Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) also recommends a minimum of MERV 8. "name": "How does filter pressure drop affect flow rate? In particular, using an air cleaner with a MERV rating that is too high can damage the compressor, heat exchanger, and air conditioner coil. 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. This Standard is what led to the creation of the minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV. Frequent filter changeouts will help minimize risks from pressure drop. We do not recommend M 12 or higher 13 filters. It is a measure of a filters ability to trap particles in the air. "@type": "Question", Here's what you're not being told. The MERV 5 is an excellent entry into the pleated filter lineup because it is low cost, readily available, and will . ", Camfil makes the best filters on the market: they are the most energy-efficient, have a longer and more effective service life than other filters, and feature a lower pressure drop than competing brands. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends a minimum MERV of 6 as their general rule for home HVAC systems. They are used in light industrial and residential applications. What is interesting is that youll rarely see MERV rating in an air purifier specification sheet. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The higher the number, the better the filter is at capturing larger particles between 0.3 and 10 microns (m). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2014-2023, PICKHVAC All Rights Reserved. Changing your air filters regularly will prevent filters from being loaded and overly restrictive. 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. The higher the MERV number, the smaller the particles the filter can trap and the more of them. Learn more about these recommendations here. Doing so could cause strain on your HVAC unit and could cause costly maintenance and repairs." The minimum efficiency reporting value, is a number from 1 to 16 that is relative to an air filter's efficiency based upon particle size. That's all. Does the airflow significantly improve? Pressure drop occurs, airflow is reduced and system . "@type": "Answer", 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. They usually have the lowest MERV of all filters as well. I normally see a product spec sheet with ASHRAE 52.2 testing, but I dont normally see Appendix J associated with it. We have to know the required CFM of airflow to determine the filter grille areas required for a specific fpm velocity through the filters & pressure drop. However, if you are noticing that your air filter or smoke eater are not working as efficiently as it used to, or if you are constantly having to clean your air filters, it may be time to upgrade to a higher MERV rating. "@type": "Question", Industrial HVAC air filters are installed in commercial HVAC systems to remove airborne contaminants from the air stream. For comparison, a grain of sand is about 60 microns. They will not hook up to your furnace or HVAC system. This allows greater airflow without having to increase the size of the actual filter. CFM Calculator Calculate Clean Air Flow. The test is based on particle size. Heres the definition of what that actually means: Definition: HEPA filter is a mechanical filter that must remove 99.97% (according to U.S. DOE) of particles whose average size is equal to 0.3 microns. depth MERV 13 filters are available with pressure drop characteristics comparable to or lower than some MERV 6 filters, staff also finds that a 2" filter depth is valuable in allowing filters to have airflow characteristics that are superior to a 1" filter, and may facilitate use of even higher MERV filters (such as the MERV 16 recommended by Where to find MERV and IR: This information is printed on the edge of the frame of the filter and can be seen before you purchase it. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. You will find exactly the same MERV rating chart there in a bit more technically language. Will it burn up your HVAC system? 1.0-3.0 greater than or equal to 95% They are not Minimum efficient. "acceptedAnswer": { This value is helpful in comparing the performance of different filters Here is a list of the best air purifiers; the best ones have to have filters with as high MERV rating as possible. The filter can trap humidifier dust, lead dust, pet dander, and other small air pollutants. There is a relationship between filter efficiency and pressure drop and resistance. //