Good ventilation fights ‘sick’ home syndrome

By William Garwood

For the AJC

Many of us have heard the term “sick building syndrome.” But what does this really mean, and what causes it?

In our modern world of high-tech products and tightly constructed, energy efficient, buildings many things can contribute to sick building syndrome. One of the least understood group of products that can contribute to a sick building are volatile organic compounds. (VOCs).

What are volatile organic compounds? Volatile organic compounds are organic compounds, either natural or synthetic, that have a high enough vapor pressure under natural conditions to vaporize and enter the atmosphere.

VOCs tend to have exotic names that mean little to the average person. Some of the most common VOCs are Benzene, Acetone, Formaldehyde, Ethylene glycol and Toluene.

Where are VOCs found? The number of products and activities that can release VOCs into our home are too long to list, but some common sources are: paints, carpets and adhesives, caulks, vinyl floors, air fresheners, cleaning and disinfecting chemicals, cosmetics, moth balls, vehicle exhaust in an attached garage, cooking, drycleaning, newspapers, photocopiers, smoking and non-electric space heaters. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indoor levels of VOCs are two to five times higher than exterior levels.

Can VOCs make people sick? According to the EPA, little is known about the health effects resulting from exposure to the levels of VOCs commonly found in homes. The effects will vary depending upon length and level of exposure.

Some common symptoms of overexposure to VOCs are eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, nausea, fatigue and dizziness. Long-term, chronic exposure may result in liver or kidney damage, damage to the central nervous system, and even cancer. At greatest risk are people with respiratory problems like asthma, children and the elderly.

How do I know if I have VOCs in my home? As is apparent from the list above, almost all of us will have some levels of VOC exposure. Home-screening kits for VOCs are available but are of limited use. For more extensive testing you can contact an environmental testing specialist or an industrial hygienist. Prior to testing it is wise to take an inventory of your home identifying possible sources of VOCs.

What do I do about the VOCs in my home? The most effective course of action is to remove the product that gives off the VOCs. Unfortunately, this is often impractical. In some cases you can reduce exposure by sealing the product that contains the VOCs.

Make sure that you provide adequate ventilation when using products that contain VOCs like cleaning or painting products. Attempt to maintain your homes with a low humidity and temperature. Studies show that high temperature and humidity increase the off-gassing of VOCs. In summary, the best practice is to reduce the use of products containing VOCs and increase ventilation (fresh air) in your home.