what are the first health signs that you're in a bad building?

September 9, 2002

How do you distinguish SBS symptoms from allergies? Often, allergies are

the first health problem. You can medicate with antihistamines, but they

gradually lose their effectiveness as exposure is prolonged.

My problem started with a light cough, a minor nuisance. Over about 15

months it progessed to a severe cough which would start within a minute of

entering the problem basement workplace. In spite of a musty smell, my

company management kept insisting this was a simple allergy for which I

should be able to find the right medication. If you had mild or no allergies

before, and allergies seem to get progressively worse, there is a reason

which may be correctable.

SBS related molds are also sometimes immunosuppresants. So, you may

actually get sick with other illnesses more easily, such as catching a cold

whenever a friend has one. Symptoms can vary significantly, depending on

what organisms are present, not just molds. Molds just happen to sometimes

be the most visible.

The real test for a sick building is whether you feel better after a few

days away, only to regress when returning. This should be easy to determine

if it is your workplace. If it is your home, see if you can stay with a

friend for a few days.

As others have told you, high humidity is a major cause of SBS. However,

humidity can be very high in isolated places behind walls, due to roof or

plumbing leaks, yet comfortable in occupied spaces, making detection

difficult. Another major problem area is HVAC. At the cooling coils,

relative humidity is 100% (for the temperature there). Thus, ill-maintained

or poorly designed systems often become the source of something they should