If your office building feels hot, humid, or even sick, check your rooftop air conditioning unit for problems. Rooftop units are exposed to the elements. Over time, these issues can affect your entire cooling system's performance and the indoor environment in your building. If the problems persist, your building could experience sick building syndrome. Here's how sick building syndrome develops and how you can stop it by repairing your rooftop AC unit through a place like Robison  Air.

Why Is Your Building Sick?

Believe it or not, commercial offices, residential homes, and other types of buildings can become sick or unhealthy over time. Sick building syndrome (SBS) describes structures with unhealthy indoor environments. In most cases, SBS develops from damaged or poorly maintained heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC). If your rooftop air conditioning unit is in poor condition, it may be the reason behind the heat and illness circulating through your building.

Rooftop AC units are exposed to different elements, including rain. If your unit isn't properly sealed, maintained, or inspected, water and moisture can seep inside it and compromise it. Your building's roofing system could have issues you don't know about that allow water to damage the AC unit, including holes and missing shingles. Some of the moisture can enter the air duct system connected to the unit.

The moisture inside your air ducts can allow mold, mildew, and pathogens to grow unchecked. As air circulates through the duct system, it picks up the contaminants and transports them to the offices inside the building. Employees who have sensitive or compromised immune systems can become sick if they inhale the pathogens. Employees who are in relatively good health can also experience illnesses. Once these employees leave the building, their illnesses mysteriously go away.

You can do several things to make your building healthier, including repairing your rooftop air conditioning unit.

How Do You Improve Your Cooling System and Building?

A commercial HVAC contractor can inspect and repair your cooling unit for you. A contractor will look for deterioration in the unit's plenum, or air handler, as well as leaks and areas of rust. If the inspection reveals internal problems, such as a damaged evaporator coil or motor, a contractor will go ahead and repair or replace them.

If your AC unit or system is too old to repair, a contractor may suggest that you replace it. The leaks and other problems in your current system can eventually cause the unit to fail. If your unit fails in the middle of summer, it can create a host of issues for your building and staff.

After they repair your rooftop unit, a contractor may examine your air duct system. Some contractors clean air ducts for their clients. If this service is available to you, it's in your best interest to use it. A cleaner air duct system can reduce the spread of pathogens in your building, which not only improves the indoor environment, it can keep your employees healthy.

You also want to have a roofer inspect your building's roof. Even if an HVAC contractor secures your air conditioning unit and air duct system, the problems in your roof can still affect these parts later. In addition, a leaking AC unit can also cause problems for your roof. You want to take care of both issues at the same time to avoid complications later.

You can keep your building and staff healthy by having an HVAC contractor clean and maintenance your cooling system and air ducts regularly. Sick building syndrome can occur when you least expect it, so keeping your cooling system in good shape is essential.

If you need more information about sick building syndrome and how to prevent it, contact an HVAC contractor today.