What does MERV rating mean?
A MERV rating tells you, on a scale of 1-16, how effectively your filter traps the small particles you don’t want circulating through your home. The higher a MERV rating, the higher the amount of particles the filter traps.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) established the ratings system in 1987. Each filter’s rating represents its lowest possible performance, meaning every MERV rating answers the question, “worst case scenario, how many particles will this filter trap?”
Click this Chart to compare MERV ratings
Should I buy filters with a High MERV rating?
If your filter has a high MERV rating, you know it’s highly effective in preventing things like pollen, bacteria, and pet dander from circulating throughout your home; however, it may be overly effective in preventing air itself from circulating, which is a bad thing. The end result of less air circulation may be poorer overall air quality in your home. Furthermore, more resistance means more work for your HVAC system. If you’re using a filter with a MERV rating that’s not compatible with your system, inefficiency, and high energy costs may be the result. Over the long term, if your HVAC system becomes overworked, you may be faced with costly repairs.
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What MERV rating should my filter have?
This question will vary based on your HVAC system, but generally aiming for a MERV rating between 8 and 13 is ideal for the typical home. Remember, you should make sure your filter and your system work in harmony. Filters with high MERV ratings may remove more harmful contaminants from your home, but they may actually reduce the quality of the air you breath if you select a filter with a MERV rating that’s too high for your HVAC system. You’ll also have to change these filters more frequently than filters with a lower MERV rating. Higher MERV ratings are better at capturing smaller particles. That’s why hospitals tend to use MERV 16 or higher, to capture the most pollutants possible. It’s important to have the appropriate mix of air filter and MERV rating for to meet your home’s needs and your system.
Is this your household? Two examples:
Perhaps one home of two newlyweds who are working hard to jumpstart their careers who has no time for pets, neither of them smoke and they rarely have guests over. They select an air filter with a MERV rating of 8. There are only two of them, they have no allergies, they don’t smoke, and don’t often have guests over to bring in dust and dirt.
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A family of six where everyone chips in to take care of Grandpa, who lives with them, and has emphysema. They don’t have any pets because the children seem to have the same allergies that their dad does, but occasionally host friends and family. They select an air filter with a MERV rating of 13. Because most of the family have allergies and the grandfather has a severe breathing problem, and because there are six people bringing contaminants in as opposed to one or two, a relatively high MERV rating is in their best interest.
*Chart above by Air Filters Delivered
What is the difference between MERV, MPR, and FPR Air Filter Ratings?
The three air filter rating systems differ in ranges and were created by separate organizations. MERV ratings extend from 1 to 16. MPR measures ratings based on sizes 0.3 to 1 microns. FPR ratings are on a scale from 4 through 10. The MERV filter rating is the domestic and international industry standard rating system established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers. The other two systems were created by “3M” (MPR) and “The Home Depot” (FPR) to differentiate their offerings. However, at the end of the day, the ratings apply to the SAME filters and can be used in your furnace or AC unit!
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