Servicing the Chicagoland Area & Suburbs | Emergency 24/7 Service
Call Today! 888-903-4070
Menu
Contact Us

The ABCs of Indoor Air Quality – MERV Ratings

If you have ever been shopping for a filter for your furnace or home air filtration system you may be familiar with MERV ratings. MERV is a designation created by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers that stands for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value”. MERV is simply a measurement of how effective a filter is at removing contaminants from the air on a scale from 1 to 16. The greater the MERV rating of a filter, the more effective it will be at removing fine particles from the air passing through it.

You may be thinking, if I want the cleanest air possible I need to purchase a filter rated near the maximum of the MERV scale. The reality is, most home air filters with a MERV range of 7-12 will effectively remove the vast majority of contaminants. Filters with a MERV rating higher than 12 are most often used by hospitals and in manufacturing facilities with “clean rooms”. They are not the best choice for most furnaces.

In fact, using a filter with a higher MERV rating can create excessive airflow resistance in your home’s HVAC system, making it work harder and less efficiently than it was designed to operate. If you’re looking for cleaner indoor air, an integrated indoor air filtration system will offer more effective filtration than a furnace filter when it comes to removing finer indoor air pollutants.

Have questions about filtration and indoor air quality? Give ABC Plumbing, Sewer, Heating, Cooling and Electric a call. We’re here to help.

Read What Your
Neighbors Are Saying About ABC
  • “Tom was awesome! He is very personable and explains the whole process well. He did a great job and ensured that he used 5-star service throughout the process. I will definitely use ABC and Tom again in the future for electrical work.”

  • “Bill showed up on time to repair our broken air conditioner. ABC kept in touch throughout the day to let me know time he would be arriving too. Bill was professional, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. We wound up signing up for monthly care package because Bill and ABC really made…”

  • “We were very pleased with the service performed by Brett Pack in performing the annual maintenance of our air conditioning unit. He noted it was low on refrigerant, which he then added after consulting with us. He also made sure we took advantage of all available discounts.”

  • “Tom did a super job fixing our electrical problem. He is one of the best electricians I have ever had in my home for repair work. I would highly recommend Tom and ABC Company if you need any type of electrical work. He took his time and explained everything and…”

  • “I am so impressed with Chris and ABC Plumbing, Sewer, Heating, Cooling and Electric. His friendliness honest approach to his Job is remarkable. Thanks Chris for making my day and believing that they are still great honorable people out there.”

  • “Our AC was not working in the 90-degree summer heat. Josh identified that power was not going to the furnace blower. He identified that power was not going to the furnace breaker. His keen eye spotted that the wire leading into the breaker had frayed. He cut out the frayed…”

Read more

Our Guarantees

  • satisfaction guaranteed
  • customer service guarantee
  • "no surprises" guarantee
  • no-nonsense parts & labor warranty
  • See More +

Our AC Guarantees

  • equipment size guarantee
  • lifetime installation materials warranty
  • AC "level for life" warranty
  • the exclusive "no-lemon" guarantee
  • See More +
Our Promises to You
  • Convenient for You!

    We work on your
    schedule.

    Schedule today
  • Background Checks!

    We do drug tests and background
    checks before hiring.

    Learn More
  • No Need for Stress!

    Get ABC's worry-free guarantee
    at no cost.

    Get Started
  • No Surprises!

    Pricing is by the job, not
    the hour.

    Contact Us