Is a MERV 13 Filter Too Much for Your Home?

The highest rated filters are designed for laboratory and healthcare settings with superior air quality and HVAC systems that can handle high-efficiency filters. There is no need to use a filter above the MERV 13 scale in a home, as it can restrict airflow and damage the air conditioning system. It is important to make sure that the rest of the system is configured to withstand the increased restriction created by filters with higher MERV indexes. A MERV rating of 13 to 16 is considered hospital-grade air quality, so it's unlikely that your home needs anything more than that.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, filters in the 7-13 range usually have little difference from the highest MERV ratings, but they will allow the system to operate much more efficiently. Even with the lowest MERV rating (1-), the filter will still capture pollen, dust mites, cockroach debris, sanding dust, spray paint dust, textile fibers and carpet fibers. When washing with alcohol, you could be creating some strange and potentially dangerous chemicals, so it is best to use sunlight to disinfect them. Even this could break down high Merv filters a bit and release unwanted chemicals.

Degassing an activated carbon filter with high Merv content could be your best bet. A MERV 8 carbon filter will provide more than sufficient dust and allergen filtering and will filter dozens of toxic gases that will pass directly through a MERV 13 filter. While the highest MERV ratings are the most effective for air quality, they can damage your HVAC system. If the boiler's MERV rating is too high, it may work too hard and be exposed to damage.

Offices have a variety of Merv filters and HVAC systems use Merv filters; in both cases, they don't use fiberglass. In conclusion, it is not necessary to use a filter above the MERV 13 scale in a home as it can restrict airflow and damage the air conditioning system. It is important to ensure that the rest of the system is configured to withstand the increased restriction created by filters with higher MERV indexes. A MERV 8 carbon filter will provide more than sufficient dust and allergen filtering and will filter dozens of toxic gases that will pass directly through a MERV 13 filter.