What is the Best MERV Rating for Home Air Filters?

When it comes to air filters, the best MERV rating for a home is typically between 8 and 10. This range offers a good balance between air filtration, airflow, and affordability. It captures a large portion of the particles suspended in the air, improving the interior of your home. A MERV rating between 6 and 13 is usually sufficient for most households. If you opt for a filter with a MERV 13 rating, it can last up to six months before needing to be replaced.The Minimum Efficiency Value (MERV) rating of an air filter measures how well it prevents dust and other contaminants from passing through the filter and into the air stream.

MERV indices range from 1 to 16, with higher indices trapping small particles more effectively than lower indices. For oven filters, our recommended MERV rating is between 6 and 8, providing a perfect balance between maximum oven efficiency and home comfort. If your family has allergies or respiratory issues such as asthma, you may want to invest in filters with higher MERV ratings.E1, E2, and E3 particles are particle sizes used to test air filters to determine their MERV classification. Choosing the right oven filter is about finding a balance between indoor air quality and the capabilities of your air conditioning system.

These scales have different ranges than those in the MERV classification, but they are usually measured based on similar factors. The rating gives you an idea of its performance so you can make an informed decision when buying an air filter.MERV 5 - MERV 8 filters provide good filtration and remove most pollen, mold spores, and dust mites. The following table shows the minimum threshold that a filter must meet to obtain a specific MERV classification. By assigning lower numerical values to help identify the efficiency of air filters, consumers can make an informed decision about the type of household air filter they use.Every time you use your air conditioner or boiler, the air filter will become dirty as dust and particles flow through the system and accumulate in the filter.

A better MERV rating doesn't always mean that a filter is the best option for your oven. Studies have found that filtering recirculated air improved microvascular function in healthy older people, improved other types of vascular function in healthy adults, and improved lung function in indigenous communities.The construction technology group ASHRAE points out that although the virus that causes COVID-19 measures less than 0.3 microns, it is usually embedded in other airborne particles that are large enough to be captured by air filters. ASHRAE standard 52.2 describes methods and procedures for evaluating the performance of air filters based on particle size.You can also use the Microparticle Performance Rating System (MPR), which ranges from 300 to 2200 and measures the effectiveness of a filter to trap only the smallest particles on the MERV scale (0.3 to 1 micron in size). It should also be noted that filters at the lower end of the MERV scale are not even tested to determine their effectiveness in capturing E1 and E2 particles.