I once was told that the use of air conditioning in the UAE is like “trying to maintain a fridge in an oven”. This is especially true at this time of the year, the outside air is hot, humid and dusty. It is also this time of the year when Mold in your home is a common issue.
One of the main side effects of poor air conditioning and ventilation is when moisture begins to condense on surfaces. The moisture, if left un-investigated leads to damage of ceilings and walls and will eventually lead to mold growth.
Wherever I go in the UAE, when I walk into a building there is an 80% chance that somewhere, on a corridor, a back of house area I will see mold growth. The picture above shows a case in a newer area of Dubai.
Mold or mould growth of any kind is a serious health and safety issue. I am not saying that as soon as you see mold you instantly get tuberculosis, but if a person is predisposed to respiratory illness (asthma, emphysema etc) it makes living in the environment hazardous. In terms of exposure to people without respiratory illness, one may start to develop symptoms related with sick building syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sick_building_syndrome).
So when you see mold what should you do? Well simply call us. We offer free advice and inspections to help remove mold and ensure that it does not occur again. In addition to this, we also provide remediation in line with NADACA ACR 2013 and IICRC S520.
What you should not do is:
Paint over the mold – it will only grow back. Also by painting it, the mold spores become airborne and can be transferred to other ares of the house and also will get inside your lungs
Rub it with bleach or Tee-tree oil – again it may kill the mold on the surface of the wall/ ceiling but it will only come back because the moisture source has not been treated.
If you are reading this and you are a facility manager and you have mold in your corridors, Envida provide a mold removal service as well as mold removal training for your maintenance teams. The first rule for any mold remediation service is the safety of the remediators and the occupants of the premises.
If you have any questions, please call us on 044219510
What are the Benefits of Clean Air?
By removing airborne particles and pollutions, individuals suffering from allergies or asthma may see relief from clean air. Even healthy individuals will see an improvement in breathing because particulates that were once circulating and contaminating the indoor air are no longer entering the respiratory system.
How Will I Know if I Need My Air Ducts Cleaned?
Air ducts should be inspected on a regular basis to assess if they are dirty or clean (as per NADCA ACR 2013). If the system is found to be dirty it should then cleaned to help reduce pollutants in the air and improve indoor air quality. Look out for these signs:
- Visible mold growth
- Odors or allergic reactions
- Dust and debris coming out of the register
- An unusual amount of dust on furniture and surfaces
To schedule your appointment to get your air ducts cleaned, give Envida a call today on 971 4 3617949 or email us on admin@envida.ae.
