What is the difference between merv 8 and merv 11

It takes care of all the basics: pollen, dust, dust mites, mold, and bacteria. Who should own a Essential?

Homeowners who don't live near smoke pollution and who don't share a household with any allergy-suffers or pets.

What's the filtration efficiency? Essential actually exceeds that requirement. Since it is a MERV 8 filter, it isn't designed to catch the smallest of small particles that fall into the E1 category, like pet dander. In addition, after conducting standard dust tests, it was found that Essential had an arrestance rate of This means that Okay, so how about pressure drop?

Our pressure drops tests were conducted at pretty standard air flow rates for the average HVAC system. At these rates, we found that Essential's initial pressure drop is around 0. This is very low, and barely different from the pressure drop of a MERV fiberglass filter. This is our MERV 11 and mid-level filter. Everything that the Essential does, so pollen, dust, dust mites, mold, and bacteria.

In addition, you can say goodbye to that pet dander that's been floating around. Pet owners, of course! Also, anyone who has mild allergies or is just looking for additional filtration. How efficient is it? You know nothing much, just going above and beyond as usual. What about pressure drop?

This is no surprise as this filter does provide an extra level of filtration. This is our highest rated filter. What does a Health Shield filter out of the air?

The answer to this, my friend, is a whole lot. For starters, it filters everything that a Health Shield does, which includes pollen, dust, dust mites, mold, bacteria, and pet dander. Then, it also filters out cooking oil smoke, smoke, smog, AND virus carriers. What else is left? We sure can't think of anything. Who should own a Health Shield filter? Homeowners with more than one pet in the home and those who have severe allergies.

How about efficiency? Our Health Shield filter removes a minimum average of As you can see, this filter is extremely effective. MERV 13 may be more beneficial.

A MERV 8 rated filter captures at least This is typically good enough to get the job done for the average home. That means things like pet dander, smoke, and some airborne bacteria are likely to get through a MERV 8 filter. The MERV 11 filter is better at capturing pet dander and bacteria from sneezes. It also provides additional protection against smoke, smog, or automobile exhaust fumes that may seep in from the garage. The higher rated filter also captures up to 90 percent or better of smaller particles floating through the air.

The primary benefit when comparing a MERV 11 vs. MERV 13 filter is that the latter includes stronger protection against airborne bacteria and viruses that spread through droplets in the air. The airborne pollutants in most homes will be captured in a filter with a MERV rating between 8 and There are three ways to be more specific in determining your needs:.

If you have pets, opt for at least a MERV 11 filter. If you live in a smog city or otherwise poor air quality space, install a higher MERV rated filter in your home. Homeowners in rural areas are often shielded from pollutants with a MERV 8 filter. Strict building codes and an increase in foot traffic generally mean commercial properties should opt for a filter with a higher MERV rating.

When shopping for furnace filters, there are myriad factors that need to be taken into account in order to ensure that it suits your use case scenario perfectly and you get the most value out of the product you purchase.

These factors include price, size, brand, and so forth. One of the most important amongst these factors is what is known as the MERV rating. For residential use, choosing a furnace filter with a MERV rating between 7 and 13 is the standard recommendation. For most Canadian homes, furnace filters with MERV ratings in this range suffice in filtering out a good majority of airborne impurities. While these two options may appear to be nearly the same, they are, in reality, very different.

If you are trying to determine which one is best for your household, here is all that you need to know to settle your doubts and help you decide. Before we delve into the difference between specific MERV ratings, let us take a brief look at the meaning of MERV rating and what this rating system entails.

It is essentially a widely accepted and used rating system for air filters that makes use of a scale of 1 to 16 to indicate how efficiently, and to what degree, the filter can trap airborne contaminants. One on the scale indicates the lowest efficiency while 16 indicates the highest.

This means that a furnace filter with a lower rating would hold back a smaller percentage of debris and impurities in comparison to a filter with a higher rating. The MERV rating system thus provides a standard for the comparison of a variety of furnace filters from different manufacturers. Using a furnace filter with a MERV rating higher than your use case scenario requires can have adverse effects.