Keeping your employees healthy in the office should be a top priority for you as a business owner — and probably now more than ever. But what happens when you follow all the recommendations, stock up on sanitizer and have successfully avoided all viral spread but you or your employees still feel under the weather every time you leave work? It could be that you aren’t the ones who are sick — your building is.

What’s the problem?

Sick building syndrome, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, occurs “when 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.” After spending time in the office, the otherwise healthy individuals might start to have low energy, irritated eyes, headaches or inability to concentrate.

It’s a problem one in four buildings in the U.S. faces, according to the National Air Duct Cleaner’s Association. These “sick buildings” essentially have poor air quality, negatively affected by poor ventilation, chemical contaminants or allergen buildup (mold, mildew, pollen or dust mites). Buildup of these contaminants in the air ducts of the building will spread as air circulates through the ducts and carries the pollutants throughout the building.

Employees can experience sick building syndrome differently, with symptoms — and their severity — varying from person to person depending on their sensitivity. But long-term effects can be severe. Although breathing polluted air might not cause immediate symptoms in everyone, it can lead to serious respiratory disease. The American Lung Association reports that U.S. adults miss 14 million workdays each year because of asthma, which is often triggered by poor indoor air quality.

Not only does sick building syndrome negatively impact your employees, but it also hurts your bottom line. According to the EPA, U.S. businesses lose almost $60 million a year in productivity thanks to poor indoor air quality. Improving the air quality through properly maintained HVAC systems can lead to billions of dollars in productivity gains and happier and healthier employees.

How can we help?

The first step in correcting and preventing sick building syndrome is making sure your ventilation systems are cleaned on a regular basis. We can help with that. The Clean Air Columbia team is trained and certified to maintain your HVAC systems to the highest quality standards. We’ll be able to quickly identify the problem and efficiently find a solution.

Duct cleaning after and before

Our customers, both residential and business, notice the difference right away.

“I can’t believe the huge difference cleaning the air ducts made,” says Kathleen. “I don’t wake up each morning with gritty eyes or a cough due to allergies. I don’t have to dust every time the furnace or air conditioning comes on. There’s no ‘smell’ of dust when the furnace runs. It even made the furnace run quieter. I’m still amazed at the difference.”

“Just moved in from another state, and we’re adamant about getting ducts cleaned upon move-in and every two years thereafter,” says Conan Trailblazer. “Our (your) health is worth it.”–

You — and your employees’ — health is worth it, too! Give us a call today at (573) 489-8303, and we’ll work together to ensure your building stays “healthy” all year long.