IndoorComfortKit Calculator checks
Validation Test Cases
These examples show the expected results for representative calculator inputs. They are not personal household measurements or product recommendations. They help readers see how the current calculation rules behave.
The tables include 45 reference, boundary and invalid-input cases. Expected-result excerpts come from the same case registries used by our automated calculation tests. Each excerpt is checked against the calculator output, not generated from that output when the table is built. The full result includes additional explanations and limitations.
A passing software check confirms that the published rules return the listed values. It is not independent scientific validation of a site-defined label or equipment estimate. Do not recreate extreme room conditions to test a calculator.
Indoor Comfort Score
Published rule: Round(clamp(100 - 4 x abs(T - 23) - 0.9 x abs(RH - 45) - 3 x max(0, Td - 16), 0, 100)). T and Td are in C.
The score uses the dew point already rounded to 0.1 C, then rounds the final score to a whole number. The cases exercise the 100 ceiling and 0 floor.
| Input | Expected output | How to interpret the check |
|---|---|---|
| 22.2 °C, 45% RH | Comfort score: 97/100 Dew point: 9.7 °C Comfortable humidity | Comfort score about 97/100, dew point about 9.7 °C, comfortable humidity label. |
| 23 °C, 45% RH | Comfort score: 100/100 | At the site reference temperature and RH, the dew point stays below 16 °C, so no penalty is applied. |
| 45 °C, 100% RH | Comfort score: 0/100 | A synthetic extreme input tests the zero floor. It is not a condition to recreate or a health threshold. |
| 46 °C, 45% RH (invalid) | Room temperature (C) must be between 0 and 45. | The published form range is narrower than the mathematical temperature domain. |
Limit: This is an IndoorComfortKit heuristic, not a standardized comfort index or a medical, air-quality or safety score.
Dew Point
Published rule: g = 17.62 x T / (243.12 + T) + ln(RH / 100); Td = 243.12 x g / (17.62 - g). Round Td to 0.1 C.
The Celsius form accepts room temperatures from 0 to 45 C and RH from 1% to 100%. The saturation case checks Td = T; the zero-RH case checks input rejection.
| Input | Expected output | How to interpret the check |
|---|---|---|
| 22.2 °C, 50% RH | Estimated dew point: 11.3 °C | Dew point about 11.3 °C using the Magnus approximation. |
| 25 °C, 58% RH (cooling illustration, before) | Estimated dew point: 16.2 °C | The 77 F starting input in the oversized-AC guide has this calculated dew point, not a measured water-removal rate. |
| 21.1 °C, 56% RH (cooling illustration, after) | Estimated dew point: 12 °C | The approximately 70 F ending input gives about a four-degree dew-point drop despite a small RH percentage change. |
| 21 °C, 40% RH | Estimated dew point: 6.9 °C | This is the calculated example used by the winter window guide. Window temperature is still unknown. |
| 20 °C, 100% RH | Estimated dew point: 20 °C | At 100% RH the logarithmic RH term is zero and dew point equals air temperature. |
| 20 °C, 1% RH | Estimated dew point: -38 °C | The lowest accepted RH demonstrates logarithmic behavior; display precision is not instrument accuracy. |
| 20 °C, 0% RH (invalid) | Relative humidity (%) must be between 1 and 100. | Zero RH is rejected before evaluating the logarithm. |
Limit: The Magnus approximation estimates air dew point. It does not supply a missing glass temperature, sensor accuracy, water quantity or drying time.
Indoor Humidity
Published rule: RH < 30: Dry air; 30 <= RH <= 50: Comfortable humidity; 50 < RH <= 60: Upper humidity watch; 60 < RH <= 70: Humid room watch; RH > 70: High humidity.
