How Do MERV Ratings Impact Air Flow
How clean is the air you breathe? If you don’t understand the MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) of the air filter in the HVAC unit in 
your home or commercial building, you should. Ask a Symbiont Service geothermal professional, “how do MERV ratings impact air flow” and air quality.
Today’s HVAC units can accommodate and more efficiently utilize air filters with higher MERV ratings. Homes and commercial buildings with old HVAC units may not operate as effectively and could experience problems in air flow. An air conditioning unit that has impeded air flows will place unnecessary stress on the HVAC unit and cost more to operate.
Talk with one of the geothermal and HVAC professionals from Symbiont Service when he or she pays a visit and ask about the MERV rating of the air filter in the unit in your home or facility.
How Do MERV Ratings Impact Air Flow
Everyone wants to breathe air that is as clean as possible – especially in this time of coronavirus. Conversely, you want to have that clean air without placing stress on the UVAC unit; that wastes both energy and money.
Ask for an explanation of the quality of the air filter in use
The higher the MERV rating, the smaller particles it will trap. An air filter with a lower MERV rating will not filter as many airborne particles. Homeowners – especially those with pets – should look for an air filter with a MERV rating between 8 and 13. If you go lower, the pet dander and fur will not be trapped. If you go higher the air flow may be impeded and your HVAC unit may work harder than it has to. The higher the MERV rating, the more air pressure and energy the unit requires to move air through it.
A lower efficiency air filter maximizes the air flow through the HVAC unit, but doesn’t do much to trap bacteria and airborne particulates. A low efficiency air filter will trap large particles and protect the HVAC unit, but do little to clean the air. A lower efficiency air filter will keep dust and dirt off the more critical components of the HVAC unit but will not improve air quality – air quality should be paramount. The reason low efficiency filters are on the market is that older HVAC units aren’t equipped to use higher MERV rated filters without stress on the units’ components.
If you want cleaner air you will want to use a higher rated MERV filter; it will remove smaller airborne particulates and keep your air healthier. Make certain the HVAC unit is able to efficiently and effectively use the higher rated filters without strain on the unit.
How do you know what filter to use?
Ask a professional. This is especially true if you’ve just bought a home or commercial building or moved into an apartment in which you need to clean the filter. An HVAC pro can look at the unit itself, take your lifestyle into consideration (do you have health issues or pets in the home, for example) and recommend the MERV rating that will serve your health needs and protect the integrity of the unit.
- Symbiont Service Corporation is South Florida’s premier source for geothermal pool heating technology. Contact us today for information about using geothermal energy for your pool and spa heating.
- We are practicing social distancing and taking steps to ensure both you and our staff remain safe in the coronavirus pandemic.
We educate our customers in Englewood, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For information about geothermal pool heating and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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