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Sick Building Syndrome: Could Your Home be Making You Ill?

February 19, 2019

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FOLLOW THESE 4 STEPS TO A HEALTHY MONTECITO HOME

blue EKGwith the outline of a home and a heart to illustrate sick building syndrome

Office buildings are not the only places that come down with sick building syndrome (SBS). You might mistakenly self-diagnose yourself with a cold or flu when in reality, you could be suffering from SBS’s residential form: sick house syndrome.

That’s right, sick building syndrome is a baffling illness that can bring on a range of conditions including the flu, headaches, throat irritations, breathing difficulties, tightness in the chest, nausea, dizziness, runny nose, burning sensation in the nose, fatigue, rashes, and more. These ailments are triggered or aggravated by air pollution. Not just any air pollution, but the nasty stuff inside your home. In fact, everything from your home’s floor to the roofing may contain harmful chemicals that can make you sick.

Read: 7 Tips to Create a Happy Home

You might think most homes don’t expose people to chemical contaminants. But you would be wrong. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can enter your home through exhausts in the bathroom and kitchen, or via plumbing vents. VOCs are also found in pesticides, carpets, and upholstery. Even your fireplace or an oven could be the culprit. Wherever the VOCs are coming from, the result is a chemical stew in the air that makes people ill with sick building syndrome.

Think about it. Buildings are filled with synthetic materials; some of which can actually make you sick. Materials that emit formaldehyde include many of the things used to build your home; like plywood, pressboard, and other manufactured woods. How about toxic mold? Mold or mildew from damp conditions also creates air quality problems. Manufacturing processes and material-handling equipment can create hydrocarbons or smog, and chemical cleaning agents can give off harmful vapors. Then there is fiberglass insulation. That stuff can actually cause lung cancer in the same way asbestos does. Even your carpeting can contain volatile organic compounds that vaporize and emit gasses.

"Walking into a modern building can sometimes be compared to placing your head inside a plastic bag filled with toxic fumes," says John Bower, founder of the Healthy House Institute and author of books on healthy home construction.

SBS is common enough that many government agencies have published research on causes and symptoms. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health included the disease as a recognized health issue and The Occupational Safety and Health Administration makes several recommendations for remediation: especially increased ventilation.

Read: Fiscal Fitness: The Advantages of Investing in Your Health

You’ll know if your home is, indeed, what is making you sick when your symptoms improve after leaving and return when you get home. If this is you and you notice your symptoms recurring whenever you’re at home, you may consider investigating SBS as the cause.

The good news is that SBS can be healed. The solution is not easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort. Breathe easy(er) by following these 4 steps to a healthy home.

  1. Improve Your Ventilation
    Controlled, filtered ventilation may be the only way to ensure the air we bring indoors is clean. But how does one eliminate all the sources of VDC contaminants in their home? This is not an easy task and can seem overwhelming. Invest in a quality air filter like the Coway Airmega 400 model. With a coverage area of 1,560 square feet, the Coway Airmega 400 model offers the most air-purifying capacity as compared to other products. This unit costs $749.00 and can be used in larger spaces. Here in Montecito, we’re blessed with beautiful weather just about all year long, so leaving your doors or windows open is the easiest way to ventilate your home. Having a good fresh air supply in homes is important to reduce exposure to indoor air pollutants and to increase respiratory health.
  2. Eliminate VDCs
    Some things just can't be eliminated, but you can still protect yourself. Use sealants or foil-backed drywall to separate living quarters from materials that contain harmful substances. There are at least 6 wall coverings that are alternatives to drywall. Also, experts suggest homeowners remove items likely to contain VOCs whenever possible. Store questionable things in your garage if you must, or another area away from your home. Also, the EPA recommends only purchasing the amount of paint, paint strippers, and kerosene you will use in the immediate future.
    [caption id="attachment_30665" align="alignright" width="300"]Montecito home for sale that shows how lovely a tile floor can be (and healthy too!) My Magical Adobe listing in Toro Canyon shows how stylish healthy tile flooring can look.[/caption]
  3. Replace wall-to-wall carpeting
    Carpeting is a real collector for dust and allergens. By replacing your carpet with wood, cork, tile, or non-vinyl linoleum, you cut down on the problem significantly. Even if you do, don’t forget to vacuum at least twice a week and make sure your vacuum has strong suction and a HEPA filter so dust and dirt go into the bag.
  4. Get rid of dust mites
    You also need to combat dust mites whenever possible. Wash your bedding in hot water at least once a week. You can also use zippered covers on your mattresses and pillows. Vacuum regularly (using HEPA filters) and discard the contents as soon as possible. Don’t forget to vacuum and dust typically forgotten areas, such as under your bed or on top of hard-to-reach places. Also, make sure the humidity level in your home is less than 50 percent, since bed lying couple on grass and heathy house collagebugs like high humidity levels.
    "It's nothing you can afford to take lightly," Sonya Lunder, MPH, tells WebMD. She should know. Lunder is a senior researcher with Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that researches environmental issues. "Even if these chemicals were used decades earlier in your home, they can still accumulate in your house dust today."