The 50%, 60% and 70% endpoints belong to the lower of their adjacent labels. Each pair below checks both sides using integer form inputs.
| Input | Expected output | How to interpret the check |
|---|---|---|
| 55% RH | Upper humidity watch | Upper humidity watch, because it is above the 30% to 50% preferred target and within the 50% to 60% watch range. |
| 29% RH | Dry air | Below 30% uses the dry-air label. |
| 30% RH | Comfortable humidity | The preferred band includes its lower endpoint. |
| 50% RH | Comfortable humidity | The preferred band includes 50%. |
| 51% RH | Upper humidity watch | The upper watch label starts above 50%. |
| 60% RH | Upper humidity watch | 60% remains in the upper watch band. |
| 61% RH | Humid room watch | The next label begins above 60%. |
| 70% RH | Humid room watch | 70% is included in this band. |
| 71% RH | High humidity | The high label begins above 70%; it is not a diagnosis. |
| 101% RH (invalid) | Relative humidity (%) must be between 1 and 100. | Out-of-range input produces an error, not an estimate. |
Limit: EPA supplies the broad 30% to 50% background. These label boundaries and actions are site-defined observation aids, not health or building-condition thresholds.
Room Moisture Watch
Published rule: Higher moisture watch when RH >= 70 OR rounded Td >= 20 C; otherwise Lower moisture watch.
This label is separate from the humidity-only label. At 70% RH it already says Higher while the humidity calculator still says Humid room watch. At 30 C and 55% RH, the rounded 20.0 C dew point also triggers Higher.
| Input | Expected output | How to interpret the check |
|---|---|---|
| 21 °C, 60% RH | Lower moisture watch Dew point: 12.9 °C | Lower moisture watch, dew point about 12.9 °C, with notes to compare readings and surfaces. |
| 20 °C, 69% RH | Lower moisture watch | Both RH and rounded dew point are below their site-defined trigger values. |
| 20 °C, 70% RH | Higher moisture watch | RH equal to 70% triggers the higher label even without a 20 °C dew point. |
| 30 °C, 54% RH | Lower moisture watch Dew point: 19.7 °C | This warm-room example is just below the rounded dew-point trigger. |
| 30 °C, 55% RH | Higher moisture watch Dew point: 20 °C | The code compares dew point rounded to 0.1 °C. Reaching 20.0 °C triggers the higher label even below 70% RH. |
| -1 °C, 60% RH (invalid) | Room temperature (C) must be between 0 and 45. | This indoor tool does not accept sub-zero room inputs. |
Limit: Both states are site-specific watch signals. Lower does not exclude hidden moisture, mold, a leak or a cold surface.
Room AC BTU
Published rule: ENERGY STAR area-band capacity; multiply by 0.9 for shade or 1.1 for sun; add 600 per occupant above two and 4,000 for kitchen heat. Display whole BTU/h.
Shared area endpoints use the higher band; 2,500 sq ft is included. Areas outside 100–2,500 are not extrapolated. A ceiling other than 8 ft prompts a caution, not a multiplier.
