Furnace Filter Merv Rating

Merv filter ratings and efficiency.

Furnace filter merv rating.

At the very lowest merv rating 1 4 your filter will still capture pollen dust mites cockroach debris sanding dust spray paint dust textile fibers and carpet fibers. Below is a table grouping merv ratings by particle size. Merv ratings range from 1 least efficient to 16 extremely efficient. In general filters with a rating of merv 16 or below are considered to be hvac system grade filters for residential commercial and general hospital use.

The higher the merv rating on a filter the fewer dust particles and contaminants can pass through it. Particles are measured in microns and range from carpet and textile fibers greater than 10 microns to microscopic bacteria less than 0 3 microns. Filters within a merv rating of 17 20 are almost never necessary in a residential home. You might have been using furnace filters with one that is too low or too high for your furnace without knowing it.

Every furnace filter has a minimum efficiency reporting value merv rating which measures how efficiently the filter captures particles of specific sizes that pass through it as your furnace operates. Merv ratings range from 1 to 16. Merv ratings indicate how effective a filter is at keeping different particles out. Read our blog for more information on how to choose the right filter for your furnace.

The rating indicates the size of particles the air filter is designed to capture. If the rating is too low potentially dangerous or damage causing particles can easily slip by.