When it comes to improving our health, we tend to forget about our home environment and instead only focus on nutrition and exercise. But, is your home giving you sick building syndrome? It’s the place you spend a lot of your time, which makes it important to figure out how to keep it healthy. Follow the suggestions above and you won’t have to worry.


Of course, it’s much easier to combat sick building syndrome by being proactive prior to moving into a home. That means getting appropriate inspections, correcting any problems and installing an air purification system if necessary. If you’re considering buying a new Montecito home, I’m here to make sure those things are taken care of.  Give me a call at +1 805.886.9378 or email me at Cristal@montecito-estate.com. Selling your current home? I’ll gladly add it to my portfolio of fine properties.





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“It was an emotional experience selling our mother’s home in Montecito that we all loved so much but Cristal made the process easier on our whole family by guiding us through the transaction every step of the way. She knows the market so well and everything she recommended was on point including the asking price, painting, and staging the home, which looked beautiful and helped the buyer envision her new home. We sold it the first day it hit the market with an offer above asking! Cristal did an incredible job communicating with us and the buyer to ensure that the transaction would run smoothly. We highly recommend using Cristal, she was a pleasure to work with! ”

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- M.F.

“Cristal Clarke is #1 in her field - and you don't become #1 by luck. Cristal works harder, and longer, and with more charm and patience than any real estate agent I have ever worked with in the past; her calendar has no weekend, her days have no clocks, her only concern is selling your property as soon as possible and for the best price on the market. Am I a fan? You bet!”

- P.B.

“We have used Cristal now several times and cannot express how grateful we are for her expertise, dedication, and unwavering support throughout the entire home-buying process. Cristal is knowledgeable, patient and attentive. Her attention to detail is remarkable, and she consistently went above and beyond to provide us with all the information and resources we needed to make informed decisions. Cristal is a skillful negotiator and advocate. She can navigate complex negotiations with professionalism and grace and felt like a true partner to us in the home-buying process. Cristal has a genuine passion for real estate and a deep commitment to her clients' satisfaction. I cannot speak highly enough of Cristal and her exceptional service. She is a true expert in her field and her dedication to excellence, combined with unwavering support is the reason we choose to work with her for all our real estate buying needs.”

- T.C.

“Cristal is a top-notch realtor who sold my home before it ever went on the market. I had two competing offers that enabled me to get top dollar for my home. Not only is Cristal superb but her team is extraordinary. I cannot say enough about Cristal and her team. They are simply phenomenal, the consummate professionals, who took care of every possible detail, making the sale and transition period, smooth from our end. They are also lovely, caring people, who knew all the right professionals, to get the job done. Thank you, everyone!”

- D.R.

“I could list lots of cool adjectives to describe Cristal. All good by the way. But, that is not why I or anyone should hire Cristal. My reason for hiring her, which proved to be correct, is very simple. She got the job done. And, she does it time and time again and with zero issues. And, that is why she is one of the top agents in the country. End of subject. ”

- M.A.

“Working with Cristal was a complete pleasure. Cristal was extremely patient with us as we evaluated nearly 2 dozen homes over a span of 2 years. Her knowledge of the market is unmatched. Cristal provided us with exceptional counsel as we evaluated opportunities and negotiated pricing. The closing process was handled thoroughly and efficiently. We could not be happier with our purchase and even more happy to now call Cristal our friend.”

