MERV 7 general purpose pleated air filters provide between 35% and 50% efficiency for filtering particles between 3 and 10 microns in size (such as mold spores, dusting aids, and cement dust). Pleated air filters capture airborne contaminants more effectively than non-pleated air filters because the pleated filter media provides more surface area for trapping contaminants than non-pleated media. These filters are commonly installed in HVAC systems in food and beverage, healthcare, hospitality, education, and industrial facilities to remove contaminants from the air stream and improve the quality of the air. They also prevent the contaminants from building up in the equipment and causing damage to it. The filters are designed to be discarded when they are spent.