FREMONT — When purchasing an air filter for your HVAC system, you have a lot of options to choose from. One important thing to know about is the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating scale, which is used to assess filter effectiveness.
With MERV, filters are rated on a scale of 1 to 20, with 1 being the least effective and 20 being the most effective. For example, a MERV 3 filter can capture 70 to 75 percent of basic airborne particles like pollen, dust mites and pet dander, whereas a MERV 8 filter can capture more than 90 percent. Filters rated MERV 9 to 11 are also able to capture mold spores, smog and odors, and those rated MERV 13 to 16 add smoke, bacteria and allergens to the target list. At the top of the spectrum are MERV 20 filters, which can filter down to the size of airborne viruses.
While a higher MERV rating means greater effectiveness, it also means a greater expense, which is why you have to weigh cost versus benefits when purchasing one for your home. Keep in mind that anything higher than MERV 16 is excessive in a residential setting, as these are designed for use in highly sensitive industrial or laboratory settings. You should also make sure to get a filter that’s appropriate for your HVAC system, as an overly restrictive filter can inhibit proper airflow, which can cause the system to malfunction.
To ensure a minimum baseline of performance, it’s best to avoid any air filter rated below MERV 5. MERV 9 filters, which are designated as “Better Residential,” are a good choice, but if you’re extra concerned about the quality of your indoor air, consider upgrading to a MERV 13 filter, which is designated as “Superior Residential.”

How to Choose the Right Air Filter

by Daniel Sojkic, a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor

Video: Furnace Filter Options


When it comes to choosing a furnace filter, there may be more options than you might realize. Today, we're in Fremont with diamond certified expert contributor Daniel Soytakachev at A's Heating and Air Conditioning to learn more.

As you can see, there are many different air filters that you can choose for your home needs. This is one of the basic air filters out there in the market that you can grab from any local hardware stores. As you can see, this filter, you can see right through it so it does not collect much of the dust. Anything that doesn't get collected by this air filter, you are inhaling the dust. This is a great higher air filter which has a MERV 8 rating so it's a really really decent filter. It costs a few more dollars than a basic air filter, but it's much better air filter.

Next filter that we have, it's called electrostatic air filter. This is a really good filter for about two years. Take it out every two to three months, just hose it off, let it dry, put it back in, you're good for next three months. This is one of my favorite filters has a MERV 11 rating on it. This filter is included in all of our installations that we do, and this filter is good up to a year depending on the usage of the system.

This is one of my favorite filters, this right here, it's Bryant Perfect Air. This has a MERV 15 rating. It's great for allergies, dust polling, any bacteria in the air. This is a filter to go with. The cartridge in here is good up to a year depending on the usage.

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