Air Filtration 101 – MERV Matters

Choosing the right filter for your air purifier is one of the easiest ways to improve air filtration in your Arlington, VA home or business. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know which filter to choose. At Brennan’s Heating & Air Conditioning, we recommend that you use the MERV rating system to choose the filter that is most appropriate for your needs. These four letters stand for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and the rating system was created by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in 1987.

Understanding the Rating Chart

ASHRAE created the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value on a scale of one to 16. There are four basic classifications of filters that fall within this range. They are as follows:

• A rating of one to four is usually assigned to disposable, washable or electrostatic filters. It can capture particles that are .10 microns or greater. Examples include pollen, dust and carpet fibers.
• Pleated, cartridge and synthetic fiber filters usually receive a rating of five to eight. Filters with this rating can capture mold spores, hair spray, cement dust and other particles that are between three and nine microns in size.
• Bag filters have between six and 12 pockets and are between six and 36 inches deep. Box filters are a rigid cartridge type of filter that uses paper media and is between four and 12 inches deep. These filters are assigned a rating between nine and 12 and can capture particles that are more than one and less than three microns in size. Examples include welding dust, milled flour and auto emissions.
• A rating of 13 to 16 also covers box and bag filters, but they are stronger than the previous classification of filters. These are normally referred to as HEPA filters and can often be found in hospitals, smoking lounges and most commercial buildings.

Learn More About Our Air Quality Solutions

Brennan’s Heating & Air offers a full range of air quality products for your home or business. Some of our most popular products are air cleaners, UV lamps, ventilators and humidifiers. If you are concerned about the indoor air quality of your Arlington, VA home or business, we can help you find the right product to improve it. You should notice an immediate reduction in allergies, asthma or other respiratory ailments after installing one of these air quality products.

Brennan’s is a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer

As one of the top five percent of HVAC dealers in the country, our Company was chosen to represent Carrier Corporation in their Factory Authorized Dealer program. Our Carrier air quality products are all guaranteed to be free of mechanical defects.