Derek Cole explains MERV ratings for HVAC filters: higher numbers catch finer particles but restrict airflow. He recommends MERV 8 minimum, notes that MERV 13 filters run around $23, and warns against spray cleaners with propane.
So today we are at Lowe's and I'm answering a popular question: which filter do I use? There's so many filters, how in the world can I choose which filter to use? There are so many, look at this, a whole aisle of filters. So which one do you choose? So filters are rated by a MERV rating, what they call MERV rating. So the higher the number, the more efficient it is at collecting some of my finer particles or, uh, particles you can't see, things that get in your system that you want to get rid of, that you don't want in your system. So the higher the number, the more efficient it is at collecting particles. The problem is The higher the number, the more restricts airflow. Airflow is the problem the higher the number you get. So the lower the number, the more stuff it lets through. The higher the number is really good at catching stuff, but it's really bad at airflow. Airflow is a challenge at the higher the number you get. So you have to be careful. There is a give and take between the two. So you want a filter that collects verticals, collects dust, collects dirt, is pretty good at that, but at the same time allows for the airflow to get through to the system so you don't have a freezing coil, you don't have a breakdown because the system has no airflow. So which one do I choose? So all these right here on this, uh, dowel are— these are MERV 5. And when you go gray with the filter brand, they are MERV 5 filters. The MERV 5 is a little too low in my opinion. Um, so MERV 5, stay away from those. Definitely stay away from these. Do these even have a MERV rating? Might be like a MERV rating of 1, but look how thin these are. I mean, you can see through it. That's from But the 5, you see through those as well. That's also a problem. So stay away from the 5, stay away from the— I don't know, 1, 0. I'm not sure what the MERV rating is on that one. But when you come over to the red, so the ones we keep in stock, the ones we also have in our store, we have MERV 8 to MERV whatever, however high you want to go. But MERV 8 is really the least I would ever go because that's a good balance between airflow and catching stuff. It's not a great solution, but if you're going to go air filter, not air cleaning, at least go MERV 8. So if you go— when you go red, the MERV rating goes up quite a bit. So you're looking at a MERV 11 on there. And then if you go purple, you're going to a MERV 12 on purple. Now those are much better air filters than the 5 and the, and the 0, but once you start getting to, you know, 12 Looking at 13 if you go— yeah, so if you, uh, if you go blue, you actually are going Merv 13. Yep, Merv 13 for blue. Get it back in there. $22.97 for a Merv 13. 20 by 20 for one. Interesting. So you can go to our website, simmons1hour.com. I'll put the link below. I'm also going to put in there a discount code for 10% off, and you get additional 10% off if you do auto delivery. Uh, we have the Merv 811, whatever you're looking for in your size, we have it on the site. And we'll ship it right to your house, right to your front door. But, but as you can see, this is, uh, confusing, a lot of filters. But hopefully it kind of narrows it down for you now, um, on which one you should be using at your home. But always, always consult, consult a professional, consult a technician to see which size filter you need for your own Is it MERV 8, MERV 11, MERV 12, or do you even need to— do you even need to look at air cleaning? Because that is also— could be a problem because indoor air is very important for you and your family. This air comes in your home, circulates all day long, all the time. You want to be clean, crisp, and you want to go through the filter and not around the filter because it's too much and don't let everything through because it's too little. But anyway, check out down below, I'll put the link and I'll put a discount code to save some money. Side note, I just had a gentleman stop me, uh, he was looking for coal cleaner. Helped him out, pointed him right here. I said, but be careful because what you're doing with sprays— see this spray coal cleaner? Anytime you're doing sprays, it has propane, so be very careful. So that's it for today at Lowe's, but let me know if you want to see more videos like this. We'll do more videos on the variety of things available.
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