This is important to consider when choosing a filter for your application and your HVAC unit. These values were correct at the time of printing and Filtermakers do not accept any liability for any information provided herein. The blowers in HVAC units rely on a good air supply to keep them cool. The FPR system goes a step further and also rates filters based on the amount of pressure drop they introduce and their dust holding capacity. A: Although ASHRAE does not recommend a specific MERV filter rating for preventing COVID-19 transmission, the organization suggests that upgrading systems in non-healthcare facilities to MERV-13 or the highest achievable level can be a worthwhile step in emergency response plans. These include mold, smoke and pollen. When your HVAC system is running the filter slows and limits the air that is being pulled through your vents and ducts. To get the right HVAC product and suitable MERV-rated air filter, you should know the area you want to use. The air filter's efficiency has an indirect impact on airflow. They specify a minimum MERV of a filter to use, but not the IR. Which is not recommended, and could cause increased energy bills, and undue wear on your HVAC unit. However, short of filter neglect, most modern HVAC systems are designed to be able to work with MERV filters in the range of 10 to 13. LakeAir replacement filters use 4 different MERV rated filters. It is 75% efficient on particles 0.3 -1.0 microns, 85% efficient on particles 1-3 microns and 95% efficient on particle larger than 3 microns. "@type": "Question", Spun fiberglass almost always has a lower IR than other materials. W2 Wire Thermostat Wiring (2nd Stage), Thermostat Wire Color Codes For 3-8 Wire Thermostats (Color-By-Color), How Many Therms Of Gas Per Month Is Normal? The speed at which the test was done is noted in the test results. Below is a chart comparing the pressure drop of standard 20X24X1 MERV8, 11, and 13 at 1000 CFM. What if they cause too much pressure drop? The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the air filter is at removing particles. If you're looking at air filters rated for MPR compared to air filters rated by the MERV filter rating system, you can reference this chart below: MPR 600 is equal to MERV Rating 8; MPR 1000 is equal to MERV Rating 8; MPR 1200+ is equal to MERV Rating 11; MPR 1500 is . As the MERV rating increases the media typically becomes loftier and thicker, to capture more air pollutants, with this you could see slightly more air restriction. In general, filters with a rating of MERV16 or below are considered to be HVAC-system-grade filters for residential, commercial and general hospital use. The wasted energy (and associated energy bill costs) required to push air through a higher MERV-rated filter to overcome the increased pressure drop shocks some owners. The higher the pressure drop the more restrictive the filter is to air flow. Products and solutions to help your business move forward. } The test is based on particle size. How efficient the filter is against all three size ranges is compared against a MERV chart and the final MERV value is the highest value where the filter meets all three requirements of MERV. "name": "Do higher MERV rated filters restrict air flow? The US Department of Energy recommends at least a MERV 8. You can check the best medical-grade air purifiers here; these use H13 HEPA filters. MERV values range from 1 (minimal filtering) to 20 (maximum filtering). Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values, or MERVs, report a filter's ability to capture larger particles between 0.3 and 10 microns (m). the expression of the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV). In January 2009 ASHRAE stopped recognizing MERV 17 -20 values. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of an air filter (from 1 to 20) measures how much dust, pollen, mold spores, and other contaminants pass through that filter to enter the indoor airstream. The scale rates how well a filter removes fine particulates from the incoming air. Minimum Efficiency Report Value (MERV) is a rating system designed by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers) to measure the effectiveness of air filters. The furnace filter removes at least 90% of solid pollutants that measure 3.0 to 10 microns in diameter. "text": "The accepted pressure drop is different for each air conditioning or air handling system, and you should always refer to your manufacturers guide prior to inserting replacing your air filter to ensure you are using the appropriate filter. A filter's MERVnumber indicates how it's rated to remove these particles. "@type": "FAQPage", Conclusions Drawn from the MERV 13 Pressure Drop Chart $3,834 will be saved annually per AHU in reduced fan energy by using 5-Star air filters. This has resulted in confusion and apprehension on the part of the homeowner who wants to provide good quality indoor air, but not at the expense of that expensive HVAC system. Grainger Editorial Staff. