Many families suffer from symptoms they chalk up to allergies and do not pursue the cause any further. However common symptoms such as skin irritations, burning eyes, coughs and sniffles can call be signs your home has Sick House Syndrome.
What is Sick House Syndrome?
Sick House Syndrome (SHS) is caused by unwanted environmental issues in your home. It can also be found in offices or even your child’s school. The symptoms can range from flu like symptoms and can also include headaches and fatigue.
The Beginning of SHS
It was in the 70’s and 80’s that people began to associate the symptoms shared by co-workers with “sick building syndrome”. Because coworkers were not just sharing an office space but signs of the same mysterious illness it seemed to be cause for alarm. It was noted that they were working in poorly ventilated buildings that were sealed to be airtight to lower energy consumption. However with the air tight seal chemicals that were in the building were allowed to build up and reach toxic levels resulting in the illness. For many it was unbearable headaches whereas others suffered from skin, nose and throat irritations. The World Health Organization declared this an illness in 1986 which led to changes in building standards. However many homes still have the issues that cause the illness.
What are the Causes?
SHS is mainly caused by poor ventilation in homes which can allow for everything from car exhaust to exhaust from kitchens and bathrooms to build up. This can then combine with other issues such as chemicals found in your household items or even your paints and glues used when your home was built. All of these can work together to create Volatile Organic Compounds which are gases emitted from household items. There are more VOC’s found in your home than there are pollutants outside.
There are also “natural” harmful items that can build up in your home most of which are caused by dampness. This includes both mold and mildew. Black mold is a serious issue and home owners must arrange for mold removal MA professionals offer in order to rid themselves of the symptoms. Without proper mold removal MA home owners can become progressively ill.
If you suffer from symptoms that do not seem to go away or that lessens when you leave the home you may have SHS caused by mold, VOC’s or a combination of both.
