What is MERV?

The acronym MERV stands for "Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value." it is a filter rating system devised by ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers) to standardize and simplify air filter efficiency ratings for the public. MERV ratings are used to rate the ability of an air filter to remove dust from the air as it passes through the filter. MERV is a standard used to measure the overall efficiency of a filter. The MERV scale ranges from 1 to 16, and measures a filter's ability to remove particles from .30 to 10 microns in size. To give you an idea of the scale of a micron, 100 microns is about the thickness of a piece of paper or a human hair. Filters with higher ratings not only remove more particles from the air, they also remove smaller particles. Please see chart below for residential and commercial applications.