Is black mold causing our breathing problems?« Back to Previous Page

The black mould you've discovered is very likely contributing to your family's persistent coughing and sinus congestion. In Dubai's humid climate, mould thrives on cold walls behind furniture where condensation builds up from constant AC use. The spores become airborne and act as a powerful irritant to the respiratory system, especially for children.

Cleaning it yourself is not recommended. Disturbing a large patch without proper containment will release a massive cloud of spores throughout your home, potentially making the health issues much worse. The standard advice from Dubai Municipality is to engage a professional remediation company for any growth exceeding one square meter, which this likely does.

A proper remediation involves sealing the area, using HEPA filtration to capture spores, and safely removing the contaminated materials. Crucially, the underlying moisture source must be identified and fixed—often it's a hidden plumbing leak or severe condensation—or the mould will return quickly. For health cases like yours, a professional inspection that includes air quality testing is strongly advised to assess the full extent of the problem and verify it has been resolved after cleanup.