MERV vs. FPR Air Filters for Residential and Commercial Uses

With people spending most of their time at home, their top priority is ensuring they have good quality air. That is why more and more people are on the lookout for efficient air filters that can catch harmful pollutants in the air. We will help guide you with this article by analyzing MERV vs. FPR air filters so that you have clear and precise guidance on which air filter is suitable for you and your family.

Ask yourself what’s the best type of air filter for your home or business establishment. With just one click, you will see many choices online. But there is something that you need to look into carefully – the rating. Some are listed as MERV, while others are FPR or MPR. 

This article will help you know more about MERV and FPR and how to choose the right air filter, be it for residential or commercial use, using these ratings. Visit our post What does MERV stand for? to learn more about what it means.

But before looking into more details about MERV vs. FPR air filters, let us have a little refresher first on the aspects that consumers must be concerned about, especially when it comes to health issues. 

Indoor air quality is commonly affected by dust, dirt, pollen, and other particles in the air that the naked eye can’t see. These particles can be a huge factor in why our body has various reactions like coughing, sneezing, runny nose, even headaches, and allergies. The more we inhale these substances, the more they create health issues, especially in your respiratory system.

“The quality of indoor and outdoor air can be affected by two main types of substances: particles and gas.” Judith Marcin stated in an interview. The indoor air we breathe is mainly affected by particles such as dust. At the same time, gases include carbon monoxide, smoke, cooking fumes, and chemical fumes, especially when working in the kitchen. Outdoor particles have pollution, construction dust, ash, exhaust, and outdoor allergens. A gas involves burning coal or diesel, or even industrial wastes.

Since both types of substances can have an impact on your health it is an important concern to give attention. One of the simplest ways to combat potential toxins in the air is choosing an efficient air filter for your heat and air systems.

When choosing the best air filters for your home or business it will help if you understand how to compare them. There are significant differences in air filters and learning how to identify them will put you in a better position to protect your health with clean air. Fortunately there are rating systems designed to help you.

MERV

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, often called MERV, is a measurement scale designed in 1987 by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to report air filters’ effectiveness in more detail than other ratings.

The rating is set up to tell the customers how well an air filter can catch particles, gases, and contaminants such as dust, pollen, and pet dander. The higher the MERV rating, the more effective it filters the air catching tiny particles, harmful bacteria and pollutants in the air (indoor).

What MERV Rating Should You Use?

For residential homes, some people suggest that air filters with ratings listed anywhere from 5 to 8 are good enough. However, research has shown that regarding your health and air quality related to your health, a much higher quality is necessary!

Therefore, you should consider the following rating:

• MERV 1-4 (decent) – Residential Window Units. (This can catch particles like pollen and dust)
• MERV 5-8 (good) – Good to average residential, commercial & industrial (mold spores, hair spray, dust mites, and animal dander)
• MERVE 9-12 (better) – Better residential, better commercial, hospital labs (particles like humidifier dust, auto emissions, and legionella)
• MERV 13-16 (best) – Superior, Hospital, general surgery (Particles this tiny include bacteria, tobacco smoke, and even the contaminants in sneezes)
  

You can decide to choose the best MERV due to its ratings. A high MERV might be the one you need because you want to breathe fresh air. Sometimes people are concerned they will have to change a quality filter more often causing an increase in cost. But that is not always true. Some high quality filters are built to be thicker, not only catching more particles, but being able to last as long as previous low quality filters. Obviously a MERV 13 filter is going to cost you more. But when it comes to your health, do you really want to save a few dollars and put yourself at risk?

What is FPR?

FPR stands for Filter Performance Rating. Consumers find it similar to MERV because it uses label filters based on a number scale from 4 through 10 in addition to a color-coding system. FPR was developed by Home Depot and rated on a scale from 1 – 10. While they sell plenty of filters rated below 4, that’s where the good ones start. According to the developer, filters in the “Good” class are rated as FPR 4, and they can filter particles such as pet dander, dust, and pollen.

Interpreting the differences when shopping for air filters might be a challenging task for the consumer. However, please note that standards are everywhere, and they play a significant role in the economy. Therefore, you need to review the ratings. 

To maintain a healthy indoor environment, especially the air we breathe, you should carefully choose your air filters. Homeowners focus on indoor quality; that’s why air filtration is a significant aspect to address health issues and provide safe and clean surroundings. And that is also why the CDC suggests improving ventilation for homes.

Once you know the right product for your home, you will find it a little easier to pick and decide your particular needs for your air filters. 

Remember it is vital to know every detail about a specific product and the correct type of filter you need to use to address the problem. If your family member has severe asthma, allergy reactions, and any respiratory conditions, you might need a higher level of air filtration. 

Do you have pets, then you need to look for air filters ideal for animals as well. As long as you’re aware of the specific needs for your family and your pets, and based on what’s outlined above, you can then decide which filter is right for you.