When it comes to choosing the right furnace filter for your home, the MERV rating is an important factor to consider. The MERV rating is a standard measure of a filter's ability to remove particles from the air in your home, ranging from 1 to 20. A lower rating indicates a lower quality filter, while a higher rating means a more resistant filter. In general, filters with a MERV rating of 16 or lower are considered HVAC system grade filters for residential, commercial, and general hospital use.
Our recommended MERV rating for oven filters ranges from 6 to 8 to strike a great balance between maximum oven efficiency and home comfort. The quality of the IR filters varies a lot. If the filter is too dirty or too resistant, it can cause airflow problems that impair efficiency and performance. To determine resistance, filters use the MERV rating system.
In short, the higher the MERV rating, the more resistant the filter is. Air filters with Merv ratings higher than 13 also tend to restrict airflow because they have smaller pores to capture smaller particles. Before buying a new oven filter, be sure to check if your HVAC system has a limit for the MERV rating. A higher MERV rating often means lower airflow, which can cause the system to work harder and use more energy to do its job.
Selecting the right MERV rating for your air filter is a balancing act between the capabilities of your HVAC system and the indoor air quality you want to achieve. If your family has allergy problems or severe respiratory problems, such as asthma, you may want to invest in filters with higher MERV ratings. If your home's HVAC system is unable to handle MERV 13, opt for a filter with the next highest possible rating. A MERV rating of 13 to 16 is considered hospital-level air quality, so it's unlikely that your home will need more than that. You can also view the Microparticle Performance Rating (MPR) system, which ranges from 300 to 2200 and measures the effectiveness of a filter in trapping only the smallest particles on the MERV scale (0.3-1 microns in size).
Since higher speed filters allow less air to flow through the oven, it's a good idea to check if your system has a maximum MERV rating. Now that you know what MERV rating your oven can handle, it's time to find the best HVAC filter for your installation. Obtaining filters with the correct MERV ratings is essential to ensuring that the air is well filtered without overloading the HVAC system. Furnace filters with MERV ratings between 6 and 8 are usually considered the minimum of efficiency and are usually cheaper than other options. Filter technology has grown by leaps and bounds over the years, and MERV ratings are designed to help us determine the most effective and efficient air filter options for heating and cooling systems and more.
