Almost all homes, apartments, and commercial buildings will experience leaks, flooding, or other forms of excessive indoor dampness at some point. Not only is excessive dampness a health problem by itself, it also contributes to several other potentially problematic types of situations. Molds and other microbial agents favor damp indoor environments, and excess moisture may initiate the release of chemical emissions from damaged building materials and furnishings. This new book from the Institute of Medicine examines the health impact of exposures resulting from damp indoor environments and offers recommendations for public health interventions.
Damp Indoor Spaces and Health covers a broad range of topics. The book not only examines the relationship between damp or moldy indoor environments and adverse health outcomes but also discusses how and where buildings get wet, how dampness influences microbial growth and chemical emissions, ways to prevent and remediate dampness, and elements of a public health response to the issues. A comprehensive literature review finds sufficient evidence of an association between damp indoor environments and some upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, wheezing, and asthma symptoms in sensitized persons. This important book will be of interest to a wide-ranging audience of science, health, engineering, and building professionals, government officials, and members of the public.
Institute of Medicine. 2004. Damp Indoor Spaces and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11011.
Chapters | skim | |
---|---|---|
Front Matter | i-xii | |
Executive Summary | 1-16 | |
1 Background and Methodologic Considerations | 17-28 | |
2 Damp Buildings | 29-89 | |
3 Exposure Assessment | 90-124 | |
4 Toxic Effects of Fungi and Bacteria | 125-182 | |
5 Human Health Effects Associated with Damp Indoor Environments | 183-269 | |
6 Prevention and Remediation of Damp Indoor Environments | 270-310 | |
7 The Public Health Response | 311-332 | |
Appendix A Workshop Presentations and Speakers | 333-335 | |
Appendix B Committee, Consultant, and Staff Biographies | 336-342 | |
Index | 343-356 |
The Chapter Skim search tool presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter. You may select key terms to highlight them within pages of each chapter.
The National Academies Press (NAP) has partnered with Copyright Clearance Center's Marketplace service to offer you a variety of options for reusing NAP content. Through Marketplace, you may request permission to reprint NAP content in another publication, course pack, secure website, or other media. Marketplace allows you to instantly obtain permission, pay related fees, and print a license directly from the NAP website. The complete terms and conditions of your reuse license can be found in the license agreement that will be made available to you during the online order process. To request permission through Marketplace you are required to create an account by filling out a simple online form. The following list describes license reuses offered by the NAP through Marketplace:
Click here to obtain permission for the above reuses. If you have questions or comments concerning the Marketplace service, please contact:
Marketplace Support
International +1.978.646.2600
US Toll Free +1.855.239.3415
E-mail: support@copyright.com
marketplace.copyright.com
To request permission to distribute a PDF, please contact our Customer Service Department at customer_service@nap.edu.