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06.09.2024
Brooke Kirshne
The modern world is fighting against the problem of poor indoor air quality, which is very common. This issue is increasing due to many factors like global warming, industrialization, deforestation, an increase in the population, etc. To tackle this, air filters are created to remove air pollutants like dust, dirt, and allergens, but the thing is, how are you going to choose an efficient filter for your home or office? How will you differentiate between high-quality and low-quality filters?
These types of questions must be coming to your mind right now. Well, don’t worry because there is always a solution to any problem. In this case, the answer is the MERV rating; it helps air filter users identify what is best for them to purify air. Selecting an air filter with a MERV rating that suits you is crucial, but how will you know the best rating? That's also a problem. Well, today is your lucky day because you came to the right place. In this blog, you’ll get answers to your questions, so don’t forget to read till the end.
What Are Air Filters And Their Types?
Air filters are a crucial part of the HVAC system. For those who don’t know, HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. This system helps to control the temperature of your house or workplace. An air filter is a medium from where the air passes when your system consumes air; it helps to filter the air and captures airborne particles like dust, dirt, debris, etc. There are many types of air filters available on the market, and here are some of them:
- Pleated Filters: These filters have a large surface area because they are made of cloth or paper, which is folded into a series of small pleats. Their design helps them to remove large amounts of particles from the air.
- Fiberglass Filters: air filters that are made of woven glass or spun glass are called fiberglass filters. They are effective in removing large particles like dirt and dust. These filters are also known as disposable filters because they are non-recyclable.
- Reusable Filters: these filters are also known as washable filters. They are reusable and have a life of 5 to 10 years. Woven polypropylene is usually used to make these filters, and they can capture particles larger than 10 microns only.
Understanding MERV Ratings
The word MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. It is a rating system that was created by the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers). This rating system shows how effectively an air filter can remove airborne pollutants and pathogens. Ratings measure the filter’s efficiency by checking the size of particles the filter can remove. The size is measured in micrometers (microns). The smaller the size, the higher the rating. The MERV ratings go from 1 to 20. Here is a table that shows you properly how this works:
| MERV Ratings | Effectiveness |
|---|---|
| MERV 1-4 | Captures large particles of size more than 10 microns, like pollen, dust, dust mites, etc. |
| MERV 5-8 | Cleans air from particles like mold spores, pet dander, etc. that have a size of 3 to 10 microns. |
| MERV 9-12 | Removes auto emissions, legionella, etc. that are 1.0 to 3.0 microns in size. |
| MERV 13-16 | Great at removing pollutants and particles larger than 0.3 microns like bacteria, tobacco smoke, etc. |
| MERV 17-20 | Clears contaminants like viruses, carbon dust, etc. of size less than 0.3 microns. |
What Is A MERV 11 Air Filter?
Air filters that have a rating of 11 according to the MERV rating scale are known as MERV 11 air filters. These filters can be considered midrange filters. Here are the main characteristics of these filters:
- Filtration efficiency: Filters of 11 ratings are effective at removing 85% or more particles of size between 3.0 and 10 microns. It primarily captures particles like smoke, pet dander, mold spores, and dust. These are the criteria of particles that MERV 11 filters remove:
- 20% particles of size 0.3 to 1.0 microns.
- 65% particles of size 1.0 to 3.0 microns.
- 85% particles of size 3.0 to 10 microns.
- Applications: These filters are best for residential HVAC systems and for commercial buildings too. People who want to keep the clean air in their homes should invest in MERV 11 filters.
What Is A MERV 13 Air Filter?
These filters have a 13 MERV rating, which means their components are denser than lower-rated filters, so they can purify air more effectively. Here are the key characteristics of MERV 13 filters:
- Filtration efficiency: These air filters are efficient at capturing smaller particles like bacteria and smoke from the air. Here are the criteria of particles that these filters remove according to percentage:
- 75% particles of size 0.3 to 1.0 microns.
- 90% particles of size 1.0 to 3.0 microns.
- More than 90% of particles of size 3.0 to 10 microns
- Applications: MERV 13 air filters are effective at places where allergens are found, like hospitals, healthcare centers, and homes where individuals are allergic to poor air or have respiratory issues like asthma.
