National Jewish Health® Collaborates with Ductworks for National Asthma and Allergy Month to Help Families Detect Allergens at Home

National Jewish Health and Ductworks, Inc. are collaborating for the second year during National Asthma and Allergy Month, (May) to provide a comprehensive approach for people with allergies and asthma to help them learn if the environment in their homes is contributing to their illness. National Jewish has developed a diagnostic kit to assess the allergen levels in indoor environments.

National Jewish Health and Ductworks are working together on marketing and distribution of the Family Air Care^® Indoor Allergens and Mold Test Kit. The kit, developed and serviced by National Jewish Health in Denver, determines levels of common indoor allergens and mold from dust samples taken inside a home, apartment or other building. The kit is now available through Ductworks for $299.

Once the diagnostic assessment of the home is complete, users can go to the Family Air Care^® Website to learn how to lower allergen levels in their homes.

“The Family Air Care^® kit is the only commercially available indoor-air testing kit that lets customers compare their results with samples from homes around the nation, and offers specific advice about how to interpret the results and what to do after receiving them,” said David Tinkelman, MD, Vice President of Health Initiatives at National Jewish Health.

To use the Family Air Care® Indoor Allergens and Mold Test Kit, consumers simply attach a small capture device to their vacuum-cleaner hose, briefly run the vacuum cleaner in their homes, then mail the collection device to National Jewish Health in a pre-paid envelope provided with the kit. Test results are reported in a secure e-mail. The kits can be ordered online at www.Ductworks.com.

“The Family Air Care^® assessment benefits all households, but is especially important to the 70 percent of households where a person with allergies and/or asthma lives,” said Dr. Tinkelman. “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that people with allergies and/or asthma reduce levels of allergens and irritants in their homes to improve their health.”

National Jewish Health is known worldwide for treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders, and for groundbreaking medical research. Founded in 1899 as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish remains the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to these disorders. Since 1998, U.S. News & World Report has ranked National Jewish the #1 respiratory hospital in the nation.  Further information can be found by visiting www.nationaljewish.org.

Ductworks, Inc. “Your Air Duct Cleaning Expert” is a Denver-based company founded in 1990 to improve indoor air quality for homes and businesses. Their patented system of scraping and vacuuming is the most effective process for air duct cleaning. They have more technicians certified by the NADCA than any company in Colorado and provide customers with before and after photos to insure top quality performance. For more information on Ductworks and the Family Air Care Kit, go to www.ductworks.com.

NADCA on Dateline NBC

BUSTED! Duct Cleaning Scammers Exposed

We’ve all seen the coupons and advertisements promoting “whole neighborhood air duct cleaning for $49.95,” and heard the horror stories from consumers who got taken by these companies. Now the national media is taking notice.

NADCA worked with Dateline NBC over the past six months to expose a scam operation and the company’s unethical business practices. Tune in to NBC this Sunday, January 30 at 7 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) for a special two-hour Dateline as reporter Chris Hansen exposes these frauds and helps educate the general public about the HVAC cleaning industry. (Please note that the segment on air duct cleaning will be at the end of the second hour.)

NADCA president Buck Sheppard served as the industry expert and will be featured in this report. This Dateline episode will show “hidden camera” scenes uncovering instances of brazen scam artists preying on uninformed consumers.

It is NADCA’s hope that after this episode airs, consumers will be better informed about how to spot these scams.

Learn About Proper Air Duct Cleaning Methods

• Become educated by reviewing videos, such as the NADCA Guide to Proper Air Duct Cleaning.
• Review NADCA’s brochure, “What You Need to Know About Air Duct Cleaning“
• Know that if you are going to have the HVAC system cleaned, the EPA recommends that the service provider follow NADCA standards.  (If you have not reviewed it recently, the EPA document “Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?” has been updated as of January 4, 2011.
• Review the air duct cleaning company with a pre and post air duct cleaning checklist

Hazards of Mold in Your Ductwork

Mold contamination within air duct systems can pose detrimental health effects to building occupants if left uncorrected.  If mold exists within your air ducts make a plan to investigate the source of the problem, isolate the problem area, and remove the contaminants.

