Merv Air Filter Meaning

Merv means m inimum e fficiency r eporting v alue which was developed by the american society of heating refrigeration and air conditioner engineers.

Merv air filter meaning.

Many new jersey homeowners ask us about merv ratings especially when it comes to choosing between merv 8 and merv 11 air filters. Merv stands for minimum efficiency reporting value. The minimum efficiency reporting value or merv rating determines the efficiency of an air filter. The merv rating system is intended to be used to determine the filter s ability to remove particulates from the air.

As air moves through a building s hvac system air filters trap and collect large and small particles such as dust allergens and microorganisms. Minimum efficiency reporting value merv is a standard that rates the overall effectiveness of air filters. This rating system is defined in an ashrae standard 52 2 which specifies the conditions under which the testing must be done and the performance required to meet each merv level. The higher the merv rating the smaller the pores are for air to flow through an hvac filter.

Your filters merv rating is a good way to help judge the effectiveness of the filter. When i say it s the standard rating system i mean it. This can create more resistance in airflow than a system is designed to manage thus making it. In this article we ll go into more detail about merv filters and how to choose the right one for your new.

Minimum efficiency reporting value commonly known as merv is a measurement scale designed in 1987 by the american society of heating refrigerating and air conditioning engineers ashrae to report the effectiveness of air filters. Here s a breakdown of the merv ratings. According to the american society of heating refrigerating and air conditioning engineers ashrae this filtration helps provide healthier indoor air quality a filter s merv number indicates how it s rated to remove these particles. Higher value merv rating equates to finer filtration meaning fewer dust particles and other airborne contaminants can pass through the filter.

It is an acronym for high efficiency particulate air filter as officially defined by the u s. So the higher the merv rating the more efficient it is. An air filter s merv rating is a scale from 1 16 that describes the minimum efficiency of the air filter. This type of air filter can theoretically remove at least 99 97 of dust pollen mold bacteria and any airborne particles with a size of 0 3 microns µm.

The standard rating system for filters is called minimum efficiency reporting value or merv. The scale represents a quantum leap in the precision and accuracy of air cleaner ratings and allows for improved health reduced cost and energy efficiency in. Think of merv 8 filters as a good option and merv 11 filters as the better option for normal residential use.