Poor ventilation can cause multiple health concerns within a business, which is why it’s important to regularly maintain and service your HVAC system. In fact, such a scenario is known as ‘sick building syndrome.’ Whilst most common in the office, it can happen in any building.

To combat sick building syndrome, we encourage you to explore these common signs of inadequate commercial ventilation:

5 Signs Your Commercial Building Has Poor Ventilation:

1. Headaches Caused by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Headaches can be caused by stress, but that doesn’t make it the cause of yours. If your building handles toxic chemicals, such as paint, cleaning supplies or medicine, this could be the culprit. Without proper commercial ventilation, these VOCs circulate around the air and cause health problems.

2. It’s Not Flu Season, But You’ve Got an Itchy or Runny Nose

Are you just cold or does your building have poor ventilation? The weather can certainly cause sinus issues, but if it’s warm, there’s really no reason for a runny nose. Whereas, itchiness can be caused by dirty HVAC systems.

3. You Often Feel Dizzy, Nauseous or Tired

With chemicals and debris combined, having a lack of clean air can easily cause dizziness, nausea or tiredness. Whether your work is high-risk and requires tons of energy, or you’re sitting at your office all day, bad air quality can hinder you even if you’ve had a great sleep.

4. The Building Has a Foul Smell

Foul smells are often caused by the food, drink, people and chemicals around you, but they shouldn’t stay for long. If you can’t open your doors or windows, your HVAC ventilation system should remove bad odours instead. If it doesn’t, then you’ve got ventilation problems.

5. There Is Condensation, Damp, Mould or Mildew

The worst-case scenario, albeit a common sign of poor ventilation, is the growth of damp, mould and mildew caused by extra moisture (condensation). Black mould is extremely harmful to our body and respiratory system, causing trouble breathing and rashes. If not removed quickly and efficiently, it can grow back and cause even more property damage.

What Is Sick Building Syndrome and What Symptoms Can It Cause?

Sick building syndrome is the name of specific symptoms caught from a particular building, but leave once you have left the property. It is often caused by a lack of ventilation.

For example, you may experience a simple runny nose or serious rashes due to the environment of your workplace. However, once you arrive home, the symptoms disappear.

Such symptoms include:

– A blocked or runny nose

– Coughing or wheezing

– Dry or itchy skin

– Dry or sore eyes

– Dry or sore throat

– Headaches

– Skin rashes

– Tiredness and struggling to concentrate

Durable and Efficient HVAC Ventilation Systems Supplied and Serviced By the Chillaire Ltd Team

The best way to effectively combat health problems and poor commercial ventilation is to invest in a durable HVAC system and have it maintained. Our products work hand-in-hand with your business to provide a cost-effective solution, reducing condensation and its impacts.

Our experienced and qualified team at Chillaire can design, supply and install a variety of HVAC types across all sectors. After the installation, we will offer a planned maintenance contract for regular service to ensure you have adequate commercial ventilation, heating and cooling.

With more than 30 years of experience, there is no one better you can trust. If you have ventilation problems, contact us today for a fast repair.