Why MERV ratings matter to your air conditioner filter

July 23, 2015

Why MERV ratings matter to your air conditioner filter – to a point

Your air conditioner depends on it to run efficiently and cleanly.

You depend on it to breathe clean air and stay healthy.

Yet the HVAC filter remains one of those “mystery components” that confounds and confuses many homeowners.
And little wonder, considering the conflicting advice that emanates from myriad sources – from air quality experts to well-intentioned sales associates at home improvement stores who know how dizzying it can be to confront their vast selection.

The confusion often centers on a filter’s MERV rating, an abbreviation that stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and that mostly signifies a filter’s ability to trap airborne particles.

Charlie’s Tropic Heating & Air Conditioning is determined to clarify the issue while ensuring that our customers’ HVAC systems run efficiently and meet if not exceed the lifespan projected by the manufacturer. These were the motivations behind a new service that allows our customers to order fresh filters through our website – and then have them delivered right to their front door. (We touted the full benefits of this service in a previous article, “Charlie’s new delivery service underscores importance of monthly filter checks.”)

Charlie’s will help you choose the right filter for your HVAC system – all while educating you about what that mysterious MERV rating is all about.

We take our cues from the EPA
Taking it from the top, when Charlie’s refers to HVAC filters, we mean the soft mesh, disposal-type, and not top-of-the-line HEPA filters. High Efficiency Particulate Air filters are used with whole-house HEPA filtration systems (and usually cannot be installed without extensive modifications.)
Most disposable filters carry MERV ratings of between 1 and 16, though the upper number is sometimes extended to 20, depending on the manufacturer. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the filter. The efficiency quotient is based on three criteria established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers:

• The filter’s ability to remove airborne particles
• The filter’s resistance to air flow
• The filter’s expected lifespan

All things considered, the U.S. Department of Energy says that “medium efficiency filters with a MERV of 5 to 13 are reasonably efficient at removing small to large airborne particles. Filters with a MERV between 7 and 13 are likely to be nearly as effective as true HEPA filters at controlling most airborne indoor particles.”

The National Air Filtration Association endorses these numbers, recommending a range of between 9 and 12 for homes. Filters with higher MERV ratings are better suited to hospitals and commercial buildings, the association says.

Consider a proviso
Charlie’s Tropic Heating & Air Conditioning takes into account a sensible proviso from NAFA – and so should you. Noting that the MERV rating is partially based on a filter’s ability to target airborne particles, NAFA points out that “not all indoor air pollution is particle-based, however. Gasses contribute significantly to pollution as well.”

Put another way, if you home is subjected to special conditions – such as the regular use of strong chemicals or cleaners or the presence of heavy smokers – you may want to choose an HVAC filter with extra care.

There’s no doubt that frequent air filter changes will reduce stress on your AC motor, reduce the frequency and severity of repairs, help you save money on your electric bill and increase the lifespan of your HVAC system. That’s a tall order – and one that Charlie’s will help you fill, right to your front door.

You May Also Like…

11 Comments

  1. I read this paragraph completely about the comparison of
    most recent and previous technologies, it’s remarkable article.

  2. I have been browsing online more than 3 hours nowadays,
    yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
    It is pretty worth enough for me. Personally,
    if all site owners and bloggers made good content material as you probably did, the web might be much more
    useful than ever before.

  3. Howdy! This post could not be written much
    better! Looking through this article reminds me of
    my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this.
    I will forward this article to him. Fairly certain he will have
    a very good read. Thanks for sharing!

  4. This is a topic that is near to my heart…
    Thank you! Where are your contact details though?

  5. Hey! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading your blog
    posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal
    with the same subjects? Thank you so much!

  6. Hi! I just would like to give you a huge thumbs
    up for your great info you’ve got here on this post.

    I am returning to your site for more soon.

  7. Great post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this subject?
    I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little
    bit further. Kudos!

  8. I’m gone to convey my little brother, that he
    should also go to see this webpage on regular basis to take updated from hottest information.

  9. Greetings! I’ve been reading your weblog for a long time now and
    finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Austin Tx!
    Just wanted to tell you keep up the fantastic work!

  10. Thanks to my father who shared with me regarding this weblog, this
    web site is genuinely awesome.

  11. What’s up everyone, it’s my first pay a visit at this website, and article is actually fruitful
    for me, keep up posting these articles or reviews.

Leave a Reply to https://www.growproslawncare.com

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *