Some of you may have seen a MERV rating used when describing a filter, but not known exactly what that means. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. That sounds very technical, but what it really means to you is that you can better compare filtration performance. The higher the MERV number the more efficient the filter.
So what is a good MERV rating? That depends on your needs. For general maintenance or just to keep the HVAC system clean, an unrated or low MERV filter is fine. If you want a step above and are looking for a little more air cleaning power, the MERV 8 filter provides a great balance of performance and price. But if you have allergies we recommend a higher MERV value, consider MERV 11-13. The higher MERV rated filters are much better able to capture pollens, molds, and fine dust.
There are few more things to know about filter performance and finding the best filter for your situation, but knowing a little about MERV ratings is a good start.