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WHAT IS CHINESE DRYWALL? |
In short, the term "Chinese Drywall" (or tainted drywall or wallboard) refers to drywall imported from
China from 2001 to 2007 which contains contaminants that are emitting gases which usually (but not
always) create a noxious odor and corrode copper and other metal surfaces, thereby damaging your
air conditioner, electrical wiring, copper plumbing, appliances and electronics. Symptoms typically
appear in about 24 months. Corrosion of electrical wiring can hamper the effectiveness of your
smoke detection and can create a risk of fire. Chinese drywall is also very friable, which means it is
in a state where small particles can easily become dislodged with little friction, thus enabling them to
easily enter your lungs. For this reason, even after Chinese drywall is removed, the toxic drywall
particulate may remain unless property removed. To date, there is no proven or approved
remediation protocol and, therefore, one should exercise caution before removing Chinese drywall
and remediating one's home.
TRIAL AGAINST KNAUF STARTS TOMORROW
Hernandez v. Knauf is the first trial against German
manufacturer, Knauf. Tatum and Charlene Hernandez
purchased a home in Mandeville, Louisiana in 2006 which
contains chinese drywall manufactured by Knauf. This
bench (non-jury) trial concerns property damages only;
health effects will be addressed later. The trial will likely
take one week.
Unlike Germano v. Taishan (which was tried a few weeks
ago against another manufacturer), Knauf will be defending
this case. Knauf agrees that the drywall, carpeting, molding
and insulation must be removed. Knauf disagrees on
whether wiring and plumbing must be removed, and
whether the house must be aired out. While the outcome
of the Hernandez case will not be binding on Knauf with
respect to other families, it will provide a remediation
protocol and set standards for different categories of
damages, thus making it easier to settle other cases. Click
here for article.
________________________________
FEMA RELIEF?
Click here to see Governor Charlie Crist's letter to FEMA
asking for financial aid for victims of Chinese drywall. The
cap is $29,900 per family, which is not nearly enough to
remediate most homes. It is not clear whether funds can be
used for relocation and temporary housing.
_________________________________
FIRST CHINESE DRYWALL TRIAL IS OVER.
Last month, attorneys presented evidence demonstrating
why seven homes with Chinese drywall manufactured by
Taishan Gypsum must be gutted down to the studs, which
includes replacement of all drywall, fixtures, wiring and
copper pipes. The estimated costs is approx. $86 per
square foot (i.e., $172,000 for a 2,000 sq. ft. home). In
addition, the plaintiffs sought reimbursement for repairs
and other damage to personal property (like computers and
TVs), moving expenses, temporary housing, loss of income
(for investment properties) and diminished value of the
homes. Knauf was going to participate in Taishan's trial,
but dropped out after the Court refused to allow Knauf to
introduce testimony regarding an "environmental control
system" which Knauf argued could be used instead of
removing drywall. The Court found Knauf's system
experimental at best. With no defense, Knauf withdrew and
the Plaintiffs presented their evidence with no opposition.
CLICK HERE FOR PLAINTIFFS STEERING COMMITTEE'S
PROPOSED FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF
LAW. Judge Fallon is expected to rule shortly.
________________________________
FORECLOSURE RELIEF?
HUD has instructed lenders to offer relief to FHA insured
families, but other homeowners with Chinese drywall are
still at the mercy of their lenders. Click here to contact
Senator Bill Nelson for assistance with your mortgage.
________________________________
| THIS IS WHAT CHINESE DRYWALL IS DOING TO YOUR AIR CONDITIONER. WHAT IS IT DOING TO YOUR HEALTH? |
Hundreds of millions of sheets of Chinese drywall were imported from 2004 to 2006, but Chinese
drywall has recently been found in homes built or remodeled as early as 2001. Accordingly, this
phenomenon cannot be explained solely by the shortage of American-manufactured drywall. The
presence of Chinese drywall has been reported in 36 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
is estimated to have been installed in over 100,000 homes in the United States. See Map.
Unfortunately, this does not paint an accurate picture as most affected homes have a mixture of safe
and tainted drywall.
Chinese drywall is 1/2" in width, although Lori A. Streit, Ph.D., from Unified Engineering, the same
compounds found in problematic Chinese drywall and the same gases released therefrom have also
been found in drywall measuring 5/8" (which is typically used in ceilings). Chinese drywall is typically
mixed in with untainted drywall, which is why people should not assume that their home is fine if they
find U.S. drywall. Moreover, U.S. drywall may have been manufactured in China and rebranded.
Does your home smell like rotten eggs or ammonia (sometimes a sweetish smell)? Is it more
noticeable when entering your home and then seems to dissipate? The level of odor varies greatly in
each home as does each person’s ability to detect the odor. Of course, the strength of the odor also
depends on how much drywall was used in the home. Significantly, some homeowners report no smell,
but their home clearly has Chinese drywall. In short, do not rely on your nose alone, particularly since
many develop olfactory fatigue after being exposed to Chinese drywall.
Chinese drywall corrodes electrical wiring. Check the electrical receptacles in your walls to see if the
wires are blackened. Pull off the electrical plate and look inside. Obviously, do not touch anything -
you could get shocked. There should be a copper wire inside. The wires in this photo have been
corroded from Chinese drywall. The breaker panel should also be checked.
Signs of an electrical problem include, a circuit breaker which frequently needs resetting without an
apparent cause (particularly a GFCI or AFCI); lights that flicker without any apparent cause; bright
flashes or sparks anywhere in your electrical system (this may indicate arcing conditions in the wiring);
buzzing from electrical systems, switch plates, dimmers and outlet covers that are discolored from
overheating; and a smell from overheating plastic. See Florida Department of Health Case
Definition for Drywall Associated Corrosion in Residences.
