Your filter's MERV Rating is a good way to help judge the effectiveness of the filter. MERV means Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value which was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioner Engineers - ASHRAE. MERV values vary from 1 to 16. The higher the MERV value is the value the more efficient the filter will be in trapping airborne particles. Another consideration is air flow through the your HVAC system. Leaving a dirty air filter in place or using a filter that is too restrictive may result in low air flow and possibly cause the system to malfunction.
ASHRAE recommends MERV 6 or higher.
US Department of Energy recommends MERV 13 LEED recommends MERV 8 at a minimum.
See the chart below for filter MERV descriptions:
| MERV VALUE | 0.3 - 1.0 Micron | 1.0 - 3.0 Micron | 3.0 - 10.0 Micron | Types of things these filters will trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MERV 1 | - | - | Less than 20% | Pollen, dust mites, standing dust, spray paint dust, carpet fibers |
| MERV 2 | - | - | Less than 20% | |
| MERV 3 | - | - | Less than 20% | |
| MERV 4 | - | - | Less than 20% | |
| MERV 5 | - | - | 20% - 34% | Mold spores, hair spray, fabric protector, cement dust |
| MERV 6 | - | - | 35% - 49% | |
| MERV 7 | - | - | 50% - 69% | |
| MERV 8 | - | - | 70% - 85% | |
| MERV 9 | - | Less than 50% | 85% or better | Humidifier dust, lead dust, auto emissions, milled flour |
| MERV 10 | - | 50% - 64% | 85% or better | |
| MERV 11 | - | 65% - 79% | 85% or better | |
| MERV 12 | - | 80% - 89% | 90% or better | |
| MERV 13 | Less than 75% | 90% or better | 90% or better | Bacteria, most tobacco smoke, droplet nuclei (sneeze) |
| MERV 14 | 75% - 84% | 90% or better | 90% or better | |
| MERV 15 | 85% - 94% | 90% or better | 90% or better | |
| MERV 16 | 95% or better | 90% or better | 90% or better |
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