The term Sick building syndrome evolved in the 1970’s describing office-bound workers trapped in airtight buildings. The official OSHA Sick building syndrome lists the symptoms: eye, nose, and throat irritation; dryness of mucous membranes and skin; nosebleeds; skin rash; mental fatigue; headache; cough, hoarseness, and wheezing; nausea; and dizziness. These symptoms may disappear when workers leave the building. If these symptoms seem familiar to you as the ones described as exposure to mold, well…are you surprised? Mold can be one of the contaminants trapped inside a building contaminating the air.
In fact, gases given off by mold also contaminate the air. Aspergillus and mildew typically produce gases that can alert human immunes system to severe allergic reactions or a suppressed response. Inside the office space, inside air conditioning systems can be fertile breeding grounds for mold. Inexpensive filters used in many air conditioning systems may not eliminate the problem, plus shutting office systems down over weekends produces can produce a “Monday morning cocktail,” i.e. a blast of unfiltered air that may take hours to clear. Spores trapped in the fibers and filtration systems can grow, and the air conditioning system becomes a mold delivery system. Make sure filters are changed frequently, and that they are dry.
If you’re in California, you might want to give us a call and see about getting an assessment from Byebyemold.