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Today's workplaces, schools, hospitals and other commercial buildings are commonly sealed receptacles. Unlike buildings of yesteryear, open windows rarely exist to bring in fresh outside air. In today's structures, to prevent the buildup of carbon dioxide (which humans breathe out) and other gases, at least some of a building's air must be replaced - via the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system - with fresh air at regular intervals. Yet for economical reasons, buildings can't continuously bring in outside air. They are designed to keep and recycle some of the indoor air since it has already been heated or cooled to a comfortable temperature.

Contaminants get into the fans, filters, and ductwork of these HVAC systems. One of our clients experienced repeated mold or algae growth on the cooling coils of his air conditioning unit. Why? A duck pond surrounded the building, complete with green water teeming with microbial plant life. As a result, mold and algae spores were in continuous airborne supply and being fed into the air conditioning unit.

Other modern activities have compounded the problem. Office machines like copiers can release airborne chemicals. New carpeting and furniture can let off volatile compounds used in their manufacturing process. Air intake vents can bring in the outdoor fumes and smoke of a busy metropolis, choked with gas-burning vehicles.

For these and other reasons Indoor Air Quality has become a matter of serious health and comfort concern in the past two decades. The phrase Sick Building Syndrome became a buzzword in the 1980's to describe a structure in which inhabitants were coming down with a variety of symptoms, ranging from dry throat and nausea to dizziness and headaches.

Of course, not all cold or flu symptoms stem from contaminated indoor air. And there will always be a few people inclined to blame their illnesses or physical discomforts on invisible causes like "something in the air." But poor indoor air quality should be considered if a rash of such complaints occur.

Since 1978, Action Duct Cleaning has been recognized for their testing and investigation expertise; our Indoor Air Quality Investigator is EPA-trained. For further information or a free estimate, click here today.

View the NADCA brochure to learn more about why you should get your ducts cleaned by clicking the logo below.