HVAC DIY Tips & Tricks
stay comfortable with phyxter home services
- By Russell Jones
Our comprehensive air filter guide will help you find the perfect MERV rating for your home. Keep your family breathing easy with the best protection against allergens and pollutants. Follow our guide and breathe easy in the new year!
It’s a well-known researched fact that indoor air quality (IAQ) can be more polluted than outside air. The EPA states a crazy figure of 2 to 5 times more polluted.
Some symptoms of poor IAQ: – Shortness of breath – Uunable to take deep breaths – Dryness and irritated eyes – Unable to take deep breaths
MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. MERV Ratings are a rating system designed by ASHRAE to report the effectiveness of air filters.
The higher the MERV value, the greater the percentage of particles captured within the air filter.
MERV Ratings 1 to 16 are considered HVAC system grade filters suitable for residential HVAC systems. Anything above 13 is considered HEPA.
MERV 17 to 20 filters are used explicitly in industrial or scientific applications such as surgical theaters and other applications that require absolute cleanliness.
Check the MERV rating, as not all filters are created equal then check the dimensions. Check your furnace as it might not accept a higher MERV rating.