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Which MERV Rating Filter Should Yous Use in Your Home?

Y'all may have noticed MERV filter ratings on various air filters only may be wondering what is a MERV rating on filters? This rating indicates how effective a filter is at capturing different sizes of particles. Read on to learn more about the MERV rating and how to choose the best one for your abode.

What Is MERV Rating on Filters?

If you'd like to know what a MERV rating is, you're in the right place. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. In curt, a MERV rating lets you know what air particle size an air filter volition trap. A higher rating means that the filter can trap smaller air particles.

While y'all may automatically call up that a higher MERV rating means a better air filter, that'due south not always the instance. College MERV ratings aren't e'er necessary and can decrease your unit'southward efficiency. The best MERV rating volition be the one that suits your needs and lets your unit of measurement run efficiently.

The History of MERV Rating

In 1987, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers designed the MERV rating scale to give a more accurate picture of an air filter'due south capabilities. Different other scales, which emphasized a need to increase the number of particles passing through an air filter, MERV was designed to offering a residue between particle filtering and free energy efficiency.

The Importance of MERV Rating

A MERV rating is of import because it helps yous sympathize an air filter's effectiveness and then you can choose the right one for your item needs. For instance, if you have someone in your habitation who suffers from allergies, you may want a higher MERV rating.

The MERV calibration besides helps yous residue your air quality and energy efficiency needs. The rating gives you the worst-example possibility for an air filter, so you can go a good idea of how it will perform. Yous can get by with a lower MERV rating and salvage coin on your free energy bill in some cases.

MERV Rating Chart

Understanding the MERV Rating Chart

Once you lot understand how the MERV rating nautical chart works, y'all'll be able to choose air filters with the MERV ratings that are right for you. It's important to note that the MERV scale is an industry-standard. As such, you can apply it to compare unlike brands of air filters.

The MERV rating chart is a numerical chart with values from i through 20. The highest MERV ranking ways that an air filter will capture the near corporeality of dust, while the lowest rating means a filter volition take hold of the least corporeality of dust.

The chart also uses percentages based on the chances of an air filter capturing dust particles based on the size of the microns. As the MERV rating goes up, a filter has higher chances of capturing smaller and smaller particles.

MERV Rating Levels

While the MERV nautical chart covers 20 levels, these levels tin be grouped to give y'all an thought of what a certain range of levels tin capture and how constructive each volition exist. If you're wondering what MERV rating should I apply, this department tin can help y'all out.

MERV Rating 1-6

A MERV rating of one-6 is the lowest range of MERV ratings, merely that doesn't necessarily mean that you should write off a filter with a rating in this range. These types of filters do accept their uses in sure situations. Well-nigh aluminum and mesh filters and inexpensive air filters fall inside this range.

What It Can Remove

A filter with a MERV rating of between 1-6 can remove particles anywhere betwixt 0.3 to 10 microns with an effectiveness of 20%. It tin remove minor particles such as grit mites, spray paint dust, carpet fibers, and pollen.

Inexpensive and energy-efficient
Not as taxing on your HVAC arrangement

Only filters out the largest of particles
Not nifty for people with allergies or asthma
Recommended Use: Industrial

These filters are best used in industrial settings where there is already a decent amount of airflow, and at that place isn't as much need to remove smaller particles.

MERV Rating 8-13

Filters with a MERV rating of 8-13 are ordinarily college-end filters for home use or loftier-quality commercial filters. These filters are typically the right choice for use in homes and many businesses.

What It Can Remove

A filter that falls within the 8-13 range can remove mold spores, pb dust, cooking grit, flour, hair spray, car fumes, piece of furniture smooth, and welding fumes. They can catch anywhere from 20-85% of all particles.

Suitable for people with allergies or asthma
Blocks out a more extensive range of particles

Somewhat costlier
Not as energy-efficient

Recommended Use: Dwelling house

Filters in this range are the recommended MERV rating for furnace filters. They offering a mix of filtration and energy efficiency to go along your dwelling house rubber while still toll-constructive.

MERV Rating 14-xx

Filters with the highest MERV rating of 14-xx include commercial, HEPA, and ULPA filters. These filters offering the highest level of filtration and are typically not needed in well-nigh homes and businesses.

What Information technology Tin Remove

These filters can remove smoke, leaner, sneezes, carbon dust, and viruses. These are oft removed at levels of xc% or better.

Superior levels of filtration
Tin can even protect from viruses and leaner

Expensive
Not free energy efficient

Recommended Utilise: Hospitals & Laboratories

Filters rated between 14-20 are typically simply used in hospitals and laboratories, where air needs to be as clean every bit possible.

Other Ratings vs. MERV Rating

Other ratings include the MPR developed past 3M and FPR developed by Habitation Depot. These scales take different ranges than the MERV rating but typically measure against similar factors. MERV rating is superior because it's the international standard and makes it easier to compare filters from unlike brands.

MERV Rating Pro Tips

These MERV rating pro tips can help you make the best choices about which air filter yous need.

College Is Not E'er Better

A higher MERV rating isn't ever amend. While higher-rated filters tin can trap more particles, they can besides put additional strain on your HVAC unit and cause your energy bill to become up. In most situations, a filter somewhere in the middle is more than sufficient.

Best Air Filter for Your Home

In general, the best MERV rating for a domicile is somewhere between 8-ten. These filters will capture a big portion of the airborne particles and improve indoor air quality without making your free energy costs rise significantly.

Practice Non Max Out Your Filter

Neglecting to change your air filter can crusade all sorts of issues. The biggest problem is that it causes your A/C to work overtime, which results in higher energy bills. Irresolute your air filter regularly keeps your unit working equally it should.

Buy in Bulk and Relieve

You can salve time and money by buying filters in majority. The more filters you lot buy at once, the more you can save.

Order & Subscribe to Regular Commitment With Filter King

If you want to replace your air filter to be even more user-friendly, yous can subscribe to our regular delivery service. You but pick your air filter size, choose how often you want to supplant it, and we'll make sure that your new filter is there when you lot need information technology.

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