Comparison: MERV 11 vs. MERV 13
| Aspect | MERV 11 Air Filters | MERV 13 Air Filters |
|---|---|---|
| Filtration Efficiency | Captures particles like pollen, dust, pet dander, and mold spores efficiently. | Advanced filtration ability against fine particles like bacteria, viruses, smoke, and allergens. |
| Average Efficiency | Approx. 65% effective for particles of size 1.0 to 3.0 microns. | Around 90% effective for particles of size 1.0 to 3.0 microns. |
| Application | Effective for residential and light commercial places. | Best for sterile places like healthcare centers, hospitals, laboratories, and homes where a person has respiratory issues or allergies. |
| Particle Size Capture | Mainly removes particles of size between 3.0 and 10 microns. | Clears particles of size between 0.3 and 1.0 microns efficiently. |
| Particle Arrestance | Around 90% of particle arrestance. | Around 98% of particle arrestance. |
| System Compatibility | Compatible with most HVAC systems. | Not compatible with most HVAC systems, so checking requirements is necessary. |
| Cost | Generally more affordable compared to MERV 13 filters. | Typically higher priced due to advanced filtration ability. |
| Ideal For | Environments with moderate air quality concerns. | Environments with sterile air quality requirements and people with respiratory sensitivities or health concerns. |
When To Choose MERV 11?
For individuals who want to keep the environment of their home clean and are pet owners, the MERV 11 filter is best for them. These filters can capture 85% of particles that are size of 3.0 to 10 microns, which is very helpful for people who have mild allergies or mild respiratory issues. These filters are best for residential places like houses, schools, offices, etc. The cost-effectiveness of these filters makes them the best choice for those who want to improve their indoor air quality adequately but don’t want to spend much. People who have HVAC systems with lower capacity to airflow resistance should invest in a MERV 11 filter because these filters don’t put much stress on the unit.
When To Choose MERV 13?
The MERV 13 filters are very effective at capturing small particles of size 0.3 to 1.0, which include allergens, bacteria, viruses, etc. These filters will be very beneficial to those individuals who are suffering from allergies caused by airborne pollutants, asthma, or other respiratory conditions. Places where a sterile environment is important, like hospitals, healthcare centers, or other healthcare facilities, should bring and use MERV 13 filters so the contaminants can’t harm people who are vulnerable to unsterile places. One thing you need to consider before purchasing these filters is your HVAC system airflow resistance because the filter puts in high resistance that can harm your system’s components if they can’t handle the resistance.
Maintenance Considerations
Air filters help to improve indoor air quality, but one of the crucial things about them is that they need proper maintenance from time to time. Filters with different MERV ratings also need to be maintained differently; for example, MERV 11 air filters require replacement every 3 to 6 months, and on the other side, MERV 13 air filters need to be replaced every 3 months or sooner. This difference is caused by the airflow resistance and ability to capture particles. MERV 11 filters have low airflow resistance and capture airborne particles less than MERV 13 filters; because of these two factors, lower-rated filters filled with dirt later than higher-rated filters. So here is the step-by-step guide on how to clean your MERV filters and replace them:
Steps To Clean Your MERV Filters
Step 1: Turn Off Your HVAC System
Before doing anything, you must turn off your system for safety purposes, and it will prevent dirt and debris from circulating in your home when you start cleaning.
Step 2: Locate And Remove The Filter
You can check your HVAC system manual because most of the time the location is mentioned there. Usually, the filter is situated behind the metal panel in the return air duct. After this, remove it carefully and remember the airflow arrow direction for proper installation of the new filter.
Step 3: Vacuum The Filter
After checking your filter, you can identify that it needs replacement or cleaning. If cleaning, then use a vacuum cleaner attached to a soft brush to remove the dirt from the filter, and be gentle to avoid damage to your filter’s fiber.
Step 4: Install Your Old Or New Filter
When your old filter is cleaned or you bought a new one, place it carefully into your HVAC system and cross-check whether the filter’s airflow direction is correct. After this, turn on your system, and it's done.
Conclusion
Air filters have now become an important part of your daily life because every day you spend time in your home, offices, school, etc., and these technical friends help you to breathe clean air. The MERV ratings help you choose a filter that suits you best. MERV 11 air filters provide clean air and are effective in removing 85% of airborne particles of size 3.0 to 10 microns. The higher-rated filters like MERV 13 can efficiently remove 90% of particles of size 1.0 to 3.0 microns. If someone wants to choose one of them, they should consider their needs, like filtration for a normal person or an individual with respiratory issues and cost-effectiveness.
You must be wondering about where you will find these filters, right? Well, don’t wonder about it now because Custom Filter Direct is here for you and your filter needs. We provide high-quality MERV 11 and 13 air filters with customizable sizes so they can fit in your HVAC system properly. So don’t wait; contact us now at (877) 812-7983.
