A lot of people don’t realize how their heating and cooling system impacts allergies. Proper care and maintenance are vital to reducing indoor allergens in your Brunswick, Georgia, home. During the winter, you can take several steps to minimize your allergy symptoms, like changing the furnace filter regularly. You’ll also need to ensure that you’re using a filter that is designed to reduce allergies. Understanding the following terms will help you pick the best filter.
MERV
The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value or MERV rating of a furnace filter gives you a clear picture of its filtration capabilities. The higher the rating, the better it is at filtering out even the tiniest of particles, including indoor allergens. Ideally, you will want to choose a filter with a MERV rating of 11 or higher.
FPR
If you’re buying a furnace filter from Home Depot, you can look at the Filter Performance Rating (FPR). This is Home Depot’s only rating system of filtration. The higher the rating, the better.
MPR
The Micro-Particle Performance Rating (MPR) outlines how effective a filter is at filtering particles that are smaller than one micron. For people who are extremely sensitive to indoor allergens, it is best to use a filter with an MPR of at least 1500.
HEPA
A lot of people think they can use a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter to minimize indoor allergens, like pet dander. Although this type of electrostatic filter is designed to trap particles using an electrical charge, it is not compatible with all HVAC systems. If you use one in an incompatible system, heating efficiency will decrease, and it could damage the system.
Installing a HEPA-compatible system is highly recommended because HEPA filters do an amazing job at reducing dirt and dust that blows through a heating system. This is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from allergies, asthma, or chronic lung diseases. A professional HVAC specialist can perform several HVAC cleaning services to further improve indoor air quality.
The A/C Guys specialize in a variety of heating services. Contact us today by visiting our website or give us a call at 912-268-1514.
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