Airflow & ducts
MERV
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value — measures how small a particle a filter catches.
MERV ratings run 1 to 16 for residential. Higher = catches smaller particles.
- MERV 8: dust, lint, pet dander
- MERV 11: pollen, fine dust, mould spores
- MERV 13: bacteria, virus carriers, smoke
- MERV 16: hospital-grade
For most GTA homes, MERV 11 is the sweet spot. MERV 13 is worth it if anyone has allergies or asthma. Going above MERV 13 in a residential furnace is risky — older blowers can't move enough air through the filter, the heat exchanger overheats, and the furnace short-cycles.
If you want hospital-grade filtration, use a 4-inch or 5-inch deep MERV 13 cartridge instead of a 1-inch — same filtration, much less restriction.
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