Allergens in Indoor Environments Cause Illness and Lost Productivity

The Illinois building consulting experts at EC2 provide testing solutions for allergens and other indoor air quality (IAQ) contaminants.

Allergens are all around us and during the spring season many people suffer from allergic reactions to pollen. Pollen is not the only concern since pet dander, dust mites, cockroaches, molds and even exposure to latex can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to their exposure.

An allergen is defined as a nonparasitic antigen capable of stimulating a type-1 hypersensitivity reaction in atopic individuals. A person’s sensitivity varies to these antigens and reactions can range from minor to severe. Some allergens, such as mold, can even trigger asthmatic events in some people.

Almost all of these allergens can be found in commercial and residential buildings. Some of them, such as pollen, enter structures through open windows, doors and on actual people while others may be produced within the building itself. Mold can take hold from high levels of humidity or from water leaks in a building that cause mold to grow and multiply into large numbers. This results in airborne spores being breathed by sensitive individuals. Airborne fungal spores can cause allergic, toxigenic and even pathogenic responses in people.

EC2, Inc. (ec2) is a Chicago area environmental and building sciences consulting firm that has conducted over 4,000 IAQ investigations in all types of environments. “At ec2 we have helped resolve indoor air quality complaints involving mold, bacteria, animal dander and chemical reactions in everything from office buildings and hospitals to schools and residential properties,” reported Ed Chambers, President of ec2. “For some people sensitive to airborne contaminants allergic reactions may manifest their presence in mild reactions such as sneezing. In more severe cases people may have to leave school or work or the allergen can cause potentially deadly asthmatic attacks.”

People interested in learning more about how they can protect their indoor environments from all types of allergens and IAQ problems can follow ec2 on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EnvProfessional. To learn more about ec2 please visit www.4ec2inc.com, email info@4ec2inc.com or call (815) 703-9000.

About EC2, Inc.
EC2 is a leading provider of environmental consulting and inspection services for clients across the United States. Based in the Chicago area, the company provides their services to clients ranging from local companies and institutions to international Fortune 500 corporations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsbLjFCKTHA

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail