MERV 11 air filters are an ideal choice for pet owners and people with certain health conditions, such as mild allergies and mild asthma. They offer more filtration than MERV 8 filters, but not as much as MERV 13 filters. A Merv 11 filter can capture pollen, dust, lint, dust mites, mildew, smoke, pet dander, smog, car emissions, bacteria and other fine particles. It is also great for households with children or pets, as it can filter out many of the most common air pollutants and irritants.
The MERV rating system was designed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers in 1987 to measure the efficiency of air filters. MERV ratings range from 1 to 20, with 1 being the lowest filter capacity and 20 being the highest filtering capacity. A MERV 9 will trap less than 50% of particles with a size of 1.0-3.0 microns, the MERV 10 will stop up to 64%, the MERV 11 will reach up to 79%, and the MERV 12 is capable of capturing up to 89%. A MERV rating above 13 will likely wear or damage your equipment, and a MERV rating lower than 8 may not effectively remove particulate matter from your home's air.
MERV 11 filters are often found in locations that require better air filtration, such as commercial buildings and facilities for the elderly. They are more expensive than MERV 8 filters but still easy to find and won't break the bank. An air filter alone is not a guarantee against airborne viruses such as COVID-19, the flu or the common cold. When choosing an oven filter for your home, it is important to consider your needs and budget.
If you need to take your filtration to the next level without restricting airflow too much, then a Merv 11 filter is a great choice. It will provide an impressive amount of filtration power against fine particles compared to MERV 8 or MERV 10 filters. However, if you need even more filtration power then you should consider a Merv 13 filter.
