g around in the air" (p. 33).
While some of these pollutants are naturally occurring, some are manmade. Many of the synthetic materials used in the construction of houses have only been in use since World War II so not as much is known about these materials. Cleaning products are another form of indoor pollutant as are materials used in making furniture, craft supplies, gardening supplies, pets, people, and anything that makes its way indoors from outdoors (Bower, 2001, p. 24-26). When the outgassing (release of gases during the aging and degradation of material (p.25)) of these products combines within a structure that is not ventilated properly, this can create air quality that is much more poor than that found outdoors (p. 39). These are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and can negatively affect the health of anyone living in that house (p. 25).
The effects that these compounds and gases can have on residents of a building can range from headache, dizziness and flu-like symptoms to cancer, birth defects, and death (Bower, 2001, p. 45). Legionnaires disease, caused by bacteria found in air-conditioning units, is known as a "Building-related illness" because it is a specific disease caused by a specific aspect of the building. "Sick building syndrome," on the other hand, refers to non-specific symptoms that occur only when that person is in the building in question. If someone is around the cause of these symptoms too much, especially if they are already a chemically sensitive person, they can develop "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity" (MCS) (p. 45-49).
If a person thinks they may be reacting to a toxic substance in a building there are several questions they can ask themselves, such as: Do they feel better outdoors or at another person's house than in their own? Are their smells, such as stale or moldy smells or chemical smells, that they remember being around when they get sick? Is it worse certain times of...