MERV-13 Filters for Transit

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The American Society of Heating and Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommend using MERV-13 filters to improve indoor air quality, or the highest MERV rating possible without causing detrimental effects to the HVAC system.

However, there are two important distinctions to consider when evaluating filter types that have a “MERV-13” rating:

Temporarily charged electrostatic MERV-13 filters
Continuously charged electrostatic MERV-13 filters

The difference between temporarily charged electrostatic MERV-13 filters, and continuously charged MERV-13 electrostatic filters lies in how they operate and their efficiency in trapping airborne particles over time.

1. Temporarily Charged Electrostatic MERV-13 Filters:

These filters use an electrostatic charge that is applied to the filter media at the factory during manufacturing.
The electrostatic charge attracts and captures airborne particles, including dust, pollen, and smaller particles like bacteria and viruses.
Over time, the electrostatic charge may diminish or wear off, reducing the filter’s effectiveness to that of a MERV-8 filter.

2. Continuously Charged MERV-13 Equivalent Electrostatic Filters:

These filters maintain a continuous electrostatic charge on the filter media, ensuring that it maintains its MERV-13 equivalent effectiveness.
The continuous charge enhances their ability to capture both larger and smaller particles, including allergens and fine particulate matter.
They are considered more efficient than both temporarily charged electrostatic MERV-13 filters and MERV-8A filters, especially for smaller particles.
The continuous charge helps maintain filtration performance throughout the filter’s lifespan.

Lumin-Air Transit’s continuously charged electrostatic MERV-13 equivalent filtration has allowed transit agencies to achieve the recommended MERV-13 efficiency while maintaining excellent airflow. Lumin-Air’s filters also last up to 3x as long as standard bus filters and pre-cut replacement media is more economical relative to temporarily charged electrostatic filters.

Lumin-Air’s filters can be easily customized to accommodate all fixed route bus types, as well as paratransit and mobility vehicles.