YOUR ENVIRONMENT AND
YOUR HEALTH

At DesignWell Studios, we help uncover whether your environment could be affecting your health. We spend nearly 90% of our lives indoors — at home, work, schools, gyms, studios, and countless other spaces. Our vision is that every one of these places supports well-being with clean air, safe EMF/RF levels, and nontoxic materials, finishes, and furnishings.

If you’ve been struggling with headaches, insomnia, brain fog, asthma, sore throats, lung irritation, or fatigue that won’t resolve — even after medical visits — your space could be part of the story. Many people never think to connect their health with their surroundings. We help make those connections visible and guide you toward healthier solutions.

We approach this work as professional partners, trained to create safe, restorative spaces. And we’re designers too — transforming interiors with beautiful, nontoxic paints, furnishings, textiles, flooring, and finishes that support wellness as much as aesthetics.

Buildings aren’t static backdrops. They breathe, off-gas, trap moisture, and collect dust. Materials and systems indoors can shape how we feel every day. Some exposures cause immediate symptoms like headaches or fatigue; others build over years, contributing to asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, or developmental disorders.

Understanding where toxins come from, how they show up in daily life, and what symptoms they trigger is the first step toward creating healthier environments.

Hidden Toxins in Buildings Health Guide

1. Airborne Exposures

Radon

A radioactive gas that is invisible and odorless, seeping up from the ground. It’s the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.

  • Sources: Soil, rock, groundwater.

  • Exposure: Inhalation, especially in basements or ground floors.

  • Symptoms: None short-term.

  • Health Issues: Lung cancer, compounded by smoking.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature, released from common building and consumer products.

  • Sources: Paints, adhesives, carpets, cleaning agents, air fresheners.

  • Exposure: Off-gassing, inhalation.

  • Symptoms: Eye/nose/throat irritation, headaches, dizziness.

  • Health Issues: Asthma, organ stress, neurological issues, endocrine disruption, cancer.

Formaldehyde

One of the most common VOCs, widely used in pressed woods and textiles, and a known human carcinogen.

  • Sources: MDF, particleboard, plywood, cabinetry, insulation, textiles.

  • Exposure: Off-gassing into indoor air.

  • Symptoms: Burning eyes, sore throat, coughing.

  • Health Issues: Chronic asthma, respiratory illness, cancer.

Combustion Byproducts (CO, NO₂, Particulates)

Invisible gases and particles created when fuels burn indoors.

  • Sources: Gas stoves, furnaces, fireplaces, tobacco smoke, garages.

  • Exposure: Inhalation.

  • Symptoms: Headaches, dizziness, chest tightness, fatigue.

  • Health Issues: Cardiovascular disease, COPD, lung cancer; CO poisoning can be fatal.

Mold & Mycotoxins

Fungi that thrive in damp environments, releasing spores and toxins that affect respiratory and immune health. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain molds that can enter the body through inhalation, skin, or even eyes. Some neurotoxic molds affect the central nervous system, leading to cognitive and behavioral changes, loss of balance, and seizures. Pets are also vulnerable.

  • Notable Molds:

    • Stachybotrys chartarum (“black mold”): linked to headaches, respiratory illness, and in severe cases, cancer.

    • Aspergillus: can cause lung infections that may spread throughout the body.

  • Sources: Leaks, water-damaged drywall, carpets, HVAC systems.

  • Exposure: Inhalation of spores and microbial VOCs.

  • Symptoms: Congestion, coughing, fatigue, brain fog, short-term memory loss, headaches, dizziness, seizures, confusion, mood swings, personality changes, blurred vision, visual episodes, light sensitivity, loss of equilibrium, tremors, numbness/tingling, muscle and joint pain, rashes, sores that won’t heal, hair loss, shortness of breath, chronic sinusitis, nasal allergies, nosebleeds, cardiac arrhythmias, low-grade fever, abdominal discomfort, digestive issues, urinary changes, sleep disturbances, decreased libido

  • Health Issues: Asthma, sinus infections, immune disruption, neurological effects.

