Air Filtration: HEPA Filters, MERV 11, MERV 16

HEPA Filters

Windsor, ON, residents looking for the best in air filtration often start by checking out HEPA filters. These are one of the best-known types of filtration. HEPA stands for “high-efficiency particulate air,” which means the primary purpose of this filter is to keep out particles. These filters are made up of a mesh of tangled fibres that traps particles as air flows over it.

HEPA filters are good at handling:

• Smoke
• Pollen
• Fine dust
• Pet dander
• Cooking oil particles

It is important to keep in mind that most HEPA filters only catch particles larger than 0.3 microns. This means that smaller things like some varieties of viruses, bacteria, and certain volatile organic chemicals may pass through the filter without getting caught. However, HEPA filters still manage to catch much smaller particles than MERV 11 or MERV 16 filters.

MERV 11 Air Filters

MERV is technically a measurement, not a type of filter. MERV stands for “minimum efficiency reporting value.” It is essentially a way of describing how efficient a filter is at keeping particles from 0.3 to 10 microns out of the air. A rating of 11 is a standard MERV filter rating. It is often found on pleated filters made of cotton and polyester fibres.

A MERV 11 filter can be used to catch:

• Lead dust
• Mold
• Pollen
• Humidifier dust

MERV 11 air filters might not trap quite as many tiny particles as a HEPA filter, but they are cost-efficient and work with a variety of types of HVAC systems.

MERV 16 Air Filtration

A MERV 16 rating is one of the highest possible ratings for air filtration systems. These filters have fibres packed very closely together, catching almost as much as a HEPA filter. MERV 16 indicates that it can remove particles at a size of 0.3 to 1 micron with ease.

MERV 16 filters can remove:

• Dust
• Paint pigment
• Hair spray
• Smoke
• Pollen