What is a MERV rating?
You may have heard a lot of buzz about MERV in your search for air and furnace filters, but what is a MERV rating exactly? First off, MERV stands for:
- Minimum
- Efficiency
- Reporting
- Value
Top 3 reasons why MERV is important
1. A higher number lets less through.
The higher the MERV rating on a filter, the fewer dust particles and other contaminants can pass through it. What does this mean for you? As a homeowner, you want to be sure your family is safe and healthy, right? Well, changing your filters regularly will certainly help with that, but the MERV rating on the filters you buy is also important.
2. MERV ratings dictate the price you pay.
While you may think on the surface that MERV 11s are inherently better than MERV 8s, you may be wrong. This isn't always the case. In fact, it may all depend on where you buy them. Learn more about MERV 8 vs MERV 11
3. Airflow matters as much as filtration.
For optimal home comfort, adequate airflow is necessary to regulate temperature and keep allergens out. For most homes, a MERV rating between 8 and 11 is perfectly fine. Higher MERV ratings may be more desirable to you if you have family members, particularly children and older folks, who suffer from allergies and asthma.
Saving money is important to Canadian homeowners
Generally, filters with a higher rating are more expensive, while the ones with lower ratings are less costly. With energy costs rising each year, it's important to today's homeowners to keep more money in their wallets.
We sell MERV 8 and MERV 11 filters that save you cash in this tight economy. Save money and time with our furnace and air filters, which are just as good as other brands with higher ratings. Why? Read on.
Learn more about MERV ratings to maintain a healthy home
Doing your research on any filter before you buy it is imperative. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, medium efficiency filters with a MERV rating between 8 and 11 are reasonably efficient at filtering small to large airborne particles.
The bottom line
Considering the MERV rating on your air or furnace filters in Canada is a helpful way to identify the capabilities of different air cleaners.
The test itself is rigorous. It measures the filter at its worst-case performance, so a number that comes out of that test is honest and uninflated.
The catch is that nothing forces a manufacturer to run it. There's no inspector checking boxes before they ship. That's why the brand behind the number matters as much as the number itself.
There are other factors at play here as well, so don't assume that buying the right air filtration system is a simple matter of choosing the unit with the highest MERV.
For example, most brands out there today use electrostatic charges to boost the filter's rating. However, like a balloon that you rub on your head and place on the wall, that charge only lasts a few weeks. Same with filters: the electric charge eventually dissipates and reduces the filter's efficiency, long before the filter looks dirty enough to change.
The Camfil 30/30, however, is a mechanical filter rather than an electrostatic one, meaning it holds its efficiency consistently over time.
Now find your size
Knowing the MERV you want is half the job. The other half is the size printed on the cardboard edge of your old filter. Every size we carry is listed here.
Already know your size? Shop by rating:
Questions about which filter is right for your home? Call (888) 315-0105. We do this all day, and we'd rather you order once than twice.
Want the deeper version? What does MERV stand for
