Building Sickness: Signs, Causes, and How to Fix It

When people feel dizzy, tired, or get headaches just by walking into a building, it’s not in their head—it’s the building sickness, a collection of health symptoms linked to time spent in poorly ventilated or contaminated buildings. Also known as sick building syndrome, it’s not one disease, but a pattern: stuffy air, strange odors, and unexplained illness that vanish when you leave. This isn’t rare. Thousands of offices, schools, and even new homes show these signs every year, and most people never connect their symptoms to the walls around them.

What causes it? Often, it’s a mix of mold in buildings, fungus growing in damp drywall, under floors, or behind tiles, and VOC exposure, chemicals released from paints, adhesives, carpets, and insulation. New builds are especially risky—builders rush to finish, skip drying time, and use cheap materials that off-gas for months. Older buildings? They often have hidden leaks, poor ventilation, or outdated HVAC systems that trap pollutants instead of removing them. You won’t always see mold, but you’ll feel its effects: dry eyes, sore throat, brain fog, or worsening asthma. And if your symptoms only happen at work or home, but disappear on weekends, that’s a red flag.

Fixing it doesn’t mean tearing down walls. Start with simple checks: look for water stains, smell for mustiness, and test airflow near vents. A $20 air quality monitor can spot high CO2 or VOC levels. Open windows daily—even in winter. Use HEPA filters. Clean HVAC ducts. If you’re remodeling, pick low-VOC paints and sealants. For serious cases, hire a professional to test for mold or radon. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s control. You shouldn’t have to feel sick just to get through the day.

The posts below cover real cases, repair methods, material choices, and how foundation issues, insulation mistakes, and poor ventilation tie directly into this problem. You’ll find guides on identifying hidden moisture, choosing safe building materials, and understanding why some homes make people ill while others don’t. This isn’t theory—it’s what’s happening in buildings right now, and you don’t have to live with it.