# Is white mold common in apartments in Dubai?



## Emanef (Dec 19, 2012)

Hi guys

We're noticing a lot of white mold growing on the wardrobe doors and room doors and frames in some of our rooms - is that common over here? We've tried experimenting with having the air con on, air con off, only on in certain areas, but we're still getting it and pretty much having to wash down the doors every week or so. 

I don't think our air con is functioning properly anyway as it seems to keep blowing out cold air even when it's below the temperature we set it to (still trying to get the landlord to look into that), but it's pretty frustrating - my wife had about five suits that grew mold on the shoulders because she'd not moved them and they were touching the inside of the wardrobe and now she's reluctant to use the wardrobes at all until we get it sorted out. 

Any ideas or advice? Or is it just a side effect of being in a hot country with over zealous A/C?

Thanks


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Not normal, no.

Sounds like the aircon isn't doing its dehumidifier bit properly.

Get is fully serviced and cleaned out - mine has just been done after two years and by goodness it needed it.


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## mikeyhavoc (Sep 11, 2013)

yep, as above. signs are that you need a full clean and maintenance of AC unit. do your AC ducts look moldy? wife's clothing aside, it can be a serious health hazard to have an AC unit that is moldy or blowing spores all around the joint.


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## Emanef (Dec 19, 2012)

Wow, thanks guys, I'm glad I asked! I'll get onto the landlord straight away. 

Presumably they just need to get any AC specialist company to come in and service and clean it?

The dehumidifier not working explains why two of the bedrooms always feel cold and damp when it's on then.


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## earthworm88 (Jun 14, 2013)

Emanef said:


> Wow, thanks guys, I'm glad I asked! I'll get onto the landlord straight away.
> 
> Presumably they just need to get any AC specialist company to come in and service and clean it?
> 
> The dehumidifier not working explains why two of the bedrooms always feel cold and damp when it's on then.


Depending on the building's AC system, dehumidifying may not be 100%. At least at the building I was in (and it was a high end high quality apartment building, but the dehumidifying part of the AC system was dismal according to the maintenance team), the mold had become a big problem for us. I had complained numerous time (you could even smell them), but they didn't see any issues with it though. I finally bought a dehumidifier and had it turned on during waking hours and non-stop while away. 

Hopefully with the cleaning and servicing (must stress that the cleaning must destroy the mold in the AC ducts etc) will help to control this problem. 

Especially this time of year, keep the AC at a certain temp at all time, I know our guy recommended 20C to keep the humidity down. A suggestion I have is to get a hygrometer to know what level you are dealing with and a dehumidifier turned on when the level gets above 50. 

It's difficult to find dehumidifier in Dubai (don't know why as most of us need one!), but some electronic store like Sharaf DG and Emax carries only one brand of dehumidifier called Crownline once in a while. You may also get this at the Al Ghazal Mall on Diyafah Road at the Canon store as they are also the distributor for Crownline. 

Make sure you wipe down the door edges (preferably the entire wardrobe) with vinegar and water mixture (bleach is possible, but I wouldn't prefer it). Be sure to wear a face mask and gloves as they can irritate your skin. You could google for exact dilution formula. if you don't destroy them all at once, they will spread quickly again. Don't hang your clothing inside (don't use it if you have somewhere else to keep them), keep cleaning it for a couple of days and let dry completely. When I had the outbreak where my suits also got affected, I had to clear out everything and laundered every single piece of clothing I could and dry clean what I couldn't. 

If you are seeing them all over those doors, then it is seriously a health hazard. We have moved since then, my hubby's cough had definitely improved! Good luck getting rid of them...they are definitely a pain to get rid of and pose such health issues in the long term if ignored. 

Cheers!


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## w_man (Apr 16, 2010)

+1 on getting the AC maintenance - this is very important, specially around here - we have a maintenance package and get our AC cleaned out 3 times a year. In our building though, I felt our apartment was still a bit humid when it was very humid outside. We have floor to ceiling windows so I'm assuming that has something to do with it.

We picked up one of those Crownline dehumidifiers and it has made a MASSIVE difference. I highly recommend getting one as the 'built-in' dehumidifiers (if there are any) certainly don't always work that well.


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## Emanef (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks guys. I'm waiting for the landlord to get back to me. In case we have to pay for it ourselves, how much should we be looking to pay for a full clean and service on AC? 

