RISMedia
  • News
  • Premier
  • Reports
  • Events
  • Power Broker
  • Newsmakers
  • More
    • Publications
    • Education
No Result
View All Result
  • Agents
  • Brokers
  • Teams
  • Marketing
  • Coaching
  • Technology
  • More
    • Headliners New
    • Luxury
    • Best Practices
    • Consumer
    • National
    • Our Editors
Join Premier
Sign In
RISMedia
  • News
  • Premier
  • Reports
  • Events
  • Power Broker
  • Newsmakers
  • More
    • Publications
    • Education
No Result
View All Result
RISMedia
No Result
View All Result

What Is Sick House Syndrome, and What Causes It?

Home Agents
By the Experts at Pillar To Post Home Inspectors
June 6, 2021
Reading Time: 2 mins read
1
What Is Sick House Syndrome, and What Causes It?

Fungal mold on a wall corner near a window.

Sick House Syndrome occurs when a house can’t “breathe” and rid itself of indoor pollutants, resulting in poor indoor air quality—a “sick house.” Inadequate ventilation allows these pollutants to build up, causing potential health risks to the home’s occupants. Young children, the elderly and some chronically ill persons are most susceptible to the effects of Sick House Syndrome. Pets can be affected too.

Common sources of indoor pollution include tobacco smoke, certain carpeting and flooring materials, furnaces and fireplaces, pressed wood cabinets and furniture, and household cleaning products. In addition, a buildup of moisture can cause mold, which can grow uncontrolled and undetected inside walls, attics, crawlspaces and other areas. Mold spores are released into the air and can also travel throughout the home via heating and cooling ductwork, so what seems like a localized problem can actually be spreading all through the house.

People living in sick houses are often unaware of their situation because air quality conditions usually worsen over time. It can sometimes take years for substances to build up to problem levels, and the home’s occupants won’t even know it. Individuals can react very differently to indoor air pollutants, which can make it complicated to pinpoint the causes of symptoms.

How Can Indoor Pollution Be Reduced?
Source control is usually the most effective way to improve indoor air quality. In some cases, eliminating the specific sources of indoor pollution is all that is necessary; for example, removing carpets and repairing faulty furnaces. It’s also a good idea to have heating and cooling ducts cleaned every few years.

For many other offending substances, improving ventilation is a key means of decreasing indoor pollution. These include tobacco smoke, cleaning products and moisture buildup. Many newer homes in particular are so well sealed that only a very limited amount of fresh air can get in. In this situation, using attic or window fans and opening windows when weather permits are easy and inexpensive ways to increase ventilation.

Besides particulates and an unpleasant odor, tobacco smoke has another insidious way of affecting a home. Over the years, it can be absorbed by wall, floor and ceiling materials and may need to be professionally removed. Designating the home as non-smoking will go a long way toward limiting not only the dangers of second-hand tobacco smoke but also how the smoke affects the indoor air quality.

Asbestos and lead do not normally cause problems if they’re left undisturbed, but these hazardous substances should be analyzed by a qualified professional to determine if sealing, abatement or removal is warranted. Whatever the conclusion, these are definitely not DIY projects.

Professionals will have the proper training, safety equipment, procedures and disposal methods to safely deal with these substances. The presence of these materials may also need to be included in disclosure forms when selling a home, so special attention is warranted in these situations.

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is committed to ensuring confident home ownership. To learn more about how Pillar To Post Home Inspectors can help you and your clients, visit pillartopost.com.

Tags: Business PlanningConsumer ContentHome InspectionPillar To Post Home InspectorsSick House SyndromeSuccess Tips
ShareTweetShare

the Experts at Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is committed to ensuring confident home ownership.

Related Posts

NAR
Industry News

NAR Praises ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ as ‘Major Win’ for Real Estate

July 3, 2025
Mortgage Rates Post Biggest Drop Since March 2025
Industry News

Mortgage Rates Post Biggest Drop Since March 2025

July 3, 2025
Upbeat New Jobs Report in June Leaves Housing in ‘Holding Pattern’
Agents

Upbeat New Jobs Report in June Leaves Housing in ‘Holding Pattern’

July 3, 2025
The AI Advantage: Experts Share How AI Is Revolutionizing Real Estate—and Why the Potential for Agents Is Limitless
Best Practices

The AI Advantage: Experts Share How AI Is Revolutionizing Real Estate—and Why the Potential for Agents Is Limitless

July 3, 2025
The 3 ‘Hottest’ Markets in Each Region This Spring
Agents

The 3 ‘Hottest’ Markets in Each Region This Spring

July 2, 2025
5 Signs a Senior Homeowner May Be Ready to Downsize
Agents

5 Signs a Senior Homeowner May Be Ready to Downsize

July 2, 2025
Please login to join discussion
Tip of the Day

4 Ways to Market to the Next Generation of Buyers

Every new generation has a chance to upend the status quo, introduce new ideas into the zeitgeist and radically shift the priorities of a society. Read more.

Business Tip of the Day provided by

Recent Posts

  • NAR Praises ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ as ‘Major Win’ for Real Estate
  • Mortgage Rates Post Biggest Drop Since March 2025
  • Upbeat New Jobs Report in June Leaves Housing in ‘Holding Pattern’

Categories

  • Spotlights
  • Best Practices
  • Advice
  • Marketing
  • Technology
  • Social Media

The Most Important Real Estate News & Events

Click below to receive the latest real estate news and events directly to your inbox.

Sign Up
By signing up, you agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

About Blog Our Products Our Team Contact Advertise/Sponsor Media Kit Email Whitelist Terms & Policies ACE Marketing Technologies LLC

© 2025 RISMedia. All Rights Reserved. Design by Real Estate Webmasters.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Premier
  • Reports
  • News
    • Agents
    • Brokers
    • Teams
    • Consumer
    • Marketing
    • Coaching
    • Technology
    • Headliners New
    • Luxury
    • Best Practices
    • National
    • Our Editors
  • Publications
    • Real Estate Magazine
    • Past Issues
    • Custom Covers
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Podcasts
    • Event Coverage
  • Education
    • Get Licensed
    • REALTOR® Courses
    • Continuing Education
    • Luxury Designation
    • Real Estate Tools
  • Newsmakers
    • 2025 Newsmakers
    • 2024 Newsmakers
    • 2023 Newsmakers
    • 2022 Newsmakers
    • 2021 Newsmakers
    • 2020 Newsmakers
    • 2019 Newsmakers
  • Power Broker
    • 2025 Power Broker
    • 2024 Power Broker
    • 2023 Power Broker
    • 2022 Power Broker
    • 2021 Power Broker
    • 2020 Power Broker
    • 2019 Power Broker
  • Join Premier
  • Sign In

© 2025 RISMedia. All Rights Reserved. Design by Real Estate Webmasters.

X