Understanding Mold

Molds are part of the natural environment. Molds are fungi that can be found anywhere – inside or outside – throughout the year. About 1,000 species of mold can be found in the United States, with more than 100,000 known species worldwide.

When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth often will occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains uncorrected. While it is impossible to eliminate all molds and mold spores, controlling moisture can control indoor mold growth.  Molds are usually not a problem unless mold spores land on a damp spot and begin growing. They digest whatever they land on in order to survive. There are molds that grow on wood, paper, carpet, foods and insulation, while other molds feed on the everyday dust and dirt.

Since mold requires water to grow, it is important to investigate the source of the moisture to prevent mold growth.

Hazards of Mold in Your Ductwork

Ventilation systems are designed to distribute a recirculate air within a home.  If mold growth is within the ventilation system, or near an air intake, mold spores can be spread throughout a home.

“Toxic mold syndrome” remains controversial and unproven, but experts agree that it’s best to limit exposure to molds.  The most likely adverse reaction to mold is a respiratory allergic reaction in mold-sensitive people. These reactions are similar to other respiratory allergies, causing sneezing, watery eyes, nasal discharge and congestion.

Cleaning Air Ducts

Consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned if there visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system.

There are several important points to understand concerning mold detection in heating and cooling systems:

• Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, so ask the service provider to show you any mold they say exists.
• You should be aware that although a substance may look like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation.
• If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be removed and replaced.
• If the conditions causing the mold growth in the first place are not corrected, mold growth will recur.

Dangers of Air Duct Cleaning Chemicals

Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply a chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts to kill bacteria (germs), and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth.   Careful consideration should be taken before allowing the application of chemicals within your air ducts.  Due to the varying ranges of temperature, humidity and air turbulence there are very few chemicals that are approved for the use within ventilation systems.

Chemical Off Gassing

Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in cleaning and sanitizing products.  Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids.   Even a nearly odorless material can cause significant problems when re-circulated through air ducts in a closed environment.  VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects.

NADCA’s Position Regarding the Use of Antimicrobials

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association’s new position regarding the use of antimicrobial chemicals is as follows: “At this point in time, until EPA clarifies their position, NADCA does not recommend the use of any sanitizer or disinfectant products in air ducts.” This position was adopted to generate awareness among NADCA members of the potential legal liabilities they face by selling and applying antimicrobial chemicals. This is strictly a matter of managing legal risks. NADCA’s position deals specifically with sanitizers and disinfectants, not with any other product claims. Also, this position covers only air ducts, not HVAC components such as coils

No EPA Registered Products for Fiberglass Air Ducts

There are no products that are currently registered by EPA as biocides for use on fiberglass duct board or fiberglass lined ducts so it is important to determine if sections of your system contain these materials before permitting the application of any biocide.

If  You Choose to Use Chemicals in your Air Duct Cleaning Project

• Review the product sheet showing usage and application of the product.
• Review the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to understand if chemicals will cause any health or property concerns.
• Review the Fact sheet on the product classification being applied.

If You Have a Problem Related to Chemicals Applied Within Your Air Ducts

• Open doors and windows to ventilate the area with fresh air.
• Operate the fan of the HVAC system
• Exit the premises if negatively affected.
• Contact and Industrial Hygienist to discuss the problem.  Be sure to have a copy of the MSDS.

How to Remove Pet Urine Odor from Air Ducts

Pet urine within the air ducts is an extremely unpleasant odor.   Sometimes trouble shooting where the pet urine odor is coming from can be quite difficult.  Here are some great instructions on how to remove pet urine odor from air ducts.

Locating the Sources

Before you can correct a pet urine problem you have to identify all of the areas affected.  Sometimes it can be difficult to isolate or identify source of the pet urine odor.  One of the easiest methods of locating where pets have urinated is through the use of a UV black light.  First darken the room, and then shine the UV black light near vent register openings, pet urine stains will glow in the dark.

Cleaning the Surrounding Areas

As pets urinate into the vent registers, the urine is likely to collect around the carpet or hardwood floor near the air vent register opening.  If you do not clean the areas around the air vent register opening the scent of the urine will cause the pet to instinctively re-soil the area.