And any idea how much the Crownline dehumidifiers are? Might be worth us having one and running it periodically as well.


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## w_man (Apr 16, 2010)

Emanef said:


> Thanks guys. I'm waiting for the landlord to get back to me. In case we have to pay for it ourselves, how much should we be looking to pay for a full clean and service on AC?
> 
> And any idea how much the Crownline dehumidifiers are? Might be worth us having one and running it periodically as well.


We pay 175aed a month to M-Plus for maintenance and that covers AC, electrical and plumbing regular cleanup/checkup and also covers unlimited calls for issues you have 24 hours a day. Doesn't include parts. You might not need the monthly package if your landlord covers the usual issues. 

We bought the dehumidifier for about 800ish. Don't remember the exact price. Got it from Sharaf.


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## earthworm88 (Jun 14, 2013)

Emanef said:


> Thanks guys. I'm waiting for the landlord to get back to me. In case we have to pay for it ourselves, how much should we be looking to pay for a full clean and service on AC?
> 
> And any idea how much the Crownline dehumidifiers are? Might be worth us having one and running it periodically as well.


I believe the better known companies charge a minimum of 150-200dhs for "checking" the AC issues (JFI charges 350dhs per unit), and subsequently charged by hourly or by number of unit serviced. May have to call around for reasonable rate, but ideally probably best to get someone recommended to you who had done the "mold elimination" job. As w_man pointed out, maintenance service contract is ideal, but they can be pricey. As landlord, I do provide this service contract to my tenants. As tenant, I get zilch from my landlord. 

The Crownline dehumidifiers are 690dhs fixed everywhere, so the difference would be if the stores offer credit vouchers or promotional gifts. 

Hope you get this sorted out soon!

Cheers


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## Emanef (Dec 19, 2012)

Gah! Yeah, you were right...! The landlord arranged for someone from Imdaad to come, he was told it would be 150 for the first hour and 60 for each hour after. He was here for less than two hours and charged 450 because of the number of units! 

He does think there's a problem with the one in the main area that needs parts replacing so he'll send of a quote for that. 

He did say that humidity is a big problem where we are (Marina residences on the palm) and that a seperate dehumifier in our bedroom may also help - think I'll look at getting one asap.


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## earthworm88 (Jun 14, 2013)

Emanef said:


> Gah! Yeah, you were right...! The landlord arranged for someone from Imdaad to come, he was told it would be 150 for the first hour and 60 for each hour after. He was here for less than two hours and charged 450 because of the number of units!
> 
> He does think there's a problem with the one in the main area that needs parts replacing so he'll send of a quote for that.
> 
> He did say that humidity is a big problem where we are (Marina residences on the palm) and that a seperate dehumifier in our bedroom may also help - think I'll look at getting one asap.


Glad to hear your landlord was responsive to your request. Hopefully it will all get sorted out soon, and the mold infestation under controlled. Don't be surprised if it is not 100% removed, as the spores can be carried in from the other infected apartments, but having a dehumidifier will greatly reduce the dampness and their survival rate. 

Cheers!


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## Emanef (Dec 19, 2012)

Well.... I've still got to pay them and get the money back from the landlord (Indaad refused to invoice and insist on cash paid straight away!) but he's been good so far. 

It's our bedroom that's the main issue (and where all our clothes need to be!) so hopefully a dehumidifier will help with that. We just need to be more vigilant on things we don't wear so often.... there's only so many times you want to send a coat covered in mold to the dry cleaners!


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## sammylou (Oct 29, 2012)

w_man said:


> We pay 175aed a month to M-Plus for maintenance and that covers AC, electrical and plumbing regular cleanup/checkup and also covers unlimited calls for issues you have 24 hours a day. Doesn't include parts. You might not need the monthly package if your landlord covers the usual issues.
> 
> We bought the dehumidifier for about 800ish. Don't remember the exact price. Got it from Sharaf.


i am currently looking at m+plus for the monthly packages. would you recommend it?

do they really do a good job of cleaning the a/c? enough that you notice any difference?

have you used them for any plumbing/electrical and do they send people who actually know what they are doing?

any other considerations? just wondering whether you really get the full value of 2100 dhs per year vs. what they give you.

appreciate any feedback, thanks!

ps. right now looks like we need to replace a water tank, they quoted 981 dhs. would love to get a second quote but don't know where to go. it's all so random here in uae in terms of quality service. any thoughts?


