Sick Building Syndrome: Can It Happen at Home?

What SBS Is

Sick building syndrome describes a pattern where occupants experience symptoms (headaches, fatigue, respiratory irritation, difficulty concentrating) that are tied to time spent in a specific building and improve when they leave. It was identified in commercial buildings in the 1980s and linked to inadequate ventilation, chemical exposure from building materials and office equipment, and HVAC systems that recirculated contaminated air.

The Residential Parallel

Homes can create the same conditions: tightly sealed envelopes with minimal fresh air exchange, multiple chemical sources off-gassing in enclosed spaces, HVAC systems that recirculate rather than ventilate, and occupants who spend 12 to 20 hours per day in the environment. If you feel consistently better when you leave your home and worse when you return, the same investigation that resolved SBS in commercial buildings applies: evaluate ventilation, identify sources, and improve air exchange.