Air Filter Quality Categories to Remove Air Pollution Particles
Flat or panel air filters with a MERV of 1 to 4 are commonly used in residential furnaces and air conditioners. Such filters are used to protect the HVAC equipment from the buildup of
unwanted materials on the surfaces such as fan motors and heating or
cooling coils, and not for direct indoor air quality reasons.
Pleated or extended surface filters Medium efficiency filters with a MERV of 5 to 13 are reasonably efficient at removing small to large airborne particles.
Filters with a MERV between 7 and 13 are likely to be nearly as effective as true HEPA filters at controlling most airborne indoor particles. Medium efficiency air filters are generally less expensive than HEPA filters, and allow quieter HVAC fan operation and higher airflow rates than HEPA filters since they have less airflow resistance.
Higher efficiency filters with a MERV of 14 to 16, sometimes misidentified as HEPA filters, are similar in appearance to true HEPA filters, which have MERV values of 17 to 20. True HEPA filters are normally not installed in residential HVAC systems; installation of a HEPA filter in an existing HVAC system would probably require professional modification of the system.
RESOURCE: EPA Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home
Pleated or extended surface filters Medium efficiency filters with a MERV of 5 to 13 are reasonably efficient at removing small to large airborne particles.
Filters with a MERV between 7 and 13 are likely to be nearly as effective as true HEPA filters at controlling most airborne indoor particles. Medium efficiency air filters are generally less expensive than HEPA filters, and allow quieter HVAC fan operation and higher airflow rates than HEPA filters since they have less airflow resistance.
Higher efficiency filters with a MERV of 14 to 16, sometimes misidentified as HEPA filters, are similar in appearance to true HEPA filters, which have MERV values of 17 to 20. True HEPA filters are normally not installed in residential HVAC systems; installation of a HEPA filter in an existing HVAC system would probably require professional modification of the system.
RESOURCE: EPA Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home