- D.K.

“Cristal Clarke has conducted numerous real estate transactions for me beginning 13 years ago with the purchase of a Lemon Ranch. She has handled both large and small purchases and sales with equal dedication. As a negotiator, you can’t find anyone better. Her transactions are always conducted in the most appropriate and professional manner. Cristal has considerable knowledge of the Santa Barbara market.”

- S.N. Decker Ph.D.

“Living in Europe, we were to say the least, unaccustomed to the nuances of Real Estate acquisition in California and Cristal steered us through the process with absolute professionalism and personal attention to detail at every turn. Her in-depth knowledge of the market place combined with enthusiasm and drive was the only reason we secured the property of our dreams and will be forever grateful. If you are looking for personal discrete and private representation of the highest quality we suggest you look no further than Cristal Clarke.”

- Johan and Paula van den Berg

“Cristal is very straightforward, cheerful, helpful, professional and trustworthy….we felt very lucky to work with her.”

- John and Lacey Williams

“After considering our many choices, we are grateful it was Cristal Clarke of Sotheby’s International who represented the sale of our Montecito cottage. We are familiar with Cristal’s reputation of hard work and dedication to clients, but it was her attention to detail that made our experience so positive. She offered suggestions for staging the property, worked in harmony with potential buyers and was even able to secure back up offers. The sale of our cottage was completed much sooner than we expected, due in great part to Cristal’s professional skills and support. We highly recommend Cristal as a first choice for anyone needing representation with real estate.”

- Michael & Nancy Lee

“Our experience in working with Cristal Clarke resulted in the successful and discrete acquisition of a property which was not yet on the open market. Her knowledge of the Montecito/Santa Barbara area and vast expertise blended with her passion for real estate and architecture, provided us with the very highest level of professionalism and personalized services. Cristal exhibited a rare combination of excellent communications, attention to detail, creativity and patience.”

- Richard and Catherine Frinier

“Cristal really breaks the mold. She knows every nook and cranny of this real estate market, understands value, and follows up on everything, all the time. She was incredibly patient with our two year quest to find the perfect house. Every house hunting trip from across the country was well planned, and our time was never wasted. On top of her professionalism and expertise, she is delightful to spend time with. We are thrilled with the home we purchased, and grateful to Cristal for so wisely advising us through this process, right through to the close and beyond.”

- Laurie Siegel

“We met Cristal first in the course of renting a winter home (for three years), then buying a house using her as our agent. She was amazingly good at listening to our wants and showing us homes that fit our needs. Her mastery of the paperwork was perfect. Most importantly, there was never a situation where we doubted her straightforwardness or integrity. If we do another real estate transaction in Montecito (which I doubt, we’re happy with what we purchased), without question we’d use Cristal again.”

- Ken Saffir

“Susan and I just want to thank you for your efforts in the sale of our home. You are really quite amazing. Your competence, persistence, optimism and humor made the entire process effortless. Every problem that arose, you somehow fixed; any obstacle, you overcame. We have bought and sold many homes. It has never been such a painless and enjoyable process!”

- Michael & Susan Marquart

“A little something about “our” realtor, Cristal Clarke. My wife and I came to Santa Barbara about fifteen years ago looking for a seasonal home from which to enjoy the weather and amenities of the central coast. Being in the real estate business myself I was familiar with agents and brokers so entered the market with open eyes. We “flipped” a few houses in the early years, dealing with various agents and finally ended up in Montecito. That’s when good fortune put us together with Cristal. To say we were impressed is to put it mildly. Cristal really knows the market. She is familiar with the area, its history and trends. When we have questions about a particular property she either has the answers immediately or gets back to us by phone or email. There is no waiting or wondering with Cristal. She is an agent who is “on top of it.” Her recommendations as to price points, contractors, inspectors and title agents have proven to be exceptional, showing great insight and the highest professional standards. We consider ourselves exceedingly fortunate to say that Cristal Clarke is our realtor and would recommend her services to any serious buyer or seller.”

- Rob & Judi Kelch