AC mold in Dubai apartment: DIY or call management?« Back to Previous Page

For a persistent leak and visible mold growth, especially with symptoms, this requires professional remediation. The humidity and constant AC use in Dubai create ideal conditions for mold, and a leak provides the moisture it needs to thrive.

Do not attempt to clean this yourself. Surface cleaning with a consumer product will not address the mold inside your wall or AC unit, and improper handling can release a large number of spores. Your building management should be your first call. Under Dubai's Strata Law, the responsibility for fixing the leak in the AC system and repairing the common property (like internal walls) typically falls on them. Report it immediately, emphasizing the health symptoms and potential for structural damage.

However, management's fix may only be a surface-level clean and repair of the leak. Given your symptoms, a professional inspection is advised to assess the full extent of contamination within the wall cavity and the AC unit itself, which they are unlikely to do. A proper remediation involves containment, HEPA filtration, and removal of affected materials to prevent spores from spreading. After remediation, an independent clearance test from a company with a microbiology lab is the only way to verify the air quality is safe.