What is Sick Building Syndrome?

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An Introduction

A syndrome is defined as a group of symptoms that together are characteristic of a specific disorder. In looking at Sick Building Syndrome we see things like dry cough, tightness in the chest, headache, eye irritation, itchy skin and even fatigue.

The cause of these symptoms is now recognized as the presence of microscopic bits of matter that enter our buildings, float in the air and ultimately enter our lungs.  The history of how this condition came about is based on three seemingly unrelated events, that when taken together, created the perfect environment for this indoor air quality problem.  Here’s how it happened.

Coming Together

The first event was the introduction of wall-to-wall carpeting.  It was soft, colorful and comfortable to walk on.  What we didn’t realize was the fact that the nylon loops that felt so good under our feet were also trapping the particles of contamination brought in on our shoes and clothing. Instead of area rugs being taken outside in the spring for cleaning, this new flooring was tacked down.  All the particles that worked their way into the pile were now permanent residences.

The next event was the introduction of affordable central air conditioning. This single invention eliminated a yearly tradition known as “Spring Cleaning.”  Where the end of winter was once marked by opening all the windows, installing screens and taking the area rugs outside for their once a year thrashing, now homeowners simple clicked on the AC and cool air began circulating through the house.

Event number three was our rush to seal up our homes.  After the oil embargo of the early 70’s, we all started looking for ways to conserve energy.  We installed double pane windows, filled our attics with extra insulation and caulked every opening that could be allowing expensive heat to escape.  Although these steps were successful in reducing the costs of heating and cooling, they also closed the escape route for every kind of contaminated particulate and trapped them inside our homes.

The Perfect Storm

The results couldn’t have been more successful if someone had created a master plan for making our homes unhealthy places to live.  We considered a house full of carpeting a sign of good taste and comfortable design, when in reality our floors became a dumping ground for every particle of crud that came in through the door.

Air conditioning was wonderful, but the thought of enduring a few days of heat and humidity while we “aired out” our houses each spring was not a pleasant one, so we didn’t!  We were warm in the winter and cool in the summer and our collection of unhealthy contamination continued to grow.

There is a Practical Approach

It is fairly certain that we’re not going to do away with our insulation and air conditioning anytime soon. Some concerned families are starting to reduce the amount of carpeting, draperies and upholstered furniture, but even these steps won’t change the amount of contaminates circulating in our homes.  By gathering knowledge about all of the issues surrounding Sick Building Syndrome (which is the goal of this web site) you can begin cleaning up your indoor air.

Begin by reading the topics that are of most interest to you.  Look at the options offered and consider contributing to our forums with your own experiences and ideas.  By learning the steps to a clean indoor environment, you’re helping not only yourself but those you share these concepts with as well.

Read more about Indoor Air and Your Health…