Pensacola homeowners love living here with access to the beautiful Florida coast, but a drawback of being in an urban environment is all the pollution you have to deal with. From vehicles emitting pollution, to the excessive dust stirred up by construction projects, or small allergen particles floating into homes during the peak of allergy season, there is plenty that you need to filter out.
Residents looking to optimize their home’s indoor air quality often rely on using MERV filters with their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. This is especially the case for people suffering from respiratory maladies such as asthma.
We are ready to assist you in determining what level of MERV filtering is best for your family. One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning provides a free MERV compatibility assessment for Pensacola homeowners.
However, if you’re new to using filtration with your HVAC equipment, this question may be top of mind: “What does MERV stand for?”
MERV is an acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. Engineers from ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, developed the MERV scale to show the effectiveness of an air filter at capturing pollution, pollen, mold and other small particles.
MERV-rated filters are good at catching small particles in the air spanning 0.3 to 10 microns.
During our free consultation with you, we’ll go over your options and listen to your concerns about boosting indoor air quality for the health and comfort of everyone in your family.
Understanding MERV Ratings
What is the range of MERV ratings? Here’s a MERV rating chart to help Pensacola homeowners better understand what level of filtration is most suitable for you.
| 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. |
At the top of this MERV rating chart, we mention “static pressure,” which is an HVAC industry term that measures how hard the heating and cooling equipment has to work to move air through your home. With higher MERV ratings, filters will increasingly restrict airflow, so the system needs to use more power to push conditioned air into the ducts.
We encourage you to arrange a free MERV compatibility assessment with us. An indoor air quality professional from One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning will check your system to see if it’s suitable to use a filter with a higher MERV rating. We can see whether MERV 9-12 filters could result in your Pensacola home’s AC or furnace struggling to keep your home at the desired temperature.
With more airflow restriction caused by using MERV filters ranging from 13-16, our technician will need to see whether higher-rated filters could break the HVAC system.
Pensacola-Specific Considerations
Higher humidity and salt air impact coastal Pensacola homeowners. The humidity requires the AC to work more to control moisture in the air until your family feels comfortable. Salt air can clog MERV filters, necessitating more frequent filter changes.
In an urban location, you’ll likely need to use a MERV filter to trap pollution, such as harmful particles emitted by trucks and cars. Urban locations have higher levels of construction work, with these projects stirring up dust clouds that you must filter out of your home to improve indoor air quality.
When it’s the height of allergy season, you need filtration to trap allergens before they make your family suffer—especially those with health concerns. Likewise, during hurricane season, the added moisture in the environment from storms promotes the growth of mold. Accordingly, Pensacola residents rely on MERV filters to capture mold to avoid getting sick.
We are standing by to help you determine what MERV filter rating is best to protect your family from contaminants for better comfort and health.
Technical Implementation
Lower MERV filter ratings do not restrict airflow as much as higher MERV filter ratings. When you turn on your furnace during the winter, you don’t want to use a MERV filter with such a high rating that it impairs the furnace’s ability to deliver the amount of heated air you programmed with the thermostat.
Pensacola homeowners want to know, What MERV rating can my furnace handle?
During our free MERV filter compatibility assessment, we’ll advise you on the best filter option to keep you warm and ensure that indoor air quality as high as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About MERV Filters
Will a higher MERV rating make my energy bills go up in Pensacola?
You can anticipate your power bill will increase somewhat, because MERV filters restrict the flow of air. This makes the HVAC equipment work harder to deliver the same level of cooling or heating, using more power to do the job.
How often should I change my MERV filter in Pensacola ‘s climate?
Homeowners often swap out their MERV filters on a one-month or two-month basis. However, you may change them every 60-90 days if your filtration needs are not so demanding. If you require even less filtration, you can schedule a filter change every 90 to 120 days.
But more frequent changes may be called for if someone in your family has a condition that is worsened by poor indoor air quality, such as allergies or asthma or any other respiratory illness. You might find yourself replacing filters less during winter than in allergy season.