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Take it out and run the system for a couple minutes. "name": "What is filter pressure drop? "text": "The higher the MERV rating the more efficient the filter is at filtering out and capturing air particles and contaminants. As an air filter manufacturer, we are uniquely positioned to custom make any and all types of air filters. OurHEPA filtersystems are our best media air filters they remove 99.97% of all impurities. Particle filtration can lower the concentration of infectious airborne particles that spread many communicable illnesses, which is why some models suggest that it can "substantially decrease the portion of disease transmission caused by these small particles. This also means that as the MERV rating goes up, the more particles and contaminants the filter can capture. SIGN UP FOR EMAILGet more great content in your inbox. Need more details? Each air filter has its own unique pressure drop. It is not recommended to continue to use your filter beyond its final pressure drop point. build your custom filter now, Send us a message below or call us at 1.800.667.8563. You can see from the MERV scale above that MERV 10 filter will filter out 85% of 3.0-10.0 m particles. This allows greater airflow without having to increase the size of the actual filter. ". They also found that air flow in the high-MERV filters dropped by 7% and 11% in the two HVAC systems compared to the low-MERV filters. filtration helps provide healthier indoor air quality, Learn more about these recommendations here, recommendations for filtration, humidity set points, automation and more. Average particle size efficiency for 1 size range (0.3-1.0 micron, to be exact). Riga-Flo This is usually when the filter is new. A position paper published by ASHRAE looked at the claim that particle filtration has health benefits. "@type": "Answer", You can see from the MERV scale above that MERV 10 filter will filter out 85% of 3.0-10.0 m particles. All filters will increase in pressure drop in use. MERV, which is an acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, is a rating system that was developed by ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). Additionally, some brands drop their MERV rating almost immediately upon first use (e.g., a so-called MERV-13 becomes a MERV-9 as its used it cant hold its efficiency). { PICKHVAC Terms of Use: Some of the products seen on our site are delivered through a relationship with outside suppliers like Networx.com, Google, and others. The higher the MERV of a filter, the smaller and the more particles it will remove from the air that passes through it. Green Manufacturing ~ How green is your air purifier? In case you havent heard of MERV before, it stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The following example illustrates how this can play out for a hospital investing in higher quality filters to reduce their energy and filter replacement costs. The more tightly woven or thick a filters media is, the more particles and contaminates the filter can trap. Yes, really! An air filter's minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating measures how effectively the filter stops dust and other contaminants from passing through the filter and into the air stream. Estimated energy savings from 5-Star filters per AHU, extrapolated to annual basis (assuming 24/7 AHU operation, 34,235 cfm airflow per AHU): ($0.463/cfm $0.575/cfm) x 34,235 cfm = $3,834 annual electric energy savings per AHU. 6-Pack 24x24x4 XTREME PLUS Air Filters MERV 8 XPH-STD4-405- 24X24X4 - $45 (Pacolet) 24x24x4 Air Filter for HVAC. According to this paper, there's a well established connection between higher concentrations of particles in outdoor air and poor health outcomes, so it would make sense that filtering these particles out of indoor air could lead to better health outcomes. We are here to make sure you select the right solution for your needs. As you can see above, research shows that in general, HVAC systems with high MERV* filters have a higher pressure drop across the entire filter. Includes a moisture resistant, high wet-strength beverage board frame. 1.0-3.0 greater than or equal to 80% A thicker filter of the same MERV as a thinner one will usually have a larger face area, a lower resistance to air flow, and less pressure drop. These filters can cause restricted airflow. Refer below to four average contaminant size intervals for MERV rating consideration. We are hiring! } For example, a household pleated filter that uses synthetic media will have a lower pressure drop than a micro-fiberglass media that is used in critical environments such as a hospitals and datacenters." MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This is how they get the name MERV (MINIMUM Efficiency Rating Value). The Air Conditioning Contractors of America assumes that the pressure drop across a . They are usually reserved for superior commercial applications. 