Any air filter with a rating higher than 13 can restrict airflow to the point of causing damage to your HVAC system, resulting in an additional expense to repair it. It's important to make sure that the rest of the system is configured to handle the biggest restriction that filters create. A MERV rating of 13 to 16 is considered hospital-level air quality, so your home is unlikely to need more than that. According to the U.
S. Environmental Protection Agency, filters in the 7-13 range often have little difference from higher MERV ratings, but they will allow your system to operate much more efficiently. In general, filters with higher MERV ratings capture higher percentages of particulates as well as smaller particles. And MERV-13* is practically where you want to be. With all due respect Allison, I question the need for the MERV 13 leak.
As an HVAC professional with over 40 years of experience, I have seen dozens of systems destroyed by the use of highly restrictive high MERV filters. With the lowest MERV rating (1-), the filter will continue to capture pollen, dust mites, cockroach debris, sanding dust, spray paint dust, textile fibers and carpet fibers. The higher the MERV rating, the less particulate matter and other contaminants are allowed in your home. Build the return so that it can house 2 Merv 18×18 tall filters side by side, giving you 648 SI of surface area for filtration. While air filters with a one-to-four MERV are effective at removing large particles such as carpet fibers, airborne paint droplets and sanding dust, they cannot help with contaminants such as hairspray, mold spores or even flour that might have escaped from the mixer. Home Energy published an article by Dave Springer of Davis Energy Group at the time, about the pressure drop and energy use of various MERV filters.
If your furnace's MERV rating is too high, it can force it to work too hard and leave it vulnerable to damage. Yes, I'm looking for the same answer about using a merv13 pleated air conditioning filter as part of a mask. MERV 13 filters, for example, also remove bacteria, tobacco smoke, car fumes, insecticide dust, pet dander and more. In addition, a MERV 12 filter that is only 1 (one inch) thick is likely to be more restrictive than a 4 (four inch) thick MERV 12 filter. Reducing the amount of dirty particles for the air in your home is a very common request. However, it's important to make sure that you don't go too high with your MERV rating as this can cause damage to your HVAC system and result in additional expenses for repairs. The best way to ensure that you get optimal air quality without risking damage is to use a MERV rating between 7 and 13.
