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

Allergies & Asthma TestNational 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.

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.

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.

Allergen Test Kit Featured on FOX 31 KDVR Martino TV

Ductworks, Inc. and National Jewish Health Featured On FOX 31 / KDVR: Martino TV

Consumer advocate Tom Martino featured the Family Air Kit®, an allergen and mold Test Kit,  developed by National Jewish Health that tests for substances that can cause allergic and asthmatic reactions.

Tom Martino and  Paula Haddock interviewed Jeffery Nathanson, the Executive Director of Business Development and Eddy Frisk, of Ductworks, Inc. to discuss the benefits of the Family Air Kit®

The Family Air Kit® is a cost effective and accurate means of testing the indoor air quality of your home or business.   The Family Air Kit® tests the longitudinal effect of dust in the home.

Ductworks, Inc. and National Jewish Health provide a comprehensive approach to controlling symptoms for people who suffer from allergies and asthma.

Is It Time For You Have The Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?

You may have heard about having your air ducts cleaned, but how do you know if you need to? Here are a few tips to help you decide if the time is right for you to clean you air ducts.

Ask Your HVAC Maintenance Technician

The next time you have your heating or air conditioning unit maintained, ask the technicians opinion about your air duct cleaning needs. Since they are not trying to sell you their cleaning services you will likely get an honest answer.

Inspect Your Air Ducts

Inspecting the condition of the air ducts is relatively simple.  The best place to inspect the condition of the air ducts is at the trunk line.  The trunk line is the large rectangular air duct attached to the furnace, extending overhead across the basement area.  Locate a vent register on the trunk line, and remove it with a screw driver.  Look inside the trunk line with a flashlight and mirror, or take a snapshot with a digital camera.  The trunk line is the central part of the heating and cooing system and will be the best indicator of the systems cleanliness.

10 Things You Should Know About Mold


Mold occur naturally, and most common types of fungi are not hazardous to healthy individuals.  However, people with allergies, asthma or weakened immune systems are more likely to react to mold.  Listed below are 10 things you should know about mold according to the EPA.

  1. Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints.
  2. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
  3. If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.
  4. Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.
  5. Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60% ) to decrease mold growth by: venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside; using air conditioners and de-humidifiers; increasing ventilation; and using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.
  6. Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
  7. Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced.
  8. Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.
  9. In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).
  10. Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.

Source: EPA