Should you be buying high efficiency air filters for your HVAC system?

Air filters are designed to keep components like coils, compressors, fans, and ductwork clean in HVAC systems. While low to medium efficiency air filters are commonly used in HVAC systems, have you wondered whether high efficiency air filters were worth the extra money?

The efficiency of the air filter in your HVAC system contributes to the overall indoor air quality of your commercial and industrial building. Keeping indoor air free of dust, pollen, fibers, mold, odor-causing particles and other materials creates a more comfortable working environment for your employees and customers. In order for your condenser coil, chilled water coil, etc to run properly, a clean filter and proper airflow is important. 

Certain types of environments require higher efficiency air filters, including:

• Manufacturing facilities producing odors and fumes that could affect the comfort and health of employees.
• Food and beverage production facilities that require sanitary conditions for handling, processing, and packaging items.
• Healthcare locations where air quality is crucial, including hospitals, clinics, operating rooms, and laboratories.
• Technology clean rooms with servers and delicate electronics that could be damaged by particulates in the air.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) (link to https://www.ashrae.org/) designed a rating system known as Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV). MERV ratings run from 1-20 based on the effectiveness of filters to capture airborne particles, with higher ratings having better filter efficiency. High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters have MERV ratings ranging from 17 to 20, and are used in areas where air quality is critical.

If you do opt for higher efficiency air filters, they may have a higher resistance to airflow, called pressure drop, than your lower efficiency filters. You may need different fans to handle the increased pressure drop. While the changes will cost more initially, delivering cleaner air throughout the building and keeping the HVAC system operating at peak energy efficiency can quickly offset the costs.