3.0-10.0 greater than or equal to 90%, 0.30-1.0 greater than or equal to 75% In some ways they are better than all media filters in others they have drawbacks. "@type": "Answer", They usually have the lowest MERV of all filters as well. If U are going to use pleated filters U need a deep pleated filter to provide a lot more area; which would require new Return Air filter racks . These filters remove at least 99.97% of dust particle and are capable of removing viruses and radioactive material. However, most HVAC systems built in the last 20 years should have no issue using a MERV 6 - MERV 13 rated air filter. ", High MERV ratings are recommended if you seek the removal of allergens from the air as the fibers they are comprised of are layered optimally to trap the smaller-size particles which are generally at fault for triggering symptoms in sensitive individuals. } in the Inch-Pound system of measurement. If your facility needs to upgrade to MERV 13+, R.P. PickHVAC is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Typical Applications. The rating system is called ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2007. Rene has worked 10 years in the HVAC field and now is the Senior Comfort Specialist for PICKHVAC. The M in MERV rating stands for Minimum. As you can see, the HEPA filters surpass the most restrictive 0.3-1.0 micron particle size interval MERV rating is based upon. MERV ratings 1 to 4 are generally only used as pre-filters but can be found in many typical applications like commercial buildings, furnaces, and window AC units. This MERV rating chart has the MERV ratings, 1-16 on the left hand column and then there are five other columns showing the average efficiency in microns, average arrestance and the final resistance as measured in inches of water. P.S. Air Filters, Inc. is committed to providing a "one-stop shop" for all of your air filtration requirements. These dust particles fall into three size groups. Our price is lower than the manufacturer's "minimum advertised price." "@type": "Question", The performance ratings given above are adapted from equivalent EU and MERV ratings and test classifications for filters as outlined in AS1324.1, EN779 and ASHRAE52. "text": "A filters pressure drop is measured twice, once when the filter is brand new and again when the filter has been in service and is loaded with trapped air pollutants. The chart below shows the MERV ratings. Filters with a (M) value 5 through 8 remove finer dust particles. How to Tell if I Should Change Furnace Filter. We recommendMERV 11 filtersas our better air filter. A filter is sent to an ASHRAE lab, and its efficiency is tested against aerosols at three different size ranges (E1, E2, and E3). Static pressure is the measurement of the exertion of air flow your HVAC system is moving throughout the system and ductwork. February 2022. The process is repeated 6 times. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. As air moves through an HVAC system and encounters a filter, the filter creates resistance to the airflow as it removes particles and contaminants from the air. NEC 310.16 Table: Copper And Aluminum Wire Ampacity Chart, NEC 310.12 Table: Wire Sizes For 100-400 Amp Services (83% Rule), kWh To Therms Calculator + Conversion Chart (1 kWh = 0.03412 Therms), MMBTU To Therms Calculator + Chart (1 MMBTU = 10 Therms), Therms To MMBTU Calculator + Chart (1 Therm = 1/10 MMBTU), AWG To Circular Mils Chart (For 4/0 AWG To 20 AWG). Our Complete Recommended MERV Rating Guide is a good source for understanding the best filter for your HVAC system. Merv-ratings But before you update the filter, make sure it's specific. There is still a common misconception that having a high MERV rated filter will be too restrictive and strain your unit. This value is helpful in comparing the performance of different filters This one of the main reasons why it is so important to check, change, and clean your air filter every month to help ensure your air filters pressure drop does not get too high and cause strain on your air conditioner/handler. Generally, filters with higher MERV ratings have less airflow. A filters material type and efficiency rating affect the pressure drop and resistance to air flow. For example, in order to achieve a MERV 13 value, the tested filter must be at least 50% efficient on dirt particles in the E1 range, at least 85% on E2 . Average Particle Size Efficiency in Microns, 1.0-3.0 greater than or equal to 20% Industrial HVAC air filters are installed in commercial HVAC systems to remove airborne contaminants from the air stream. So, whatever air filtration you choose, be sure it includes a carbon filter. The Chart below shows the scale used to evaluate each of the 6 test cycles. //