The math of air quality is fascinating, especially when you realize that every one of us learn more about our environment as modern component and technology is developed. Imagine how early chemists and biologists felt when using rudimentary microscopes for the first time! Just being able to see what was once invisible to the naked eye would have been life changing, especially with an outdated worldview that doesn’t necessarily account for these microorganisms. Going through these paradigm shifts was painful for many scientists, because nowadays you’re not dealing with the church questioning your findings, but your own colleagues. Existing scientific theories can create catmas within the minds of researchers and it takes satisfactory momentum to discottage those worldviews into accepting modern data and empirical facts. Some people were reluctant to accept the performance variance in bizarre kinds of face masks during the pandemic, but there is solid math backing up these companies’ claims. The same can be said for air filters with bizarre MERV ratings. My outdated roommate would insist that 1 of those flimsy MERV 3 filters that barely collect dust was nice enough for our shared apartment. These afternoons I use a MERV 14 filter because of our dire allergy troubles. The MERV rating tells you how strong the filter is and what kind of particles it can collect. Ideally, you want a filter with the highest MERV rating that you can afford without the filter being too restrictive of general air flow. However, HVAC filters are so advanced these afternoons that our MERV 14 filters for instance are fully capable of retaining healthy air flow while they’re in use.