What is MERV and why should I care?
MERV, Why this acronym is more important now than ever:
Have you ever heard the term MERV before? It kind of sounds like a name for a martian colony, or a fancy dog breed. But despite it’s odd spelling, it is actually one of the most important things in our world today! So know that I’ve told you what Merv is not, let’s talk about what this mysterious word really stands for!
What Is MERV
The real Merv is an ancient city once located in Central Asia, but today we’re not talking about THAT Merv. Today, we are talking about the acronym MERV. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. Now let’s break that down. MERV is basically a measurement scale that rates the effectiveness of filters when trapping airborne particles. The scale ranges from 1-16. 16 being the most effective, 1 being the least. But you may still be thinking, why do I care? What does MERV have to do with me? Well, If you’ve been reading and keeping up with the news lately, you might know that almost every restaurant, gym, or school article has been referring to MERV filtration and what that means to an HVAC system in today’s world!
Why You Should Care
As we all know Covid-19 is primarily spread through the air we breathe, and that’s exactly why MERV is so important! When we turn on our air conditioners the air is spun around in every which way, and that air may contain viruses. And in the 21st century you can pretty much find an airconditioner in every place you look. These clunky white boxes reside in schools, restaurants, malls, and even your own home. Therefore in each and every one of these places air conditioners could be taking in Covid-19 and spitting it right back out! Making the inhabitants at risk. Fortunately there is a hero to fight this challenge, and that hero is of course MERV. The MERV filter pops right into an air conditioner and instantly purifies and cleans the air you breathe. And as we all know, Proper filtration of both the air in your home and incoming ventilation air is key to removing harmful particulates.
THE FACTS
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM), the coronavirus nominally has a particle size of 0.13 microns and most airborne viruses range from 0.03 to 0.3 microns.
Aprilaire MERV 16 Allergy & Asthma Filters provide the highest rate of effectiveness. They can capture up to 96%* of airborne particles the size of viruses.
How To Get Merv and Other Air Filters
At Woolley Home Solutions we offer a whole-home Aprilaire 5000 Electronic Air Cleaner. This wonderful machine is proven to trap airborne virus-size particles. It is up to 90%* effective!
In addition we fully support the findings and recommendation of ASHRAE, that the most effective way to prevent proliferation of airborne viruses is by installing a whole home Healthy Air System containing 3 elements: Air Cleaners with a high performance filter, Humidity Control, and Ventilation for fresh air.
So, after checking out the chart below, hop onto our website and order one today!
Stay Safe!
-Sutton Woolley
Replacing Aprilaire MERV13 filter at my house.
