iaq24053web-mike-holmes-renovating-for-clean-indoor-air-case-study-hero-1600x900

Mike Holmes: Renovating for Clean Indoor Air and Healthy Living

Case Studies

Challenges

Update old ventilation with new, cost-effective solutions to improve indoor air in the home. Remove contaminants, excess moisture and odors for a healthier environment.
Solutions

Retrofit outdated ventilation with new, easy to install indoor air quality solutions including purification, energy recovery ventilators, smart controls and ventilation fans.
Results

A healthy home with clean, fresh air free from pollutants, odors and allergens. A well-designed ventilation system that saves energy, controls moisture and improves the durability of the home.

Project Details

Professional contractor, TV Host and podcaster, Mike Holmes, purchased his house 15 years ago and wanted to update nearly everything. But with a busy schedule renovating houses for others he only recently started making improvements to his own home.

While his design concept was to open the kitchen and living space, his main priority was to create a healthier indoor environment for his family.

Products used:

Intelli-Balance® 100 Energy Recovery Ventilator
WhisperAir Repair®
Swidget® Smart Controls

Mike makes healthy building and healthy living a priority on every project. For Holmes Family Rescue Season 1, he took on a renovation project for his friend and master electrician, Frank, who has dealt with health issues for many years. Giving Frank a healthy home was a priority, so Mike researched healthy home technologies for months.

During that journey, he consulted with the indoor air quality (IAQ) experts at Panasonic. That’s when he learned he needed the four components necessary for a healthy indoor environment: ventilation, filtration, purification & automation.

There was no doubt he was going to work with Panasonic to choose the right products for Frank and his own house. For Mike’s own home, he needed a new ventilation and IAQ system that would keep his home supplied with fresh, clean air while removing the airborne contaminants produced by cleaning products, cooking, furniture, flooring and his pet dog, among other things. Whatever system he chose for this retrofit would have to fit into the structure of the house and provide efficient ventilation through his existing system of ducts. “I believe in doing things right the first time,” Mike said. “That’s the main reason I chose to install Panasonic Indoor Air Quality products on my projects and in my home.”

Mike's Podcast

Watch this Holmes on Homes Podcast episode where Mike Holmes discusses indoor air quality strategies with Panasonic IAQ expert Sonny Pirrotta.

Watch Now

Ventilation & Filtration: Intelli-Balance ERV

Mike learned from the pros at Panasonic that a balanced ventilation strategy is the backbone of healthy air in the home. The next step was to install the Panasonic Intelli-Balance® 100 ERV.

“Energy recovery ventilators (ERV) should be minimum code in every home,” he says. Intelli-Balance exhausts polluted indoor air and draws in fresh filtered outside air in a balanced, controlled ratio. As stale air leaves the home it carries out contaminants, odors and allergens, helping prevent health issues associated with poor indoor air quality.

The biggest benefit of an ERV, according to Mike, is the ability to exchange moisture. “Water is your home’s #1 enemy,” Mike says. “By installing the Intelli-Balance 100, I can better maintain humidity levels inside the house.” Mike Holmes is such a big believer in ERVs that he has been advocating to have them included as a minimum requirement in the building code.

Capillary Core Optimizes Healthy Air & Comfort

Intelli-Balance ERVs include a patented capillary core featuring material permeated with anti-mold treatment. The high efficiency core helps to recover heat and balance moisture for optimal comfort and fresh indoor air.

Combined with a Sensible Recovery Efficiency rate of 83% @ 67 CFM, Intelli-Balance is the most versatile ERV on the market today.

Purification: WhisperAir Repair®

A complete IAQ system doesn’t stop with ventilation. For air purification and deodorization, Mike installed the WhisperAir Repair® with nanoe™ X technology in all living spaces. In fact, he installed five of them. In addition to bacteria and virus* inhibition, the biggest advantage of WhisperAir Repair is deodorizing and eliminating bad smells from pets, cooking, cleaners and other household smells.

Installation is easily performed by a licensed electrician with no messy ductwork required. Best of all, WhisperAir Repair is maintenance/worry-free and doesn’t require a filter.

Automation: Swidget® Smart Controls

To automate the entire ventilation system, Mike installed Swidget Smart Controls throughout his house. These smart controls sense poor indoor air quality then boosts the ERV and turns on bathroom exhaust fans automatically without him even thinking about it. This is especially useful when he is hosting gatherings!

Results from Mike’s healthy home renovation

Mike has found that air quality inside his home is significantly better now. The Intelli-Balance ERV and WhisperAir Repair air purifiers quietly go about their business, cleaning the air, automatically regulated by Swidget devices with convenient lights-off and security integration. Mike’s home is healthier and more comfortable, thanks to this Panasonic IAQ solution.

*WHISPERAIR REPAIR’S IMPACT ON ODORS, ALLERGENS, POLLENS AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES WAS BASED ON TESTING IN AN 812FT3⁄23M3 ROOM. WHISPERAIR REPAIR’S ABILITY TO INHIBIT GROWTH OF VIRUS (TESTED WITH BACTERIOPHAGE ΦX174), MOLD (TESTED WITH ALTERNARIA), WAS BASED ON TESTING IN AN 883FT3⁄25M3 AREA. BACTERIA (GRAM-POSITIVE STAPHYLOCOCCUS EPIDERMIDIS) TESTING WAS BASED ON A 1728FT3⁄49M3 ROOM.

Please visit iaq.na.panasonic.com for details.