When your location has more pollution (from cars, factories, construction dust and so on), or if landscaping activity is higher than usual in your neighborhood, you’ll probably need to change filters more frequently.
One of our expert technicians will go over all your concerns, and examine your HVAC system to help determine a suitable MERV filter changing schedule.
We are also ready to provide emergency filter changing services, so give us a call if you ever need assistance!
Can I use the same MERV rating year-round in Florida?
You can use the same MERV filter rating all year.
You might want to change them, though, depending on whether it’s allergy season, or summer when there is more dust in the air. Remember that during storms, you might want to prioritize giving your family better protection against mold spores blowing in the wind after hurricanes impact Pensacola.
During winter, a lower MERV rating helps your furnace keep up with demand better due to less airflow restriction.
What MERV rating do I need for Florida allergies?
Our indoor air quality experts recommend you use a MERV filter with a rating of 11-13 to trap more allergens in the air.
How do I know if my Pensacola home’s AC can handle a MERV 13 filter?
First, consult the details in your AC system’s owner’s manual. If this information is unavailable, a technician from One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning will look at the equipment to see about its capability to work with a MERV 13 filter.
Should I use different MERV ratings during hurricane season?
We suggest you install a filter with a MERV 11 rating, which is suitable for trapping mold spores proliferating after a storm dumps water into Pensacola.
What’s the best MERV rating for homes near Pensacola’s beaches?
Select a filter with a MERV rating of 13-16 to handle the particles in the salt air blowing off the coast, and other contaminants associated with life near the beach.
Do I need a higher MERV rating if I live in downtown Pensacola?
As a rule of thumb, you’ll want a higher MERV rating for downtown locations because there is so much dust being raised from construction projects and demolition activities, in addition to the copious amount of pollution coming out of commuter cars and delivery trucks.
How do MERV ratings affect my Florida home’s humidity control?
Since higher MERV filter ratings cause more airflow restriction, they affect how well the AC system functions. As the HVAC equipment works harder to cool the air, the MERV filter may impact how well it can control humidity (a result of chilling the air is that humidity reduces).
What’s the difference between MERV and HEPA filters for Florida homes?
Homeowners select HEPA filters when they need to trap viruses and other tiny particles flowing into their dwellings. HEPA filters have a minimum MERV 17 rating.
Seasonal Considerations FAQs in Pensacola
We developed a Pensacola-specific seasonal guide to prepare you for using MERV filters throughout the year.
- Hurricane Season (June-November)
Select a filter with a MERV rating of 11, to trap mold from the added moisture in the environment from storms, as well as dirt and debris that fly through the air in Pensacola.
- Winter (December-February)
Install a MERV 8 filter to give you sufficient capacity to trap airborne contaminants while not hindering airflow so much that the furnace functions to meet your heating needs during winter without struggling.
- Spring Allergy Season (March-May)
People with allergies in Pensacola are advised to use MERV 11-13 filters. Higher-rated MERV filters are better at trapping pollen and other allergens than lower-rated filters.
- Summer (June-August)
When summer arrives, more dust than usual usually blows into the air, which you’ll want to keep out of your home. Install a filter with a MERV rating of 11 to keep dust at bay, instead of triggering a bout of sneezing and coughing from the excess of small airborne particles.
One Hour’s MERV Filter Experts Will Help You Boost Indoor Air Quality!
We know there is a lot of information to remember as you consider what MERV filter rating is the most suitable for your home in Pensacola during each season.
Homeowners face a variety of indoor air quality challenges, from construction dust to vehicular pollution, as well as mold during hurricane season and pollen and other allergens during allergy season.
We’re ready to help you meet these challenges and improve the air you breathe inside your home.
Our technicians will also keep your system running at its best with our seasonal maintenance programs.
Whether you need a professional Pensacola air quality consultation or a free MERV compatibility assessment, you can depend on our expertise, experience and knowledge. To learn more, or get started with a consultation, please contact One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning today.