MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It’s a testing
and rating system developed by the American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for comparing
the efficiency of media filters, bags, and cartridges. It
specifically looks at the efficiency of the filter on particles
in three size ranges: 0.3 to 1 micron, 1 to 3 micron, and 3 to
10 micron. Prior to MERV, industries used different measures of
efficiency and different testing protocols, which lead to confusion
as to what actual efficiency is.
The question that should be ask is not what is MERV, but how does it benefit
my application?
Typical industrial filtration systems use filters that range from MERV
8 to MERV 15, not including polishing/final filters such as HEPAs. The higher the MERV
number, the higher the efficiency of the filter. What happens too often is customers
are sold that a higher MERV value is better, but that isn’t always true. MERV has
nothing to do with filter life, nor maintenance cycles, not even how clean the air
is after the filters.
It’s important to work with an expert who can determine what type of filter
system is best for your application. To find an expert who can assist you in
solving your filtration needs, contact your local Trion Representative today.