One of the best methods for removing the odor is to use baking soda and white vinegar.  Prior to using baking soda and white vinegar, be sure to check with your flooring manufacturer to see if it will affect your floors finish.  Never use ammonia or ammonia based cleaning products.  While ammonia is a good cleaning product, one of the components of pet urine is ammonia, and the odor of the ammonia can lead your pet to instinctively re-soil the area.

DO NOT spray cleaning chemicals into the air ducts, only specific chemicals may be used within air ducts.  Your ventilation system is designed to redistribute air and can potentially distribute the volatile cleaning fumes throughout the home.  If you have accidently poured chemicals within the air ducts, open the doors and windows and call a duct cleaning professional.

Duct Cleaning

After you have cleaned the surrounding area of the air vent registers, hire a professional air duct cleaning contractor.  Debris within the air ducts will harbor pet urine odor.  As the heating and air conditioner is in operation, pet urine odor can distribute throughout the entire home.  An duct cleaning contractor will be able to access the HVAC system and help you to restore the HVAC system to its proper condition.

How Humid Climates Affect Indoor Air Quality and Comfort

Regional climate plays a large role in Indoor Air Quality and comfort.  Regional climate characteristics are determined by geographic location and long term weather conditions.  Two of the most important factors that affect an areas climate are temperature and precipitation.

What makes Humid Climates Uncomfortable?

Humid climates have a high amount of water vapor in the air.  When it’s hot, high humidity makes people feel hotter because it reduces the ability to evaporate moisture from the skin.  In humid climates, becoming comfortable means going into a conditioned space.

Potential for Mold Growth

While mold spores are in every region and every climate, mold growth is highly dependent on the amount of humidity.  Mold growth typically occurs when an environment reaches a relative humidity of 60 percent or greater in a 72 hour span.  If mold is found within your home or workplace remediate the problem immediately, mold spores can be distributed throughout the home or building through the HVAC system impacting indoor air quality.

Air Conditioning in Humid Climates

Air conditioning coils serve a very important role in regulating temperature and humidity in humid climates.  As air passes through the evaporative coil of the air conditioner, heat and moisture are removed from the air.  To a degree, the lower the humidity level, the more comfortable you will feel at a given temperature.

Air Duct Cleaning and HVAC Maintenance

Overtime foreign debris is drawn into the evaporative coils and fan blower of the air conditioning system, gradually decreasing air flow and energy efficiency.  Maintaining HVAC system, will keep your cooling and heating components operation at peak energy efficiency, and prevent potential indoor air quality problems.  Yearly air conditioner inspections and routine air duct cleaning with assure maximum efficiency.

Indoor Air Quality and Your Homes Heating and Cooling System

What Does the EPA say about Indoor Air Quality?

The US Environmental Protection Agency states that poor indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental threats to our country. So why does the EPA feel so strongly about indoor air in homes and workplaces? Well, according to the EPA, indoor air is on average a staggering three to five times more contaminated than outdoor air and in some instances as high as seventy times.

So why is indoor air so much worse in our home than outdoor air?

The answer is in modern day construction practices. Homes are being built more air tight in an effort to be more energy efficient and environmentally conscious. Older homes are being re-insulated and getting air tight window upgrades. The result is less drafty homes that no longer have natural ventilation to bring in fresh air.

Normal everyday living provides an ongoing source of airborne contaminants like dust, dander, chemicals and other allergens. These pollutants become trapped in your home due to this poor ventilation and then are re-circulated by your heating and cooling system.

So what does this mean for you?

The average American family now spends ninety percent of their time indoors. That means that the bulk of our days is spent breathing in these irritants and pollutants and the health effects are significant. Dust, pollen, household chemicals and smoke can create an unhealthy situation in your home for everyone, but especially for people with compromised respiratory systems such as children, the elderly, and people with asthma and allergy sufferers.

So what can you as a homeowner do to improve your air quality?

