Every home requires a proper ventilation system to sustain a healthy living experience. This means there should be a proper mechanism to help control the airflow inside and around your building. Most people use air filters for this process. However, filters can quickly get dirty and may require proper and thorough maintenance for smooth functioning. This is where a basic understanding of MERV ratings and their benefits comes in handy.
What Are MERV Filter Ratings?
Whether you are using a commercial or residential HVAC system, your unit will require proper care and maintenance to keep offering fresh air at your disposal.
Air constantly passes through an HVAC system, and this air may bring along unwanted visitors, such as:
- Dust
- Debris
- Allergens
- Pollen
However, you can easily keep your air filters in check and functioning with the help of regular servicing. MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) is basically a home air quality test that measures the effectiveness of an air filter against any foreign contaminants. It is a form of residential air quality testing that provides a rating for how well your air filters fight off unwanted allergens and dust.
Therefore, MERV filter ratings are quite essential in ensuring that your residential HVAC system is operating at a high level. Air filters that offer a higher MERV rating are better at eliminating smaller dust particles. However, air filters with lower MERV ratings are only good at fighting larger particles.
According to this residential indoor air quality testing, filters that offer a MERV rating of 16 or lower are suitable for a residential home or a commercial place. On the other hand, hospitals and other high-risk places require air filters with a MERV rating between 17 and 20.
What Are the Benefits of Using Highly Rated MERV Filters?
The basic purpose of indoor air quality tests is to ensure that all your residents are away from any dangers of foreign contaminants and have access to clean breathing air. Therefore, filters ensure that the indoor air is of high quality. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using filters with a proper MERV rating.
Fight Against Pollen and Dust Mites
A properly rated MERV filter will help your HVAC system fight against pollen and dust mites. A lot of people are allergic to pollen and dust mites, and these elements can initiate a chain reaction of sneezing and itching. Therefore, highly rated MERV filters can protect those at risk and improve the overall level of air quality.
Fight Against Mold and Spores
Moreover, good filters are also capable of fighting against any chances of mold growth and spores in your place. A filter with a MERV rating of 5 or higher can help control mold/spore. However, hospitals and health care buildings will want something with at least a 17 rating to provide more protection.
Protect Against Bacteria
MERV 13 and higher filters will be capable of taking care of any bacteria that may turn their ugly heads toward your HVAC system. Not only that, but these filters can also act as a defensive wall against a wide variety of sneeze nuclei and insecticide dust. These elements can cause allergies and even adverse reactions in some people. If you want your home to be clean and healthy, it makes sense to provide proper defensive mechanisms against such bacteria.
Moreover, these MERV filters can help protect against a wide range of other harmful elements, such as:
- Copier toner
- Pet dander
- Automobile Fumes
- Face powder
Therefore, MERV filters act as the first line of defense against bacteria, harmful gases, fumes, insecticides, and other harmful particles that may result in any severe reactions.
Fresher Air That’s Easier to Breathe
With a properly rated MERV filter, you can enjoy a better quality of indoor air without too many hassles. All you have to do is install filters inside your HVAC systems, service them regularly, and enjoy a fresher quality of air in your home or commercial place.
If you have ever been to a hospital, you must have noticed a change in the quality of air indoors. Well, that is made possible with the help of highly-rated MERV filters. You can get that kind of high-quality air at home as well. Invest your money and resources in employing the most suitable MERV filters for your home, and you will be good to go.
Keep in mind that the average person spends more than 90% of their time indoors. Unfortunately, the concentration of pollutants and contaminants inside is also two to five times higher compared to outside spaces. Therefore, it is imperative to use at least a MERV 13 filter for your HVAC system.
Reduce the Amount of Dust in Your Home
Sometimes, even when all the windows and doors are closed, you constantly have to dust off your couch, bedsheets, linen tablecloths, and carpets. Do you ever wonder how all this dust gets inside your home? Well, the answer is your HVAC system.
Since your HVAC system is responsible for maintaining a constant flow of air, it also brings in a lot of dust from the air filters. Well, if you want to get rid of any unwanted dust in your home, invest in a properly rated filter. Even a MERV 1 filter is designed to track and stop dust particles before they can enter your HVAC system. However, these lower-rated products are generally only suitable for window AC units.
If you have a central HVAC system, you do not have to go for the best MERV filters on the market. Any MERV filters between the range of 10 to 16 will do. These will adequately stop allergens as well as keep dust particles away from your HVAC system. These filters offer great dust-holding capacity and require minimal cleaning and/or replacement. If you have questions about MERV ratings, reach out to the experts at We Care Plumbing, Heating, & Air. We’ll help you determine the best filter to use with your system.
Protect Your HVAC System
The professionals at We Care Plumbing, Heating, & Air can help you stay protected against any contaminants, bacteria, and pollutants. Our crew will install the proper filter for your HVAC system, and we’ll also tune up the unit regularly at the end of every season. Moreover, our professionals have years of resourceful experience in the field and understand the art of quickly and easily tackling any filter-related issues at an affordable price. If you want to protect yourself and your family against airborne contaminants, we’re the indoor air quality experts to trust. We can even explain your options with air purifiers, which can provide another layer of protection.
Give us a call today for all your HVAC and plumbing needs. Our crew is adept at heating and cooling installations, repairs, and tune-ups. We Care Plumbing, Heating, & Air has offices in Orange and Murrieta.