Best 16x22x2 MERV 13 Furnace & HVAC Air Conditioner Filters

By Michelle Wan, Brand Manager and Air Quality Writer at Filterbuy. Technically reviewed by David Clark, Licensed HVAC Technician. Published August 12, 2026. Updated August 12, 2026.

TL;DR

A 16x22x2 MERV 13 air filter is a two inch deep pleated replacement filter for your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump. MERV 13 is the Filterbuy Optimal tier, and it captures 98% of airborne particles. Order by the nominal size, 16x22x2, and check your HVAC manual for the filter ratings your system supports. We cut, pleat, and frame every one to order in our own US plants.

Key Takeaways

• Order by nominal size. A 16x22x2 is the ordering name, and the filter is cut slightly smaller so it slides in without binding.

• MERV 13 is the Filterbuy Optimal tier and captures 98% of airborne particles. It’s the tier we point to for smoke.

• Check your HVAC manual for the filter ratings it supports, the same quick check as confirming your size.

• MERV 13 compares to MPR 1500–1900 and FPR 10 on the scales other companies use.

• You pick the number of filters you want, and the price per filter drops as the quantity goes up.

• Fast and free 2-day delivery to most US states.

How to Find Your 16x22x2 Filter Size

Finding your size is the easy part. Pull the old filter out and read the size printed along the edge. If it says 16x22x2, you’re done, and you can order this Filterbuy filter straight from this page.

No old filter to read? Measure the slot instead, then round to the nearest inch. Write it down as length, then width, then depth. Our step by step guide on how to measure your air filter walks through it, and the full air filter sizes chart lists every size we cut.

Nominal Size Versus Actual Size

These two numbers confuse a lot of people, so here’s the short version. Nominal size is the ordering name, the rounded 16x22x2 on the frame. The actual cut is a little smaller by design. That clearance is what makes the filter fit, because one cut to the exact slot dimensions would bind on the way in. The exact cut for this filter is in the Product Specifications block on this page.

Slot measures to an odd fraction instead of a whole inch? You don’t have to round and hope. We cut custom air filters to the eighth of an inch, so you can order the dimensions you actually measured.

What MERV 13 Captures, and How the Tiers Compare

MERV is the industry scale for how much a filter captures, and higher numbers capture more. MERV 13 is the Filterbuy Optimal tier. Here’s how the three Filterbuy tiers line up, including the MPR and FPR numbers other companies and retailers use.

All three tiers are rated for residential and commercial use. MPR and FPR are third party rating scales, not ours.

Which Tier to Pick

Every tier has a job. Here’s the short version of who each one is for.

Check your HVAC manual for the filter ratings your system supports before choosing a tier.

Want to compare two tiers side by side before you decide? Our guide to MERV 11 versus MERV 13 filters covers both, and MERV ratings explains the full scale. For odors specifically, look at an Odor Eliminator carbon filter instead of moving up a MERV tier.

Check Your HVAC Manual Before You Pick a Tier

One more quick check before you order, and it applies to any tier you choose. Your HVAC manual lists the filter ratings your system supports. Look there the same way you’d confirm the size, and you’ll know the tier you picked is a match. If you can’t find the manual, your model number will usually turn it up online.

How Many 16x22x2 MERV 13 Filters to Order

Shoppers often search this one as a 2 pack, 4 pack, or 6 pack. Filterbuy prices it by the filter instead, so there’s no fixed pack to pick. Choose how many you want and the price per filter drops as the number goes up, with the biggest saving at 12 or more. One return on a 90 day rhythm uses four a year, which is why four is the usual order. Air filter auto delivery adds a standing discount if you’d rather not think about it again.

Based on a 90 day change rhythm on a single return, which uses four filters a year. Price per filter drops as the quantity goes up.

Fast and free 2-day delivery to most US states. Other tiers in this size sit on the 16x22x2 air filter hub, including the 16x22x2 MERV 8 filter, and every depth we cut is on the two inch air filters page.

How to Replace a 16x22x2 Furnace or HVAC Filter

It takes about two minutes and you won’t need tools.