| Input | Expected output | How to interpret the check |
|---|---|---|
| 200 sq ft, normal sun, 8 ft ceiling, 1 occupant, no kitchen heat | Estimated AC size: 6,000 BTU/h | 6,000 BTU/h from the ENERGY STAR 150-to-under-250 sq ft band. |
| 120 sq ft, normal sun, 8 ft ceiling, 1 occupant, no kitchen | Estimated AC size: 5,000 BTU/h | The published area band supplies capacity; shared endpoints use the higher band, with 2,500 included. |
| 150 sq ft, normal sun, 8 ft ceiling, 1 occupant, no kitchen | Estimated AC size: 6,000 BTU/h | The published area band supplies capacity; shared endpoints use the higher band, with 2,500 included. |
| 250 sq ft, normal sun, 8 ft ceiling, 1 occupant, no kitchen | Estimated AC size: 7,000 BTU/h | The published area band supplies capacity; shared endpoints use the higher band, with 2,500 included. |
| 300 sq ft, normal sun, 8 ft ceiling, 1 occupant, no kitchen | Estimated AC size: 8,000 BTU/h | The published area band supplies capacity; shared endpoints use the higher band, with 2,500 included. |
| 2500 sq ft, normal sun, 8 ft ceiling, 1 occupant, no kitchen | Estimated AC size: 34,000 BTU/h | The published area band supplies capacity; shared endpoints use the higher band, with 2,500 included. |
| 300 sq ft, sunny, 8 ft ceiling, 3 occupants, kitchen | Estimated AC size: 13,400 BTU/h | 8,000 x 1.1 + 600 + 4,000 = 13,400. There is no product-class rounding. |
| 300 sq ft, normal sun, 10 ft ceiling | Estimated AC size: 8,000 BTU/h | The table assumes 8 feet; a different ceiling height prompts a caution without an invented multiplier. |
| 49 sq ft, normal sun, 8 ft ceiling, 1 occupant, no kitchen (invalid) | Room area (sq ft) must be between 50 and 3000. | The room-size form rejects areas below its published range. |
Limit: Arithmetic checks do not establish a real cooling load. Compare product guidance and room conditions; this is not a Manual J design or installation approval.
Dehumidifier Capacity
Published rule: ENERGY STAR ranges: below 2,000 sq ft, 20–30 / 25–40 / 30–50 US pints/day for increasingly damp conditions; the larger group uses 30+ / 40+ / 50+.
Exactly 2,000 sq ft uses the larger group. Optional RH assigns 75% to very damp and 90% to wet. These shared-endpoint conventions are disclosed site choices.
| Input | Expected output | How to interpret the check |
|---|---|---|
| 700 sq ft, damp | ENERGY STAR capacity range: 20–30 pints per day | 20–30 pints/day: the published smaller-area, slightly to moderately damp range. |
| 1999 sq ft, slightly to moderately damp | ENERGY STAR capacity range: 20–30 pints per day | Capacity is a range. Exactly 2,000 sq ft is assigned to the larger-area group as a disclosed site convention. |
| 2000 sq ft, slightly to moderately damp | ENERGY STAR capacity range: 30+ pints per day | Capacity is a range. Exactly 2,000 sq ft is assigned to the larger-area group as a disclosed site convention. |
| 2500 sq ft, slightly to moderately damp | ENERGY STAR capacity range: 30+ pints per day | Capacity is a range. Exactly 2,000 sq ft is assigned to the larger-area group as a disclosed site convention. |
| 0 sq ft, damp (invalid) | Room area (sq ft) must be between 50 and 3000. | Zero area is not a valid equipment-sizing request. |
Limit: A published capacity range is not predicted daily bucket collection. Source control, temperature, drainage, test conditions and actual rated performance still matter.
Indoor / Outdoor Moisture
Published rule: Calculate both dew points with the Magnus approximation, round each to 0.1 °C, then subtract indoor from outdoor. A negative difference means a lower outdoor dew point.
These checks use 0–45 °C indoors, −20–50 °C outdoors and 1–100% RH. The tool compares air moisture at similar pressure, not surface temperatures or a ventilation rate.
| Input | Expected output | How to interpret the check |
|---|---|---|
| Higher outdoor RH, lower dew point Indoor: 21 °C / 55% RH Outdoor: 10 °C / 80% RH | Indoor dew point: 11.6 °C Outdoor dew point: 6.7 °C Outdoor − indoor: -4.9 °C | Outdoor air has a lower dew point. A higher outdoor RH percentage does not by itself mean wetter air. |
| Warm, humid outdoor air Indoor: 24 °C / 50% RH Outdoor: 30 °C / 70% RH | Indoor dew point: 12.9 °C Outdoor dew point: 23.9 °C Outdoor − indoor: 11.0 °C | Outdoor air has a higher dew point. Exchanging air could add moisture; this is not a prediction of final room RH. |
| Below-freezing outdoor reading Indoor: 21 °C / 55% RH Outdoor: -10 °C / 90% RH | Indoor dew point: 11.6 °C Outdoor dew point: -11.3 °C Outdoor − indoor: -22.9 °C | The below-freezing note must appear: these are dew points over liquid water, not frost points. RH must use the same water reference. |
| Different readings, matching displayed dew points Indoor: 21 °C / 55% RH Outdoor: 21 °C / 55.01% RH | Indoor dew point: 11.6 °C Outdoor dew point: 11.6 °C Outdoor − indoor: 0.0 °C | The dew points match at this precision. The displayed tie does not prove that the air samples are identical. |
Limit: These checks verify arithmetic and displayed interpretation, not sensor accuracy, safe window-opening conditions, drying time or equipment effects.
