Are you looking for the best MERV rating for your home? The Minimum Efficiency Report Value (MERV) is a rating system used to measure the effectiveness of air filters. It indicates how well a filter can capture particles between 0.3 and 10 microns in size. A higher MERV rating means that the filter can capture smaller particles, which can improve indoor air quality and help people with respiratory problems. To determine the right MERV rating for your home, you need to consider your environment and the type of filter you have.
If you have a newer unit, it should be able to handle higher MERV ratings without any airflow problems. However, if you have an older model, it may work better with a MERV 13 filter than when it originally had a MERV 6 filter in the air intake. The MERV system was designed to help improve quality in the air filter industry and to help with efficiency in the production of the air filters themselves. It is also important to note that Merv 8 filter media will not promote the growth of bacteria, mold or mildew in normal operating environments and has not been chemically treated.
Designed by The Home Depot for brands sold in its stores, including Honeywell, this rating structure is very similar to the MERV rating. The MERV 13 air filters even provide additional filtration power against fine particles compared to the MERV 11 filters. If you answered Yes to any of the above questions, or if you simply want to make sure that you are striving to improve indoor air quality, choosing a higher MERV rating could be the right decision for your situation. While MERV ratings reflect a filter's ability to trap microscopic and macroscopic particles, MPR ratings only rate a filter based on its ability to remove 0.3 to 1 micron particles.