1. Turn the system off at the thermostat.

2. Slide the old filter out and look for the airflow arrow printed on the frame.

3. Unwrap the new filter, leaving the cardboard frame and wire backing on.

4. Slide it in with the arrow pointing toward the furnace or air handler.

5. Close the cover, turn the system back on, and write the date on the frame edge.

The arrow is the step people skip. Run your hand around the edges once it’s seated, too. If you feel air moving there, you’ve got a gap, and air takes the gap instead of going through the filter.

Not sure whether yours is due? Hold it up to a light. If light doesn’t come through the pleats, replace it. That test beats any calendar.

Why Buy This Size from Filterbuy

We’re a manufacturer, not a reseller. Your filter is cut, pleated, and framed to order in our own US plants, which is why we can make a size like 16x22x2 at all instead of only stocking the sizes that move fastest.

That also means the sizes we publish are the ones we cut. If yours isn’t listed, we’ll cut it. And if the one you order doesn’t fit, our free exchange sends you the right size. Browse the full MERV 13 air filters range for other sizes in this tier.

Supporting Statistics

Three findings from federal agencies and a national health organization behind the guidance above.

1. Two Thirds Of U.S. Homes Run A Central System With A Filter In It.

• 88 percent of U.S. households use air conditioning.

• Two thirds use a central AC unit or central heat pump as their main equipment.

• Based on an estimated 123.5 million homes, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

• Why it matters: with a central system, the filter in your return is the one working for the whole house.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey

2. Heating And Cooling Take Nearly Half Of A Home’s Energy, And A Dirty Filter Adds To That.

• Nearly half the energy used in a U.S. home goes to heating and cooling.

• A dirty filter slows airflow and makes the system work harder.

• ENERGY STAR advises checking the filter monthly in heavy use months and changing it at least every three months.

• Why it matters: that’s the same 90 day rhythm we build this filter to.

Source: ENERGY STAR, Heat & Cool Efficiently

3. The Filter Most Homes Start With Is A One Inch, Low Efficiency One.

• HVAC systems usually take a rectangular one inch filter in the return ducts.

• The default runs low efficiency, around MERV 8, at roughly $12 each.

• The American Lung Association suggests changing that default about every two months.

• Why it matters: a two inch slot holds more media than the one inch default, which is why this size is worth having.

Source: American Lung Association, Air Cleaning

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Actual Size of a 16x22x2 Air Filter?

You order by the nominal size, 16x22x2. The filter itself is cut a little smaller than that on purpose, and the exact cut is listed in the Product Specifications block on the product page. That clearance is what lets it slide into the slot instead of binding.

Can I Use a 16x22x1 Filter Instead of a 16x22x2?

No. It will rattle in a two inch slot and air will slip around the edges instead of going through the filter. Use the depth your slot is built for.

How Often Should I Change a 16x22x2 MERV 13 Filter?

We build this one to last 90 days. Change it sooner if you have pets, heavy pollen, or smoke in the area. Here is a quick test: hold it up to a light, and if light doesn’t come through the pleats, it’s done.

Can I Buy 16x22x2 MERV 13 Filters in Bulk?

Yes. You pick how many filters you want, and the price per filter drops as the quantity goes up, with the biggest saving at 12 or more.

What if 16x22x2 Isn’t the Size I Need?

Measure again and order the nominal size that matches. If your slot lands on an odd fraction, we cut custom filters to the eighth of an inch, so you can order exact dimensions instead of rounding.

Glossary

MERV: Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, the industry scale for how much a filter captures. Higher numbers capture more.

Nominal Size: The rounded size you order by, printed in large text on the frame. A 16x22x2 is a nominal size.

Actual Size: What the filter measures. It is cut slightly smaller than nominal on purpose, and that clearance is what lets it slide in.

MPR And FPR: Rating scales used by other companies and retailers. They are not ours, and the chart above shows roughly where each lands against MERV.

Air Filter: The panel in your return that catches particles as air passes through it. The general reference on the air filter covers types and history.

Sources

The U.S. EPA advises choosing a filter rated at least MERV 13, or as high a rating as your system fan and filter slot can take. See the EPA Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home.

U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey

ENERGY STAR, Heat & Cool Efficiently

American Lung Association, Air Cleaning

About the Author and Reviewer

Michelle Wan is Brand Manager and Air Quality Writer at Filterbuy, working directly with the manufacturing teams who cut and pleat these filters. David Clark is a Licensed HVAC Technician with Filterbuy HVAC Solutions, and he reviewed this page for accuracy.