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Indoor Air Quality
There are various types of furnace filters with a range of MERV ratings, and it can be difficult to find the one that best fits your needs. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing Total Home Comfort offers free consultations to help you arrive at smart decisions that make you feel right at home.
Selecting the right furnace filter is all about matching indoor air quality with the HVAC system’s capabilities. Choosing filters with the appropriate MERV ratings is critical to making sure your indoor air is clean and healthy without overworking your HVAC system.
MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, a rating system created by the . MERV ratings signify an air filter’s effectiveness at decreasing airborne particles and pollutants, determined by the smallest particle it’s capable of trapping (measured in microns). As filters become better at improving indoor air quality, their MERV rating goes up, ranging from 1 to 20.
This chart, along with our free consultation, can help you determine the recommended MERV rating for your needs.
| MERV RangeÌý | Controlled ContaminantsÌý | Typical ApplicationÌý | Air Filter TypesÌý |
| 1-4Ìý | Pollen, Dust, Spray Paint, Dust Mites, Sanding Dust, Textile & Carpet FibersÌý | Residential, Window AC UnitsÌý | Disposable ElectrostaticÌý |
| 5-8Ìý | Mold Spores, Pet Dander, Hair Spray, Dusting Aids, Fabric Protector, Cement Dust, Pudding MixÌý | Better Residential, Commercial, Industrial WorkplacesÌý | Pleated Filters Cartridge Filters ElectrostaticÌý |
| 9-12Ìý | Legionella, Auto Emissions, Lead Dust, Humidifier Dust, Welding FumesÌý | Superior Residential, Better Commercial, Hospital LabsÌý | Pleated Filters Cartridge FiltersÌý |
| 13-16Ìý | Bacteria, Droplet Nuclei (Sneeze), Tobacco Smoke, Insecticide DustÌý | General Surgery, Hospital Inpatient CareÌý | Bag FiltersÌýÌý
Box FiltersÌý |
| 17-20Ìý | Viruses, All Combustion Smoke, Carbon DustÌý | Cleanrooms, Radioactive & Carcinogenic Materials, Pharmaceutical ManufacturingÌý | HEPA Filters Specialized FiltersÌý |
Count on the Experts to take care of all your home comfort needs. Call us at 866-397-3787 or schedule your service online today!
Knowing about MERV ratings may not be enough to help you buy the correct furnace filter. For example, some big retailers use the , which goes from 1–10 and is a different scale to measure a filter’s ability to trap particles. You might also see the system, which goes from 300 to 2200 and only measures a filter’s effectiveness at capturing the smallest particles on the MERV scale (0.3–1 micron in size).
We’veÌýprovided this chart to help you see how filters rankedÌýwith FPRÌýand MPR stack up to the moreÌýconventional MERV rating system.
| MERV RatingÌý | FPRÌý | MPRÌý |
| MERV 1-5Ìý | Below Minimum FPRÌý | Below Minimum MPRÌý |
| MERV 6Ìý | Below Minimum FPRÌý | MPR 300Ìý |
| MERV 8Ìý | FPR 5Ìý | MPR 600Ìý |
| MERV 11Ìý | FPR 7Ìý | MPR 1000-1200Ìý |
| MERV 13Ìý | FPR 10Ìý | MPR 1500-1900Ìý |
| MERV 14-20Ìý | Above Maximum FPRÌý | MPR 1900+Ìý |
Selecting the ideal MERV rating for an air filter is a delicate balance betweenÌýyour HVAC system’s capabilities and the indoor airÌýqualityÌýyou’reÌýcomfortable with.
For example, a better MERV ratingÌýwon’tÌýalways mean that a filter isÌýthe right optionÌýfor your furnace. In fact, as MERV ratings go up, airÌýflow goes down,Ìýforcing your HVAC system to work harder to moveÌýair through yourÌýfurnace and increasing the possibility of a potentialÌýbreakdown. BeforeÌýpurchasing a new furnace filter, make sure toÌýcheck if your HVAC systemÌýhas a MERV rating limit. If it does, beÌýsure to get a furnace filter with aÌýMERV rating below that limit.
If you have a family member with allergies or serious respiratory problems like asthma, you may want filters with higher MERV ratings. Then again, there are other solutions to improve your indoor air quality if your system can’t accommodate the MERV ratings you need.
As a rule of thumb, we suggest MERV ratings for furnace filters fromÌý6 to 8 for aÌýgreat balance between top furnace efficiency and homeÌýcomfort.
Choosing the best MERV rating for your furnace filter has a major impact on your indoor air quality, your HVAC system, and most importantly, your family’s wellbeing and future .Look to Ìý´óÏó´«Ã½ Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to help you make the best decision. We have a full line of air filtration solutions plus our Expert knowledge and service—and we’re available 24/7 for emergencies. Contact us at 866-397-3787 to request your free indoor air quality consultation in the U.S. today!
Air inside your home can be more polluted than what’s outside—oftenÌýtwo toÌýfive times more, according to the Environmental ProtectionÌýAgency.
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