Facility Managers Should Know This

School facility managers, administrators and parents should know more about the subject of air pollutants, especially with upper respitory illness being one of the top reasons for absenteeism in America's schools. We recently published a very helpful overview about air pollutants authored by the Building Owners and Managers Institute so link over to SchoolFacilities.com and give it a read. Be sure to tell us your indoor air quality (or lack thereoff) story.

Quick Statistic For Your Next School Board Meeting

Federal statistics show about 20 percent of schools in the nation report air-quality problems.

Custodians Get Sick While Cleaning Mold

I just read that in Houston seven school custodians were hospitalized after getting sick from mold. Apparently the mold smell in the school building is strong enough for the custodians union to claim that the building is not safe for students, teachers and other staff members. You can read the full article here.

Here are a number of articles about mold found at SchoolFacilities.com:

SchoolFacilities.com Search Keyword Mold

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Another School Board Discusses Mold

A Texas school district board is meeting this week to discuss a major mold problem at one of its schools. Apparently the problem will cost millions to solve as everything from the insulation to the exterior brick work needs to be replaced. Sound familiar?

Use the article title above to link to the full story.

In the meantime, has anyone noticed how many problems America's schools experience with poor indoor air quality? From mold to formaldehyde it seems as if our classrooms are unsafe, especially in older buildings. Sounds like a few more building codes and laws need to be in place to fix this "growing" problem. Write us, blog us or email us with your comments.

Now go get some fresh air.

Summer School For Mold, Mildew And Indoor Air Quality Projects

Yesterday a friend called me and mentioned that his new home in Iowa was tested to have high levels of Radon. This prompted me to send him a link to www.pureaircontrols.com for some help with this subject. I also sent him to the EPA web site and both seemed to help out.

What does this have to do with Schools? This event prompted me to remind our education facility managers and school administrators that during summer break testing your buildings for indoor air problems is a good idea, especially when students and teachers are off campus. This gives you the time and space required to check the ventilation systems, test problematic spaces such as old schools and portable classrooms, conduct abatement if needed and prepare your classrooms for the upcoming semester. Providing safe and healthy learning environments for students and teachers is a breath of fresh air for everyone.

Heatwaves Can Lead To Poor Indoor Air In Schools

Facility managers listen up. Proper HVAC maintenance before, during and after the heavy use periods is directly related to improved indoor air in your classrooms, energy efficiency and overall lifecycle costs. Keep the filters clean, especially on portable classroom HVAC systems, keep the coils free and clear of debris and always be sure to be ventilating with the required amount of outside fresh air.

Moisture leads to mold and mold leads to poor indoor air quality. Stay cool and breath easy!

Renovation Project Uncovers Mold At A California High School

This headline and article caught my attention and seems to cover a frequent occurrence with renovation of school facilities in the United States. Mold is being discovered in older school facilities in the walls, under carpet and throughout the ventilation systems. The real problem is when it's not discovered!

Mold Clean-Up Begins At A Lodi High School

Read the article here.