How is the indoor air quality at your home?
Florida homeowners have to contend with a multitude of air quality challenges.
People living in coastal communities address salt air, which corrodes HVAC equipment and can clog MERV air filters, for example.
Those living in urban parts of Florida need to filter all of the air pollution, such as vehicular emissions from heavy traffic, and clouds of dust stirred up by all the construction projects.
Meanwhile, folks in the suburbs need filtration to trap the additional landscaping particles and allergens flying through the air.
Throughout Florida, homeowners must also prepare for and filter out the proliferation of harmful mold spores, which tend to increase after hurricanes dump additional water into the region.
Many of our customers call to ask, what does MERV stand for? MERV is short for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value.”
Developed by ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, the MERV scale describes how good a job a filter does at capturing small particles, such as dust, pollen, mold and other allergens, and air pollution contaminants.
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning’s indoor air quality professionals will give you a free consultation to determine the most suitable MERV filter for your Florida home.
Understanding MERV Ratings
We made this MERV rating chart to help you see what level of filtration corresponds to the types of airborne air contaminants you want to capture.
| MERV Rating | Particles Filtered | Pensacola Specific Concerns | Challenges (Static Pressure) |
| 1-4 | Basic dust | Not recommended for Pensacola homes | Provides minimal filtration |
| 5-8 | Pollen, dust mites | Minimum for Pensacola properties | May not adequately filter finer particles |
| 9-12 | Pet dander, mold spores | Recommended for most Pensacola homes | Some HVAC systems may experience reduced airflow or strain. |
| 13-16 | Bacteria, smoke | Ideal for coastal/urban Pensacola properties | Higher MERV ratings may restrict airflow and damage HVAC systems if not compatible. |
The phrase “Static Pressure” at the top of this MERV chart refers to a measurement of how much effort an HVAC system makes to move air through a home’s ductwork.
Before installing a filter with a high MERV rating, it’s crucial to talk with an indoor air quality expert from One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our technicians have years of experience figuring out whether MERV filters of 9-12 could make it harder for your HVAC system to supply cool or heated air throughout your home.
Our goal is to help you avoid uneven heating when winter rolls around and to keep a MERV filter from restricting heated air too much as it flows from your furnace. Contact us today for assistance!
Florida-Specific Considerations
Between June and November (hurricane season), homeowners in Florida often install higher-rated MERV filters to capture the abundant mold spores that tend to appear in higher numbers in the aftermath of storms.
Coastal residents may need to change their MERV filters more frequently than inland inhabitants since the salt air blowing from the ocean tends to clog filter systems.
Florida’s suburban dwellers face higher amounts of particles in the air because of all the landscaping activities in their neighborhoods. And during allergy season, more pollen and other allergens are blowing in the wind.
All of the pollution coming out of the exhaust pipes of commercial trucks and commuter vehicles requires urban Floridians to add MERV filters to their HVAC system to trap as much pollution as possible.
There are always construction projects in this area too which you can control with high-rated MERV filters.
No matter your location, we’re happy to consult with you about your specific MERV filter requirements and how often to change them.
Technical Implementation
Homeowners will want to keep in mind the relationship between MERV ratings and airflow.
Be aware that HVAC filters with higher MERV ratings will restrict airflow more than lower MERV-rated filters as you run the air conditioning in your Florida home.
And while winters tend to be fairly mild in Florida, you have to consider that filters with higher MERV ratings can reduce the flow of heated air from your furnace, making the system work harder to reach the temperature you set with the thermostat.
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning will consult with you about what MERV rating your furnace can handle. Call us today!
Customers’ Frequently Asked Questions About MERV Ratings
Will a higher MERV rating make my energy bills go up in Florida?
Most certainly it will make your power bill increase. Because MERV filters restrict airflow, they cause HVAC equipment to work harder than usual.
How often should I change my MERV filter in Florida’s climate?
Floridians usually change their MERV filters once every month or two. For an answer that addresses your specific home and your family’s air quality needs, a technician from One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning needs to come over to check your equipment.
Homeowners who need less filtration may change their MERV filters once every 60 to 90 days. If your filter requirements are more sporadic, we might suggest swapping filters every three to four months.
Can I use the same MERV rating year-round in Florida?
In many cases, it’s fine to use the same MERV filter all year long. But we’ll suggest you use different MERV ratings depending on the season or whether people in your family have respiratory problems.
Consider how they would react to pollen during allergy season or to mold spores during hurricane season. During the summer, you may experience dustier conditions, requiring another MERV filter change.
What MERV rating do I need for Florida allergies?
Our indoor air quality professionals recommend you install a filter with a MERV rating of 11-13.
How do I know if my Florida home’s AC can handle a MERV 13 filter?
Consult the owner’s manual. If this information is not readily available, a One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning technician will evaluate your system to see if it’s compatible with a MERV 13 filter.
Should I use different MERV ratings during hurricane season?
We advise using a MERV 11 filter when storms are brewing.
What’s the best MERV rating for homes near Florida’s beaches?
On the coast, use air filters with MERV ratings ranging from 13-16, since there is so much salty air to filter.
Do I need a higher MERV rating if I live in downtown Florida?
Select a higher-rated MERV filter, in consultation with our experts, to trap contaminants from downtown construction work and all the pollution emanating from streets clogged with vehicles.
How do MERV ratings affect my Florida home’s humidity control?
HVAC systems have to work harder as MERV filters with higher ratings (13-16) increasingly restrict airflow. We offer a free consultation to determine the right balance of filtration and humidity control.
What’s the difference between MERV and HEPA filters for Florida homes?
HEPA filters are used to trap viruses and other tiny particles in the air. Every HEPA filter has a MERV rating of at least 17.
Florida Seasonal Considerations FAQs
It’s okay to use the same MERV filter throughout the year. But for best results, we advocate changing your filter according to the season:
● Hurricane Season (June-November)
Install a MERV 11 filter to trap mold spores, dirt and dust blown by the strong hurricane winds.
● Winter (December-February)
Our technicians suggest using a MERV 8 filter for better indoor air quality during winter. This level of filtration will do a good job of capturing contaminants while not restricting airflow to the point that your furnace struggles to provide the level of heat you programmed.
● Spring Allergy Season (March-May)
Florida homeowners should use a filter with a MERV rating of 11-13 to capture more contaminants in the air during allergy season. The higher the rating, the better the filter is at trapping pollen and mold.
● Summer (June-August)
As more dust flies around during summer, we suggest you use a MERV 11 filter to improve your home’s indoor air quality.
Contact the Indoor Air Quality Experts at One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning Today for Help With MERV Filters
Hire us for professional assistance with MERV filtration. To get started, we’re standing by to give you a free air quality consultation.
We also provide seasonal maintenance programs to keep your HVAC system working at its best. And if you’re having issues with your filtration system, our technicians offer emergency filter replacement services.
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning provides HVAC services throughout Florida, including communities such as:
Birmingham
Bradenton
Clearwater
Daytona
Jacksonville
Lakeland
Melbourne
Miami
Niceville
Orlando
Pensacola
Tampa
Contact us today for information about our service offerings in your area, if you don’t see your city in this list.
Remember that we offer a free MERV compatibility assessment for Florida homeowners. To learn more, contact us today!