The capacity of an air conditioning filter to capture particles is reported by MERV, which stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. The higher are the ratings, the bigger is the filter’s capability to capture tiny particles, namely viruses. For particles such as viruses, a MERV-13 A/C would be necessary.
The thing is most home air conditioning units have MERV-8 filters installed. If you want to get extra protection, you may consider upgrading to a MERV-13 filter. At any rate, before you make any changes to your HVAC system you should take a look at the instructions’ manual and consult with a HVAC expert.
Another important thing is to make sure that the filter is placed correctly. You could also let the system run for a longer time, or even continuously, because HVAC systems usually filter the air when the unit is running. At the same time, many units can be set to let the fan function even when there is no actual heating or cooling taking place at that particular time.
We should note here that the air conditioning unit cannot possibly protect against Covid, if other preventative measures are neglected, such as avoiding crowds, washing hands, wearing a mask in crowded places, and so on. It’s important to note that talking with an HVAC company like Pasterkamp of Denver is beneficial to help your air that you breathe be as clean as it can be.
