Sick building syndrome is a term for a condition caused by poor indoor air quality in a building. Sick building syndrome can be hard to track, because many symptoms are similar to allergies or the common cold. However, if you repeatedly encounter the same symptoms in a building, and recover when you leave, sick building syndrome could be the cause.

Sick building syndrome can present differently in different people. However, symptoms can include:

• headache
• cough
• throat, nose, or eye irritation
• nausea
• difficulty concentrating
• allergy-like symptoms, such as sneezing.

In addition to feeling sick, one of the biggest indicators of sick building syndrome is that the patient recovers after leaving the building.

What Are Some Signs My Building Might Be at Risk?

There are a few ways to tell if your building or home might cause sick building syndrome in an occupant.

• It has poor ventilation. This is a major risk factor, as no matter what else is present in your building, good ventilation will improve the air quality.
• It is located near a source of chemical fumes, such as a garage. Outdoor air coming into a building can be a source of indoor air pollution. If fumes and exhaust enter the building from nearby cars or appliances, it can make people inside the building sick.
• It contains biological contaminants, like mold or animal droppings. Mold is an extremely common cause of poor air quality.
• It contains chemical contaminants, which could range from air fresheners to asbestos. We use products that pollute our homes and buildings frequently, such as solvents, cleaning products, pesticides. Other pollutants include asbestos building materials, unvented HVAC systems, and deteriorating furniture. All of these diverse chemical contaminants can build up without proper ventilation.

When Should I Call a Professional?

If you or your building's occupants have long-lasting illnesses that seem to clear up when they leave the building, you should get a professional air quality test. Air quality tests can detect the presence of mold, asbestos, radon, tobacco smoke, and other contaminants, allowing you to find the culprit behind your poor air quality. Once you know exactly what the problem is, you can fix it without trial and error.

BioClean Can Help

At BioClean, we can help you determine whether your building has poor air quality and is causing sick building syndrome with indoor air quality testing. If you suspect you have poor ventilation or contaminants, we can find out what's wrong and work with you to fix it. Contact us today.