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## Budw (Oct 14, 2013)

Emanef said:


> Hi guys
> 
> We're noticing a lot of white mold growing on the wardrobe doors and room doors and frames in some of our rooms - is that common over here? We've tried experimenting with having the air con on, air con off, only on in certain areas, but we're still getting it and pretty much having to wash down the doors every week or so.
> 
> ...


It is probably not what you want to hear, but mold in apartment blocks are normally extremely difficult to address. The root cause is typically due to the design of shared AC's, ventilation systems, and or leakage into the apartment walls. Unfortunately, some apartment blocks have a few apartments that have excessive mold build up, and there are no maintenance companies that can fix that permanently. 

So, if you do not find an obvious problem with your in air conditioning, ventilation system or water leakage, you probably need to be looking at an other property to rent.


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## Byja (Mar 3, 2013)

sammylou said:


> i am currently looking at m+plus for the monthly packages. would you recommend it?
> 
> do they really do a good job of cleaning the a/c? enough that you notice any difference?
> 
> have you used them for any plumbing/electrical and do they send people who actually know what they are doing?


When I wanted my AC cleaned and disinfected, I first called one of those very expensive cleaning companies (you can find them on this forum). One of them sent guys for inspection, and their conclusion was that the design of the AC system and it's location was done by an idiot, so it's almost impossible to access to some parts of the AC so they can do a thorough AC and duct cleaning. In the end, they refused to quote, saying they can not do a proper job here.

Mplus guys came, with a screwdriver and a brush, and they've cleaned filters and brushed all the inlets/outlets.

Now what do you think, did the Mplus manage to do what the other company considered impossible, or did they just do a half-ass job of cleaning the AC?


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## AugustChristopher (Jul 24, 2013)

earthworm88 said:


> Depending on the building's AC system, dehumidifying may not be 100%. At least at the building I was in (and it was a high end high quality apartment building, .....


Hi earthworm88,

Would you mind sharing with us which building you are talking about? Just to avoid it as a matter of fact...
Thanks.


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## Budw (Oct 14, 2013)

Byja said:


> Mplus guys came, with a screwdriver and a brush, and they've cleaned filters and brushed all the inlets/outlets.
> 
> Now what do you think, did the Mplus manage to do what the other company considered impossible, or did they just do a half-ass job of cleaning the AC?


No doubt that they did a crap job with the cleaning. Proper cleaning takes many hours and some special equipment to get into the ducts, and for cleaning the condensor they should use high pressured water and chemicals.

This is unfortunately the standard of maintenance in this country. Even with Imdaad you have to be careful. I am technical myself, and I keep a close eye on them as much I can. Some interesting observations I made:

- Maintenance means for them cleaning the filter... full stop. They fail to inspect the ducts and clean them if needed, neither do they check/clean the water drainage for the condensed water
- They never look at the root cause; instead just repair just what failed, and keep on doing the same for years.
- The Freon bottle is their best friend... if it does not cool, lets fill up
- They do not fit everything back the way it was. (lots left over screws)
- They make the false sealing as dirty and break things in process of taking apart, and they do not clean the sealing after repair. 

Worse case of bad diagnoses / repair was when my AC was daily freezing up. They came many times, cleaning filters, adding Freon, and even saying the thermostat failed; in the end, when they tried everything, they told me it was normal for this type of central AC, and I should keep the temperature at 25c only. But they never looked at the airflow; a piece of duct insulation came lose, obstructing the airflow. A 2 minute job repaired it and cooling is at least double of what it was. This took almost year and many inflated electricity bills to solve this..... Unbelievable, but true.


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## Desertrose70 (Mar 3, 2012)

Anyone can advice where to buy a hygrometer?
I have high humidity in my apartment and need to measure.
Cheers


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## g18c (Feb 25, 2013)

You can buy one from Sharaf Digi, mine is currently reading 80% humidity.

The maintenance people in my building are absolute idiots, 5 guys turn up nodding heads without any foresight or think they blame "mopping floor". 

The entire building is humid i think the plant is setup or maintained wrong, scary they are in charge of such equipment.

I have a serious mold and damp issue and need to move out.

To cause them maximum pain in return can i call in environmental health and have their building closed?


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