COULD CHINESE DRYWALL BE IN MY HOME OR BUSINESS? |
| Air conditioning coils that are less than three years old. |
A STANDARD HOME INSPECTION IS NOT ENOUGH CLICK HERE TO FIND a CHINESE DRYWALL INSPECTOR IN YOUR AREA www.chinesedrywall inspector.com |
WELCOME TO CHINESEDRYWALL.COM
The first website dedicated to educating the public about Chinese drywall
While the material source of the problem is known, the cause of the problem remains unknown, which
is likely due in part because different mines were involved, different manufacturing processes, and
different types of construction and building materials.
Initially, the most common theory was that the tainted drywall was manufactured in gypsum mines in
China which used fly ash, a waste material that is a byproduct from power plants using coal.
Samples of Chinese drywall tested by United Engineering, however, consisted of 5-15% organic
material, which contradicts the theory that Chinese drywall was made of waste from coal fired power
plants. It is now believed that the tainted drywall from China comes from mined gypsum, not
synthetic gypsum which is made from coal ash. Mined gypsum contains high levels of strontium,
which is visible as inclusions in electron scanning microscopy.
Another theory is that Chinese drywall contains bacteria which is degrading iron and sulfur compounds
to produce sulfur odors. Drywall imported from China was kept on barges at sea for months awaiting
permission to enter the United States. While at sea, the drywall was exposed to seawater. In fact,
there are reports that the drywall was wet (and stunk) when unloaded from the ships.
Another theory focuses on the water source used to manufacture the drywall, which may not have
been properly treated to remove fecal waste. Some believe the water used to make the drywall was
not properly treated and cleaned.
Testing of drywall outer paper and the gypsum core has been found to release some sulfur
compounds. Thus, there are potential causes aside from the drywall itself, including contaminants in
the adhesive that binds the paper to the drywall. Additionally, the drywall or outer paper may have
been treated with a fungicide after entering the United States.
is likely due in part because different mines were involved, different manufacturing processes, and
different types of construction and building materials.
Initially, the most common theory was that the tainted drywall was manufactured in gypsum mines in
China which used fly ash, a waste material that is a byproduct from power plants using coal.
Samples of Chinese drywall tested by United Engineering, however, consisted of 5-15% organic
material, which contradicts the theory that Chinese drywall was made of waste from coal fired power
plants. It is now believed that the tainted drywall from China comes from mined gypsum, not
synthetic gypsum which is made from coal ash. Mined gypsum contains high levels of strontium,
which is visible as inclusions in electron scanning microscopy.
Another theory is that Chinese drywall contains bacteria which is degrading iron and sulfur compounds
to produce sulfur odors. Drywall imported from China was kept on barges at sea for months awaiting
permission to enter the United States. While at sea, the drywall was exposed to seawater. In fact,
there are reports that the drywall was wet (and stunk) when unloaded from the ships.
Another theory focuses on the water source used to manufacture the drywall, which may not have
been properly treated to remove fecal waste. Some believe the water used to make the drywall was
not properly treated and cleaned.
Testing of drywall outer paper and the gypsum core has been found to release some sulfur
compounds. Thus, there are potential causes aside from the drywall itself, including contaminants in
the adhesive that binds the paper to the drywall. Additionally, the drywall or outer paper may have
been treated with a fungicide after entering the United States.
| IS THE DRYWALL DANGEROUS? |
Analytical testing of Chinese drywall samples have revealed strontium sulfide, although there remains
disagreement regarding whether strontium is a valid marker for Chinese drywall . See Public Health
Statement regarding Strontium; Statement Regarding Health Effects. See also, EPA Drywall
Sampling Analysis dated May 7, 2009).
According to Dr. Patricia Williams, a University of New Orleans toxicologist, highly toxic compounds
have been found in Chinese drywall and prolonged exposure to these compounds can cause serious
problems. Strontium sulfide may be dangerous to developing children; it affects bone growth.
Chronic exposure to these gases may affect the central nervous system (including visual and sensory
changes), cardiovascular system, eyes, kidneys, liver and skin. Infants, children, the elderly and
infirm (particularly those with heart and lung disease and diabetes) and pets may have an increased
vulnerability to these gases and the particulates that are released from the drywall. The particulates
from Chinese drywall may invade and adhere to other building materials in the home's structure and
personal objects within the home. Translation - cross-contamination is a real concern and should be
factored into any remediation protocol. Nonetheless, the Florida Department of Health maintains that
the levels found in Chinese drywall are not high enough to present “an imminent or chronic health
hazard at this time.” It is not clear whether this finding takes into account long-term exposure and the
combined exposure to multiple compounds. Consumer Product Safety Commission acknowledges
that the gases emitted from Chinese drywall could cause irritant effects. In addition to health effects,
corrosion of electrical wiring may hamper the effectiveness of smoke detectors, which presents a
serious safety concern. Low level arcing has also been observed in some homes with Chinese
drywall, which could cause an electrical fire, although very few have been reported to date.
WHAT IS THE SOURCE? |
Contact us at help@chinesedrywall.com or (561) 705-4579
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF CHINESE DRYWALL? |
| QUICK UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS |
CLICK HERE TO SEE TYPES OF DRYWALL MARKINGS. |
PRESERVATION ORDER WARNING: BEFORE YOU REMEDIATE YOUR HOME, PLEASE REVIEW THE PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE ORDER. FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THIS ORDER COULD JEOPARDIZE YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS. |
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