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Do you know …

• Indoor Air is up to 100 times worse than outdoor air
  (American College of Allergists)
• 50% of all illness is caused by indoor air pollution
  (Environmental Protection Agency)
• Indoor Air Pollution is America’s Number One Environmental Health Concern (Environmental Protection Agency to the U.S. Senate, November 1996)
• Indoor Air Pollution is wide spread. You are more likely to get sick from pollution in your home and office than from pollution in the air outside. (The American Lung Association)
• Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. Now the leading chronic illness among children, asthma affects one in ten children. (Yale School of Medicine)

People are getting sick just by staying indoors, where we thought it’s safe.

If you are suffering from:

• Eye irritation caused by sensation of dryness and redness
• Chronic Respiratory Illness and Asthma
• Dryness and irritation of the throat
• Headaches, lethargy, fatigue, and poor concentration
• Skin irritation caused by dryness and rash

You might be a victim of Sick Building Syndrome!!! Sick Building Syndrome refers to ANY structure, including homes, and is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. Often, the only common denominator of Sick Building Syndrome is insufficient ventilation air to remove the contaminants. In some new buildings the problem can be the use of synthetic materials (such as insulation or carpeting) which release hydrocarbons or other vapors into the air at a very low rate. The solution in this case may be to remove the offending material and replace it with an acceptably innocuous alternative.

Some of the typical pollutants from synthetic materials are:

Formaldehyde – Building materials, carpeting, furniture, smoking, household products, and fuel-burning appliances

Carbon Monoxide – Gas heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stove, gas stoves, gasoline-powered equipments, automobile exhaust and tobacco smoke.

Volatile Organic Compounds – Paint, paint strippers, solvents, wood preservatives, aerosol sprays, cleansers and disinfectants, moth repellents, air fresheners, stored fuels and automotive products, hobby supplies, and dry-cleaned clothing

Nitrogen Dioxide – Heaters, un-vented gas stoves and heaters, and environmental tobacco smoke. Sometimes the problem is caused by various microbial growths. Bacteria, molds, pollen, and viruses are types of biological contaminants. These contaminants may breed in stagnant water that has accumulated in ducts, humidifiers and drain pans, or where water has collected on ceiling tiles, carpeting, or insulation. Physical symptoms related to biological contamination include cough, chest tightness, fever, chills, muscle aches, and allergic responses such as mucous membrane irritation and upper respiratory congestion.

Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold.