It may come as a surprise to learn that viruses don’t remain suspended in the air independently, but instead hitch a ride on other airborne particles, such as aerosolized droplets and dust. This is important to know when selecting the appropriate filter for virus mitigation. If protecting your people from viruses is your objective, you’re going to want to choose a filter that takes into consideration the size of these little airborne vehicles.
So, what does this mean? Well, while it’s not without its merit to choose a filter that’s highly efficient for particles the size of standard viruses, you’re really going to want to choose a filter that is particularly efficient at contending with particles that are 0.5 microns in size and larger. 0.5 microns, of course, being the general size of these little aerosolized droplets viruses are hitching a ride on.
If you’re currently using MERV 14 filters, and virus mitigation is your goal, a simple upgrade to MERV 16 filters may be the answer.
With MERV 14 filters you’re looking at about a 73% filter efficiency at 0.5 microns. With MERV 16 that jumps to whopping 98%.
You can make the upgrade too without increasing your energy costs!
AAF Flander’s BioCel VXL MERV 16 filters, for example, offer initial resistance that is comparable to MERV 14 filters. Hence, upgrading to this MERV 16 filter will not have a corresponding spike in energy use. Furthermore, the BioCel VXL V-Bank’s pleat stability helps to protect against captured particulate shaking loose and re-entering the system.
Another thing to consider is the media. Before advancing to MERV 16 filters make sure that the product you’re selecting uses fibreglass media. Synthetic media, for instance, depend on the electrostatic charge effect, while filters that use fibreglass media filter the air mechanically. Mechanical filtration is superior to those depending on electrostatic charge. The problem with dependence on electrostatic charge is that when that charge dissipates over time the filter’s efficiency drops in tandem, and greater numbers of particulates can then pass through the filter.
We hope this proved helpful. If you have any questions, please hop to our Contact Us tab and send us a note. We’re here to help.