent updates
- : First published.