Breathing in fresh, clean air is essential for good health, and using an air filter with a MERV 6, MERV 8, or MERV 11 rating in your heating and cooling system can help you achieve this. These filters are designed to trap mold particles in the air, so there will be less of them in your home. While MERV 11 air filters are slightly more expensive than standard filters, it's usually worth paying a few more dollars for each filter to increase efficiency. However, using an air filter with a MERV rating that is too high is just as bad as using one that is too low.
When it comes to choosing between a MERV 8 air filter and a MERV 11 air filter, it's important to keep in mind that you may need to change the MERV 11 air filter more often than the MERV 8 air filter. Raising only three MERV classification levels can be beneficial for purifying the air or detrimental for the entire air conditioning system depending on the air flow capacity of the MERV 8 versus the MERV 11. The MERV rating system has classifications ranging from 8 to 13, which cover the efficiency that most households need. MERV 8 air filters are almost as affordable as the least efficient products, making them good value for money. Based on their characteristics, a MERV 8 is considered a superior filter compared to air filters with a lower MERV rating.
The higher the number of the MERV rating, the higher the percentage of contaminants blocked by the filter. The comparison chart below helps highlight the differences between the MERV 8 and MERV 11 filters to make it easier to decide which one will work best. It may seem that they are almost the same, but they have some clear differences. It's important to replace filters regularly, because the older an air filter is, the less bacteria and dirt it will remove from the air, which translates to worse indoor air quality and higher energy costs.
