Indoor air pollution can be a problem. Dust mites, mold spores, pollen, and pet dander in the air inside your home can cause problems if your family has allergies or asthma. Using Media filters can trap these pollutants and may help bring allergy relief.
Media stands for high-efficiency particulate air. A Media filter is a type of mechanical air filter; it works by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and tobacco smoke.
MERV means Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value which was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioner Engineers – ASHRAE. MERV values vary from 1 to 16. The higher the MERV value is the value the more efficient the filter will be in trapping airborne particles going through the system and recycled through the register vents into your home.
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 which is about 20-40 microns. Filters with higher ratings not only remove more particles from the air, they also remove smaller particles.
ASHRAE recommends MERV 6 or higher
US Department of Energy recommends MERV 13
LEED recommends MERV 8 at a minimum.
What does Dust-spot efficiency mean?
Dust-spot efficiency measures a filter’s ability to remove large particles.
Atmospheric Dust Spot Efficiency. Designated as a percentage, two procedures can be used to calculate dust spot efficiency, which is the ability of a filter to remove atmospheric dust from the air. Both the intermittent flow method and the constant flow method rely upon white filter paper as a target and the ratio of light transmission. Sampling of atmospheric air is conducted at 25%, 50%, and 75% of dust loading and at final resistance. Efficiency is determined by an equation that incorporates total airflow through the upstream and downstream targets and opacity of dust spot on the upstream and downstream targets. Traditionally, engineers and designers have used the terms 30%, 60%, and 85% filters to indicate which type of filter to install. These terms refer to the dust spot efficiency of the filters.
UltraViolet Sterilizers, often referred to as UV air purifiers, are used with standard air handlers filters to kill bacteria in the air. These units are mounted in your duct system and kill bacteria as they pass through the light emitted from purifier. It’s important that this equipment be installed correctly for maximum safety and efficiency. These air purifiers provides an extra level of air treatment to improve indoor air quality.
