Which MERV Rating is Best for Your Home: Merv 8, 11, or 13?

MERV 11 oven filters have a particle arrest of just over 90%, while Merv 13 HVAC filters have a particle arrest of around 98%. This makes the latter significantly more efficient. But when it comes to answering the question of which MERV rating is best for your home, there are other factors to consider. MERV, or Minimum Efficiency Report Value, is a system used to evaluate the efficiency of an air filter based on its effectiveness in capturing particles of different sizes.

Using a MERV rating 13 filter is the best way to protect against bacteria that spread the virus, but you should also consider adding air quality solutions to your home. Using the filter with the highest Merv rating in your home would restrict that airflow, making it difficult for your HVAC to function properly. Overall, the highest MERV rating that is safe for residential use is MERV 13, although such a high rating is rarely needed in a residential home, unless someone has severe dust allergies or asthma and needs advanced air filtering. Filters in the MERV 5-8 range can also trap particles with a size of 3.0-10.0 microns, but are more efficient in doing so.

Another option is to use a MERV 8 or 11 filter and add an air purifier to your home designed to remove impurities that cause allergies. Filters that are MERV 16 to 20 are generally only found in hospitals, cleanrooms, and nuclear power plants.

Merv 13 air

filters will provide the cleanest air quality in your home purchased through the use of an air filter. When it comes to choosing the right MERV rating for your home, it's important to consider all factors. MERV 8, 11, or 13 may be the right choice depending on your circumstances.

If you have severe dust allergies or asthma, then you may need advanced air filtering with a MERV 13 filter. Otherwise, you can opt for a MERV 8 or 11 filter and add an air purifier to your home designed to remove impurities that cause allergies.

Conrad Sobczyk
Conrad Sobczyk

Award-winning beer aficionado. Wannabe burrito evangelist. Hipster-friendly pop culture practitioner. Total coffee trailblazer. Incurable zombie specialist. Hardcore webaholic.

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