MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and is an industry standard that measures the overall effectiveness of air filters. It sets the minimum amount of particles a filter must capture to obtain a specific MERV rating. The higher the number, the better the filter. The most common airborne contaminants that these filters are tested against tend to include pollen, dust mites, mold spores, dust, pet dander, bacteria, and tobacco smoke.
A filter with a MERV rating of around 10 to 12 is sufficient to remove most allergy-causing particles from the air in your home. MERV ratings range from 1 to 20, with 1 being the lowest level of filtration and 20 being the highest. Pleated filters that are MERV 8 to 13, unlike fiberglass, can effectively filter small particles and decrease pressure drop. A HEPA filter is essentially the ultimate solution in the air filter world and far exceeds what a MERV 13 can do.
MERV 17 to MERV 20 filters are explicitly used in an industrial or scientific application, such as surgical operating rooms, cleanrooms and other applications that require absolute cleanliness. It should also be noted that filters at the lower end of the MERV scale are not even tested for their efficiency in capturing E1 and E2 particles. If you are susceptible to allergies, asthma, or other respiratory conditions, you may want to use a filter with a MERV rating of approximately 10 to 12. The main difference between the MPR and MERV classification systems is that the MPR classification system focuses on the effectiveness of the filter in removing E1 microparticles from the air. In contrast, a high MERV rating indicates that the filter does a good job of removing particles from the air. If you're not sure what type of filter and which MERV ratings are best for your home, call Phyxter Home Services. With Filter King's filter selection tool, you can mark exactly the size, thickness and MERV rating you're looking for.
