Furnaces are among the most popular home heating solutions in the US.
While the main purpose of a furnace is to keep your home warm, they can offer additional benefits. One of the most noteworthy is that they can help improve the air quality in a home. This is due to the air filters they use.
Your furnace filter has a MERV rating, and this determines how well it filters contaminants out of the air. Let’s take a closer look at these ratings so you can get a better idea of how your HVAC filter is benefiting you.
What Are MERV Ratings?
Any furnace or HVAC system will have a filter with a MERV rating. This rating determines the size of particles it can remove from the air. These filters may be able to remove particles between 0.3 and 10 microns, and the higher the filter rating, the more effective it is.
MERV Range 1-4
These are typically disposable electrostatic filters that can help remove contaminants such as pollen, dust, dust mites, sanding dust, spray paint, and textile/carpet fibers.
MERV Range 5-8
These include pleated cartridge and electrostatic filters. They’re ideal for things like mold spores, hair spray, cement dust, pet dander, dusting aids, and pudding mix.
MERV Range 9-12
Similar to MERV 5-8, these can be pleated or cartridge filters. Some of the contaminants they can help with include lead dust, auto emissions, humidifier dust, legionella, and welding fumes.
MERV Range 13-16
These are available as both bag filters and box filters. They can remove fine particles like tobacco smoke, insecticide dust, droplet nuclei, and bacteria.
MERV Range 17-20
Filters in this range are the most effective and are usually HEPA filters or other specialized filters. They can remove combustion smoke, carbon dust, and viruses from the air.
Choosing a Filter
You may initially think that the higher the rating a filter has, the better it is, but this isn’t always the case. One of the drawbacks of a higher MERV rating is that these filters can reduce airflow.
This will mean an HVAC system needs to work harder to move air through the furnace. It can also increase the risk of a breakdown.
Many HVAC systems have a MERV rating limit. You should check this before an HVAC filter change to make sure you don’t get one that’s likely to cause issues.
If anyone in your family has allergies or respiratory issues like asthma, this could affect your choice. A filter with a higher MERV rating will remove more contaminants from the air which could help with their health. In a typical home, a filter with a MERV of six to eight is usually ideal, but you may want something a bit different depending on your needs.
Finding the Right Furnace Filter MERV Rating
If you want to maintain good air quality in your home, having the right filter is ideal. At the same time, you don’t want a furnace filter with a MERV rating that’s too high, as it will restrict airflow.
MetFab is a professional heating, cooling, and HVAC maintenance company based in Clark County, WA. We provide a range of services and have been in business for over 40 years. If you need a new furnace filter or anything else, send us a request today.