Today doctors agree that one of the healthiest things to do is to minimize your exposure to these indoor pollutants, allergens and irritants in your home. One of the most logical places to address indoor pollutants is in your heating and cooling system. Think of this system as the lungs of your home. It takes in air and breathes it out; it circulates all the air and everything in the air throughout your home. In fact, on average all the air in your home passes through your heating and cooling system five to seven times each day.

Begin by making sure that you regularly change furnace filter. While these filters do not eliminate airborne contaminants they can help reduce pollutants from entering your furnace and circulating through the house. Most experts recommend replacing your filter every two months.

Another important step to take to improve the quality of the air in your home, and one that many overlook is having your heating and cooling system thoroughly cleaned. As polluted air is re-circulated through your heating and cooling system dust, dirt, and contaminants are deposited throughout the system overtime. These subtle particles are then picked up by the airstream and are then pushed back out into the living areas of the house to be breathed in by family members. In a large number of homes the heating and cooling system has never been cleaned. Even in newer homes or homes undergoing renovation contaminants such as sawdust and drywall dust left over from construction process are deposited in your ducts.

So how clean is the heating and cooling system in your home? Here is a quick way to check. Remove a vent cover and use a mirror and flashlight to look inside. Or use a small digital camera to take a picture of the inside of your duct. If your ducts are dirty it is time to have your air ducts cleaned.

Choose a NADCA Certified Company

All NADCA members must meet a strict set of requirements:

• Comply with NADCA’s International cleaning standards
• Comply with NADCA’s code of ethics.
• Comply with NADCA’s general liability insurance requirements
• Maintain at least one certified Air System Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) on staff at all times

The Air Systems Cleaning Specialists Certification verifies that they have successfully completed rigorous testing on heating and cooling system components and cleaning techniques.

Giving your homes heating and cooling system a little attention will keep it and the air in your home cleaner and healthier for you and your family.

How Do Air Ducts Get Dirty

Compared to years ago when we heated our homes with wood or coal, a modern day heating system is a marvel of efficiency, reliability and convenience, but just like the old time systems these new systems get dirty and need to be cleaned and maintained.

How does an HVAC system Work?

Now you might be thinking “We keep a really clean home, shouldn’t out ducting heating and cooling system be clean to?”   To answer that question we have to start by looking at how you’re heating and cooling system works.  Think of your homes heating and cooling system as the lungs of your home.  The system pulls air from the rooms of your home through the return ductwork, and then the air passes through the filter before reaching the air handler or furnace where it is heated or cooled depending on the season.  Once the air is heated or cooled, it is blown through the supply ductwork and back into your home.  Some of the components of the furnace are used only during heating, others only during cooling, and others operate all the time.  Although the air is filtered, the fact is that filters cannot remove all the contaminants from the air, the system will get dirty through normal use.

HVAC components that get dirty:

• Return air ducts
• Filters
• Blower
• Heat Exchanger
• Cooling coils
• Supply ductwork

Where Does Dust Come From?

So where does dust come from?  Consider that up to forty pounds of dust is created each year from in the average six room home, this normal household dust is unavoidable as it is created by everyday living.  Every time we open the door, walk across carpeting, scratch out dry skin, or unroll paper towels we contribute to airborne dust.  Of course pets and dust emitting activities such as remodeling make the problem worse.  In fact, it’s not uncommon to find construction dust in a homes heating and cooling system years after the house was built.  On average, this contaminated air recirculates throughout your home five to seven times per day.  Why does it matter? This can develop into a serious problem.  The build up of these contaminants on components such as blowers and cooling coils can lead not only to unhealthy air for your family to breathe, but also to higher energy bills.  These contaminants can cause your system to work harder and run longer shortening the life of your equipment.  Perhaps most importantly the heating and air conditioning system needs to be cleaned to provide the thermal comfort you expect.

How Do You Inspect the Heating and Cooling System?

So how clean is the heating and cooling system in your home?  Here is a quick way to check.  Remove a vent cover and use a mirror and flashlight to look inside.  Or use a small digital camera to take a picture of the inside of your duct.  If your ducts are dirty it is time to have your air ducts cleaned.  Periodic air duct cleaning keeps your homes heating and cooling system clean and operating at peak efficiency.

