Overall, the best Merv rating for a home is between 8 and 10. These filters will capture a large portion of the particles in the air and improve indoor air quality without significantly increasing energy costs. Our recommended Merv rating for oven filters is between 6 and 8, providing a great balance between maximum oven efficiency and home comfort. Generally, a MERV rating of 6 to 13 is suitable for most residences, offering a good combination of air filtration, airflow, and affordability. If you choose an air filter with a Merv 13 rating, it can last up to six months before needing to be replaced.
In most cases, a Merv 11 air filter is not too tall for residential use. Generally speaking, any filter with a MERV rating lower than 13 should provide effective air purification in a home without affecting airflow. On the other hand, air filters with a MERV 14 rating or higher are designed for commercial HVAC systems that can handle the coarsest filter material. MERV ratings 1 to 16 are considered HVAC system grade filters suitable for residential, commercial, and general hospital HVAC systems.
Merv ratings indicate the effectiveness of an air filter in reducing particles and pollutants in the air. The MERV rating tells you how efficient the air filter is at filtering particles of certain sizes. Generally, air filters with higher MERV ratings remove a higher percentage of contaminants from the air and thus improve the indoor air quality of your home. The best MERV rating for your home will depend on what you want to filter and the amount of airflow your HVAC system needs to operate.
You can use the table below to better understand how filters rated with FPR and MPR compare to the more standard MERV rating system. It is important to get filters with the correct MERV ratings to ensure that the air is well filtered without overloading the HVAC system. It's best to follow oven manufacturer's recommendations or consult an HVAC professional to determine which MERV rating is best for your specific system. Selecting the right MERV rating for your air filter is a balancing act between the capabilities of your HVAC system and the indoor air quality you want to achieve.
A filter with a MERV rating of around 10 to 12 should be sufficient to remove most allergy-causing particles from the air in your home. Conversely, a high MERV rating indicates that the filter does an excellent job of removing particles from the air.
