Back to school with clean air? Schools plagued by poor IAQ

Air quality issues at two Darlington County, SC, schools

School-aged children may be affected by
poor indoor air quality in the classroom.

Over the summer, Darlington High School has experienced mold issues in a handful of classrooms, according to a press release made public by the school.

The classrooms were cleaned and treated per regular corrective maintenance procedures.

However, the high level of rainfall this summer aggravated the existing situation, causing the old problems to reoccur and additional classrooms to be impacted. In all, seven classrooms at Darlington High are affected, the press release says.

A firm specializing in environmental testing and treatment was scheduled to conduct air quality and other tests in the identified classrooms, as well as throughout the school.

Meanwhile, the school district, in consultation with the industrial hygiene experts, has begun cleaning the classrooms with specially recommended products, removing the carpet, and installing and running industrial dehumidifiers.

As a precaution, the teachers and classes that meet in the seven classrooms will be moved to other locations on the school's campus. The classrooms will not be accessible to students or teachers until the rooms have been appropriately cleared and further testing indicates the problem is resolved.

An unusual odor in a classroom at the Darlington Adult Education Building in the B.A. Gary Complex has prompted district officials, in an abundance of caution, to conduct indoor air quality tests on that classroom and inspect the rest of the building as well. The room has been closed off to staff and students.

Allergic reactions to mold are the most common health effects of mold, according to Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, on medicinenet.com. Asthma attacks may be caused by mold or mold spores in people who have asthma and are allergic to mold. Even in nonallergic individuals, mold can irritate the eyes, skin, and airways.

Parents with concerns are encouraged to call the school's principal or the district office at 843-398-5100.

Source: WBTWNews13

Provide cleaner air in schools 

Electrocorp's RAP series features the carbon
wall, HEPA, pre-filters and UV for mold.

Electrocorp offers high-quality air purifiers for schools and learning institutions that feature the right air filter combination to combat mold, dust, particles, chemicals and odors.

The air cleaners can be easily moved from one room to the next, or they can be installed on the wall or behind the ceiling, as part of the duct system.

Electrocorp has helped schools across North America provide cleaner and healthier air in schools.

Contact an Electrocorp IAQ expert for more information.