Mold found in my office

We got the results back from the environmental air study of building. The outside air sample of Cladosporium was 110 spores/m3. Through out the building we didn't have any. In MY office we have 2800 spores/m3. My desk is four feet away from the vent fan.

The total spore count in the building ranged from 13 - 60. My office was 4,400! The other culprit was penicillium/aspergillus at 1,600.

The technician said this could very well be contributing to my migraines. She said some people are very susceptible to molds and others aren't bothered in the least by it. I know I'm allergic to book mold. I can't even walk into the room that houses our rare books. Itchy eyes, runny nose immediately. The other person who shares the office has chronic colds and sinus issues. The third person in the office isn't bothered at all.

We are replacing the vent covers with metal covers (they are currently wood), cleaning everything with bleach water and for the time being we have the fan turned off. We will be implementing a monthly cleaning of all the vents. Once we have this taken care of we're going to have them come back and test again.

I'll let you know if I see any improvement.

I wondered if that wasn't the case. I know one of my offices was contaminated with mold and they couldn't eradicate it. That office space is only used for storage now as it's not very safe for human occupancy (which on a university campus is a blow when space is at a premium).

Hopefully you will feel better when you are at work now and the rest of the staff will improve as well.

I wonder about that also (being in an ancient building at a university). Let us know if you have any improvement!

My building is only 20 years old, but all the vents and vent covers are wood. A perfect breeding ground.

Man, now if I can put up with the bleach smell Some people are never happy!

OOoh, Charlotte, let us know if you feel better after all the mold eradication. My old office gave me so many problems with allergies, my boss used to comment on it. I had to go home a few times because I had such awful sneezing fits I would get dizzy and couldn't concentrate. My migraines got worse too. I kept saying there had to be a mold problem, and no one would listen. They said, "we'll move all the plants away from you" and that was all they would do.

I'm very curious about the relationship between mold in the environment and allergies and migraines.

I would be very concerned of those mold levels. I got a new job due to various industrial products and old age of building and contents.{ {new job was much better }

I moved from a five year old house in case the newer paint, carpet, drywall or vinyl. no improvement in either move.

I am very sensitive to mold - it is definitely a trigger for me.
Also to any bleach product - this is one of the most powerful triggers for me. I cannot even enter a building where there are is a swimming pool without feeling immediately sick and predroming fast towards a bad migraine.
So, if you could, Charlotte try to stay away from the buidling on the day when it is being done.

I am glad your bulding is checked so carefully - they would not do it if, it was not a serious health hazard.
Senna

Charlotte,
I am glad that you work in a place where the health of employees is taken in consideration.
I have suspects that my office has something similar, too. Many of us (we are 1,500 employees in that awful building...) have bad symptoms after a working day. I often get h/a which is not exactly migraine, sore eyes, I can no longer wear contacts, I feel always tired and withoug energy... All symptoms that disappear 10 minutes after I quit my office. And like me, many others have noticed the same.

We've asked for a check of the air system, but the reply was that everything works well and that we have only paranoids.....


Take care