You can safely move the wardrobe to assess the visible extent and check for other moisture sources like leaking AC drain lines or condensation on cold walls. However, probing inside walls or disturbing large colonies to identify the type is not recommended. Agitating mold releases a high concentration of spores into the air, which can exacerbate your children’s coughing and spread the contamination.

Given the symptoms and the hidden nature of the problem behind furniture, a professional inspection is strongly advised. They use moisture meters, thermal imaging, and borescopes to find the moisture source without cross-contamination and take samples for lab culture to identify the species. This is critical, as the type of mold determines the appropriate remediation strategy and potential health implications. The cost for this service is an investment in an accurate diagnosis, which prevents unnecessary remedial work and helps target the actual problem. For a villa in Al Barsha with current occupant symptoms, an assessment is the most reliable first step.