    Mycotoxin exposure is often mistaken for or intertwined with other conditions, including:

    Lyme disease (symptoms overlap; some cases may be mycotoxicosis instead), autism spectrum disorder (elevated mycotoxin antibody levels found in studies), Alzheimer’s disease (linked to exposure), asthma (especially in children), chronic sinusitis, multiple sclerosis (MS), obesity (via gut microbiome disruption), fibromyalgia, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, COPD, chronic bronchitis, autoimmune and mental health conditions

Outdoor Pollutants Indoors

External pollution that infiltrates buildings through openings or ventilation.

  • Sources: Traffic emissions, wildfire smoke, industrial sources.

  • Exposure: Air leaks, windows, HVAC.

  • Symptoms: Eye irritation, coughing, shortness of breath.

  • Health Issues: Worsens asthma, cardiovascular stress.

2. Waterborne Exposures

Lead

A toxic heavy metal with lasting health impacts, especially for children.

  • Sources: Old pipes, solder, brass fixtures.

  • Exposure: Drinking and cooking with contaminated water.

  • Symptoms: Fatigue, irritability, learning delays in children.

  • Health Issues: Neurological damage, hypertension, kidney disease.

Heavy Metals
(Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Copper)

Contaminants that accumulate in plumbing and water supplies.

  • Sources: Groundwater, industrial runoff, old plumbing.

  • Exposure: Drinking water.

  • Symptoms: Stomach upset, rashes, nerve pain.

  • Health Issues: Cancer, organ impairment, reproductive harm.

Disinfection Byproducts (THMs, HAAs)

Chemicals created during municipal water chlorination.

  • Sources: Tap water.

  • Exposure: Drinking, bathing, inhalation.

  • Symptoms: Usually none short-term.

  • Health Issues: Bladder cancer, reproductive risks.

PFAS (“Forever Chemicals”)

Synthetic compounds that persist in both the environment and the human body.

  • Sources: Nonstick pans, waterproof textiles, stain repellents, firefighting foams.

  • Exposure: Water, dust, packaging.

  • Symptoms: None immediate.

  • Health Issues: Hormone disruption, immune suppression, thyroid disease, cancers.

Microbial Contaminants

Pathogens that thrive in stagnant water systems.

  • Sources: Plumbing, cooling towers, stagnant pipes.

  • Exposure: Drinking or inhaling water vapor.

  • Symptoms: Fever, cough, GI distress.

  • Health Issues: Legionnaires’ disease, gastrointestinal illness, systemic infections.

3. Material-Bound & Dustborne Exposures

Common Building Materials & Their Risks

  • Pressed Woods (MDF, Particleboard, Plywood, OSB): Bonded with formaldehyde-based resins. → Respiratory irritation, cancer risk.

  • Paints & Finishes: Release VOCs and solvents. → Headaches, neurological stress.

  • Flooring:

    • Vinyl (PVC): Phthalates and chlorine byproducts.

    • Carpet: PFAS, flame retardants, pesticides.

    • Engineered wood: Formaldehyde adhesives.
      → Asthma, hormone disruption.

  • Insulation: Fiberglass, spray foams, mineral wool, sometimes asbestos. → Irritation, endocrine effects, cancer (asbestos).

  • Cabinetry & Millwork: Formaldehyde adhesives. → Respiratory illness.

  • Roofing & Siding (older): Asbestos shingles, lead paints. → Mesothelioma, neurological issues.

  • Drywall & Plaster: May contain biocides, fungicides, heavy metals. → Respiratory irritation.

  • Sealants, Adhesives, Caulks: VOCs, phthalates, historic PCBs. → Hormone disruption, cancer risk.

  • Furnishings & Textiles: Upholstery foams, rugs, drapery with flame retardants, PFAS. → Thyroid disruption, fertility issues.

Asbestos

  • Sources: Insulation, tiles, roofing, siding.

  • Exposure: Inhalation of fibers.

  • Health Issues: Mesothelioma, lung cancer.

Lead Paint & Dust

  • Sources: Pre-1978 paints, plaster.

