Each and every service industry has its own lingo. The phrases, words, and definitions that are uniquely familiar to the workers within those industries. Most of the time an average person has no need to know these types of terms. Sometimes, however, like when it comes to repairs or changes made to your home, it’s far better to know what’s going on than not. 

That’s why we started our HVAC Terms Defined series. We wanted to make our industry more accessible and understandable to the people we’re lucky enough to call customers. 

We’ve covered a few topics already, namely what BTU and SEER stand for, but today’s post is going to be covering the topic of MERV.

What does MERV stand for?

MERV is an acronym that stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. A MERV rating is a designation given to an air filter according to its ability to capture large particles within specific parameters of measurement. These ratings exist as a way to standardize and compare the performance of different kinds of air filters. 

Put simply, the higher a MERV rating an air filter has, the more capable it is at filtering the air. MERV ratings are given on a scale from 1 to 16.

• A MERV rating between 1 and 4 is capable of capturing particles down to 10 microns in size. Filters with this kind of rating are most commonly used in commercial buildings, residential furnaces, or window AC units.
• A MERV rating between 5 and 8 can capture particles down to 3 microns in size. These are the most commonly found MERV ratings, used on filters for most commercial and residential uses. Capable of handling dust, pollen, mites, and mold spores.
• A MERV rating between 9 and 12 can capture particles down to 1 microns in size. Filters with this rating are going to be used in high-grade commercial or residential applications. They can capture everything previously listed, but smaller particles like coal, lead, and humidifier dust as well. 
• A MERV rating between 13 and 16 can capture particles down to .3 microns in size. These filters are only going to be used in serious medical or scientific spaces like surgery rooms, inpatient care rooms, or similar.

The right filter with the right MERV rating for your home is going to deliver the quality of comfortable air you’re looking for. One important thing to note: a higher rating isn’t always better. If you put an air filter with a MERV rating of 16 in your residential home, it would have a hard time operating because the pores would be too small for its intended use. That would make it harder for air to flow through, putting more strain on your HVAC system, wearing it out faster than is necessary. 

Why should I care about my home’s air quality?

Now that you know what a MERV rating is, you might be wondering why you should care. You should care because you need to breathe to live, and you need air to breathe, so if you have to breathe anyways – don’t you want that air to be clean?

Air with pollutants in it can be harmful to you and your family’s health, especially young children and the immunosuppressed. Thankfully, there are plenty of low or no-cost ways you can improve your home’s interior air quality: 

• Practicing regular filter changing and maintenance
• Work to eradicate any sources of interior pollution by keeping vents open and keeping smoking or other air polluting activities outdoors
• Keeping your indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent to decrease the chances of mold developing

There are few things more important than making sure the air your family’s breathing is clean and clear. Now that you know everything there is to know about MERV ratings, you might be interested in making sure your home’s air filters are up to the task. You can call the team at Welter Heating  any time to talk about air filters, air circulation, air cooling, or anything else HVAC related – anytime!