Can I Use Aftermarket Filters with My HVAC System?

When it comes to air filters, there are a few things to take into account. Both MERV 8 and MERV 11 filters are suitable for residential use, but the latter is more expensive. The MERV rating indicates how efficient the filter is at trapping particles of certain sizes. A higher rating means that more contaminants are blocked from the air, protecting vulnerable lungs from viruses.

MERV 8 filters are almost as affordable as less efficient products, making them a great value. What had changed was that technology recommended that I use only internal filters and eliminate the return of the air handlers. Unless you try it, you won't know if the contents that really shorten the lifespan of filters are large particles or more microscopic high-density particles. Designed with a gradient density composition that achieves its MERV classification using the mechanical method of particle capture. As the MERV classification system is standard, it makes it easier to compare filters with different MERV ratings. Scientifically, furnace filters that have between 1 and 4 MERV ratings are less than 20% efficient at removing air particles.

MERV 11 filters can filter out a large percentage of fine particles, but a MERV 8 filter cannot. The effectiveness of air filters within this range increases significantly: a rating of 8 provides approximately 85% filtration, a rating of 13 above 90%, and a rating of 11 falls right between the two, around 87%.