  • Exposure: Dust inhalation, ingestion of chips.

  • Health Issues: Permanent neurological damage, hypertension, kidney disease.

Pesticides & Herbicides

  • Sources: Lawn chemicals, termite sprays, household pest control.

  • Exposure: Dust, inhalation, skin contact.

  • Health Issues: Hormone disruption, neurological damage, cancer.

Flame Retardants

  • Sources: Furniture, electronics, insulation.

  • Exposure: Dust ingestion or inhalation.

  • Health Issues: Thyroid dysfunction, fertility issues, impaired neurological development.

Phthalates

  • Sources: Vinyl flooring, adhesives, plastics.

  • Exposure: Off-gassing, dust ingestion.

  • Health Issues: Asthma, endocrine disruption, metabolic disorders.

PCBs

  • Sources: Caulking, paints, electrical equipment.

  • Exposure: Dust inhalation, contact.

  • Health Issues: Cancer, immune suppression, liver toxicity.

4. Everyday Indoor Chemicals

Cleaning Agents

  • Sources: Bleach, ammonia, disinfectants.

  • Exposure: Inhalation, skin contact.

  • Health Issues: Respiratory irritation, asthma, chemical sensitivity.

Air Fresheners & Candles

  • Sources: Paraffin candles, plug-ins, aerosols.

  • Exposure: Inhalation of VOCs and particulates.

  • Health Issues: Asthma, allergies, hormone disruption.

5. Environmental Stressors

Moisture & Humidity

  • Sources: Leaks, damp bathrooms, poor ventilation.

  • Health Issues: Mold growth, respiratory illness.

Noise

  • Sources: HVAC, appliances, traffic.

  • Health Issues: Stress, sleep disruption, hypertension.

Light/Circadian Disruption

  • Sources: Poor daylighting, artificial light at night.

  • Health Issues: Sleep disorders, depression, metabolic issues.

Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)

  • Sources: Wiring, Wi-Fi, appliances, power lines, antennas, devices, wiring, radio towers, sub stations, transformers.

  • Health Issues: Still under study; linked to neurological and circadian impacts.

  • Symptoms: Nausea, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, weakness, poor sleep, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, mental confusion, memory loss, poor concentration, skin rashes, itching, burning sensations, numbness/tingling in extremities, heart palpitations, arrhythmias, high blood pressure, eye pain, vision issues, tinnitus, hearing loss, digestive problems, dehydration, nosebleeds, sensitivity to light.

Potential Health Concerns (studies and reports)

  • Increased risk of leukemia, lymphoma, breast cancer, brain tumors, melanoma

  • Neurodegenerative conditions (Alzheimer’s, ALS)

  • Fertility and reproductive issues, miscarriages, birth defects

  • Autoimmune illness links (fibromyalgia, lupus, MS)

  • Mental health outcomes (depression, suicide risk)

Studies like the BioInitiative Report and Kaiser Permanente investigations provide evidence of biological impacts, including DNA damage, neurological disruption, and circadian rhythm interference. Children living near towers have been shown to have higher rates of leukemia.

Scientific Studies on the Health Effects of EMF exposure

Summary

These exposures often begin with subtle symptoms — headaches, fatigue, or allergies — but may lead to chronic conditions over time. Children, elders, and sensitive populations are most vulnerable, though everyone is affected.

At DesignWell Studios, we help reduce these risks through:

  • Smart souring to avoid toxic products.

  • Healthy systems for ventilation, filtration, and moisture control.

  • Holistic design with nontoxic, beautiful finishes and furnishings.

  • Awareness of your surroundings where you sleep, work, sit, notice what’s around you, what you put in your home.

  • Education and support so clients can sustain healthy spaces long-term.

Partner with DesignWell Studios to transform your space into a healthier, toxin-conscious environment — where buildings truly support life.

Organizations that go deep into science and advocacy

LAB TESTING

Mymycolab.com for blood serum testing, the most accurate way to test your body for mycotoxins

For more in-depth testing kits, contact us for more information for trusted sources.