11 Ways to Plan Allergy & Asthma Awareness Education in Schools

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world, affecting more than 300 million people worldwide.  It is characterized by recurrent breathing problems and symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing.  Asthma symptoms vary over time, and also from individual to individual.

Allergy & Asthma Awareness Education in Schools

May is allergy and asthma awareness month.  There is no better place to promote asthma education, especially the management of environmental triggers than in schools. Join EPA to plan an educational event for staff, parents, and students at a local school. To do this, you will need the support of the school or district administration, school nurse, and other key staff.

Planning asthma educational activities at the school:

• Offer asthma education on environmental asthma triggers and management during in-service days for teachers, custodians, and other school staff
• Offer asthma education for parents at local PTA/PTO meetings or other similar events.
• Read children’s books on asthma to students, such as Taking Asthma to School, Zoo Allergy, and The ABC’s of Asthma, by Kim Gosselin;
• Arrange a school-wide assembly with guest speakers, such as kids with asthma, local celebrities, TV personalities, or local doctors or politicians;
• Organize an asthma poster contest for children;
• Coordinate with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to launch a Power Breathing Program for middle and high school students with asthma;
• Sponsor a staff breakfast or lunch and introduce the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Program;
• Design asthma awareness bulletin boards or other displays for students and staff.
• Encourage teachers to incorporate asthma and the environment into appropriate curricula, e.g., science and health.
• Include asthma awareness information in school newsletters and other packets sent home to parents/guardians.
• Conduct a walkthrough of your school to determine if asthma triggers exist. If triggers are found a remediation plan should be developed and implemented as soon as possible. See the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit for assistance.

World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. World Asthma Day 2010 will take place on Tuesday, May 4, 2010.

As World Asthma Day gets closer, you’ll find a wide variety of information about World Asthma Day, including advice and resources for activity planning, and a listing of World Asthma Day events in your area and around the world.

Air Pollution in Energy Efficient Homes

 
Air sealing the building envelope is one of the most critical features of an energy efficient home.  As new homes grow increasingly tighter to achieve ever higher levels of energy efficiency, the potential for indoor air pollution also increases.

Modern Construction

During construction, there are hundreds of penetrations through a typical home’s exterior. These gaps and holes are often incurred during framing, and from penetrations for wiring, plumbing, and ducts.  Air leakage accounts for 25–40% of the energy used for heating and cooling in a typical home.  To make a home energy efficient, these gaps and holes are closed and insulated to prevent the loss of conditioned air.

Indoor Air Quality Concern

Good indoor air quality is achieved by reducing or eliminating sources of indoor air contamination and providing sufficient fresh air through the heating and ventilation system.  While older homes were not energy efficient, they typically did not have problems with indoor air quality because they allowed for fresh air to freely circulate within the home.

As new homes grow increasingly tighter to achieve ever higher levels of energy efficiency, potential indoor air pollution also increases since many conventional building materials emit volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde.  While energy efficiency is important, gains in energy efficiency, especially in new homes, should not come at the expense of deterioration of indoor air quality and corresponding adverse health impacts.

Source Elimination and Control

The best way to address indoor air pollution is through aggressive source elimination and control.  Pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source whenever feasible.

• Building materials:  If you are having the home constructed or remodeling your home select materials that do not emit volatile organic compounds.
• HVAC System: Make sure your HVAC system distributes the minimum level of outdoor air throughout the home using whole-house mechanical ventilation.
• Sealing Air Ducts:  Sealing ducts can help improve indoor air quality by reducing the risk of pollutants entering ducts and circulating through your home as well as preventing the loss of conditioned air.
• Air Duct Cleaning: Ventilation systems distribute the air you breathe. Have the air ducts and HVAC system professionally cleaned to remove construction debris and pollutants.
• Monitor use of household cleaning supplies:  Some household chemicals can be extremely dangerous.  Choose environmentally safe cleaning supplies, and make sure that the area is well ventilated.
• Check exhaust systems:  Make sure exhaust fans are clean and unobstructed. Exhaust systems are responsible for removing moisture, odors, fumes, and carbon monoxide.