Table of Contents
What MERV rating should I use?
In general, the best MERV rating for a home is somewhere between 8-10. These filters will capture a large portion of the airborne particles and improve indoor air quality without making your energy costs rise significantly.
What MERV rating should I use for furnace?
Generally speaking, our recommended MERV rating for furnace filters runs from 6 to 8 for a great balance between top furnace efficiency and home comfort.
Are high MERV filters bad for furnace?
While the highest MERV ratings are the most effective for air quality, they can harm your HVAC system. A higher MERV rating means a higher resistance, which means less airflow. If the MERV rating on your furnace is too high, it may force your furnace to work too hard and leave it vulnerable to damages.
Will MERV 11 hurt my furnace?
A MERV 11 air filter has a higher efficiency rating. In particular, using an air filter with a MERV rating that’s too high can damage the compressor, heat exchanger, and air conditioner coil. In most cases, a MERV 11 air filter isn’t too high for residential use.
Is MERV 8 good enough?
A MERV 8 air filter is efficient at trapping a majority of indoor particulates that could debilitate those with asthma and allergies, or even cause long-term respiratory problems.
Is MERV 8 good enough for Covid?
Filters with MERV-13 or higher ratings can trap smaller particles, including viruses. Many home HVAC systems will have a MERV-8 filter installed as the default. By itself, using an upgraded HVAC filter is not enough to protect people from COVID-19.
Is MERV 13 too high for home?
MERV 13 air filters are the highest-rated air filters for home use. Any air filter with a rating higher than 13 will restrict air flow to the point of which could cause damage to your HVAC system, resulting in an added expense to fix it.
Is a MERV 12 filter too restrictive?
The higher the MERV rating, the more restrictive the filter might be. Plus, a MERV 12 filter that is just 1” (one inch) thick will likely be more restrictive than a MERV 12 filter that is 4” (four inches) thick. A clogged air filter of the “right” MERV rating will do this too. Low airflow.
Are MERV 13 filters worth it?
MERV 13 air filters are the highest-rated air filters for home use. If you have chronic or severe breathing problems, a MERV 13 rating would be good for you. Anyone in the household who requires the use of an inhaler, oxygen tank, or ventilation machine, they would also fall into this category.
Is MERV 10 good?
A filter with a MERV rating of around 10 to 12 is sufficient to remove most allergy-causing particles from your home’s air.
Is MERV 11 better than 12?
The difference between 11 and 12, therefore, is quite negligible. We do not carry MERV 12; MERV 11 does just as good a job. MERV 12 filters trap 80 to 89 percent of average particles of 1.0 to 3.0 microns, with an average particle size efficiency of 90 percent or better. As you can see, they’re pretty close.
Can I use MERV 13 in my furnace?
MERV 13 is the highest MERV value safe for residential furnaces; the higher ratings are used primarily in commercial units. If you are wondering what MERV to try, keep these recommendations in mind; ASHRAE recommends MERV 6 or higher.
What is a MERV 11 furnace filter?
The MERV 11 will increase indoor air quality by removing 85% of micron sized contaminants in the air which maintains the efficiency of the HVAC unit. It is also highly recommended if there are pets in the home which can greatly reduce the air quality indoors.
What does MERV 12 mean?
A filter with a MERV rating of nine to 12 captures particles greater than one micrometer. This includes most dust and common pollutants. A filter with a MERV rating of 13 to 16 captures particles greater than 0.3 micrometers. This includes bacteria, droplets from sneezing, smoke, and most other sources of pollution.
Is MERV 11 or 13 better?
A MERV 11 rated furnace filter can trap the majority of harmful contaminants that are present in the air. A MERV 13 filter is capable of filtering out all particle impurities like dust, lint, pollen, mold, dust mites, pet dander, smog, and smoke. On top of this, it can also trap bacteria and viruses.
Does air filtration help with Covid?
When used properly, air cleaners and HVAC filters can help reduce airborne contaminants including viruses in a building or small space. By itself, air cleaning or filtration is not enough to protect people from COVID-19.
Is MERV 11 good?
MERV 11 rated air filters have a filtration efficiency of a little over 90%, making them highly efficient. MERV 11 furnace filters effectively trap pollen, dust, lint, dust mites, and mold, along with smoke, pet dander, smog, auto emissions, bacteria, and other such fine particles.
Is MERV 12 good?
9-12 MERV – These filters are more efficient and usually offer the best indoor air quality improvement for residential applications. Deep pleated filters fall into this category. Because they work so well at removing airborne pollutants, they must be regularly checked to ensure proper airflow.