Open the indoor / outdoor comparison / Full method and source context
Winter window and humidifier models
Fixed expected values checked in automated tests. Rsi = 0.13 m²·K/W and air density = 0.075 lb/ft³ are disclosed planning assumptions, not measurements.
| U (W/m²·K) | Model surface | RH threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 4.8 | 7.9 °C | About 42.9% |
| 2.8 | 13.4 °C | About 61.7% |
| 1.8 | 16.1 °C | About 73.5% |
| Room / ACH | Indoor target / outdoor | L/day |
|---|---|---|
| 300 sq ft × 8 ft / 0.5 | 21 °C, 40% / 0 °C, 80% | About 3.07 |
| 300 sq ft × 8 ft / 1 | 21 °C, 40% / 0 °C, 80% | About 6.15 |
| 500 sq ft × 8 ft / 0.5 | 21 °C, 40% / -10 °C, 70% | About 8.03 |
| 150 sq ft × 8 ft / 0.35 | 20 °C, 45% / -5 °C, 80% | About 1.52 |
Additional checks cover measured-surface priority, zero airflow, non-positive moisture deficit and rejected inputs. Window method and limits · Humidifier method and limits
Heating, cooling and missing humidity values
Fixed expected values from the same registry as our automated tests. Temperature-change cases assume unchanged pressure and moisture content up to saturation.
| Starting air | Target temperature | Expected RH |
|---|---|---|
| -5 °C / 85% | 21 °C | 14.5% |
| 0 °C / 80% | 21 °C | 19.7% |
| 10 °C / 80% | 21 °C | 39.5% |
| 21 °C / 50% | 12 °C | 88.6% |
| 30 °C / 60% | 24 °C | 85.3% |
| Known inputs | Expected missing value |
|---|---|
| 21 °C air / 10 °C dew point | 49.4% RH |
| 45% RH / 10 °C dew point | 22.5 °C air |
| 20 °C air / 20 °C dew point | 100% RH |
| 100% RH / 20 °C dew point | 20 °C air |
30 °C / 60% cooled to 10 °C reaches saturation (100% displayed). A dew point above entered air temperature, 0% RH and nonfinite inputs are rejected. These are arithmetic checks, not sensor validation. Try the humidity conversion modes.
How to reproduce a result
Open the linked calculator and enter the complete row, including units, sun exposure and the kitchen checkbox where listed. For these reference checks use the Celsius inputs directly. Start with a new calculation after changing a value; the page should not keep presenting the previous result as current.
If a calculator output changes, the related method explanation should be reviewed with the change. Small rounding differences can happen when temperature units are converted before entry, but the displayed result should stay close to these reference cases.
For example, the dew-point guide rounds Celsius to one decimal place before converting to Fahrenheit. Converting a displayed, rounded Fahrenheit value back to Celsius can give a slightly different input. A 0.1 C difference is not evidence that a household sensor is accurate to 0.1 C.
If your result does not match
Check the entered unit, decimal value, room area and selected options first. If the mismatch remains, use Contact with the calculator URL, non-identifying example inputs, expected result and displayed result. Do not include an address, household details or health information.
For source context and formula notes, read Sources and Methodology. For privacy and local processing notes, read Security and Local Processing.