Chinese Drywall

Chinese Dry Wall Plaguing Florida Homeowners
Not found in California as of yet!
Drywall made in China is reportedly causing problems for Florida homeowners. According to reports in The Wall Street Journal and local media, the Chinese dry wall has caused unpleasant odors in many homes, and fumes from the dry wall have destroyed electrical wiring and air conditioning units.
According to a report on news-press.com, The Florida Health Department first became aware of the Chinese drywall problem three months ago, and notified the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in August. The problem appears to be mainly from drywall imported from China during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005. In some Florida developments, the drywall issue emerged after months of failures in heating and cooling systems. Many homeowners have complained about the presence of a sulfur odor, and others have said that the fumes from the Chinese drywall are corroding air-conditioner coils, computer wiring and metal picture frames, The Wall Street Journal said.
According to The Wall Street Journal, many of the Florida homes that are the subject of complaints were built by Lennar Corp., the nation’s second-largest builder by volume. Lennar is testing, and continues to test, a dozen of its Florida developments and has shared results with the state health department, the Journal said. The company has relocated several families in order to rip out and replace the drywall in their homes.
Many Florida homeowners experiencing these problems are understandably concerned about potential health effects of the dry wall fumes. According to a report on Environmental Expert.com, the drywall is made from gypsum. The problems appear to be related to the presence of iron disulfide (FeS2 pyrite). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon disulfide (CS2) are also suspected as culprits, the Web site said. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Florida Health Department says tests show that the levels of emissions from the drywall pose no “immediate health threat.”
Florida homeowners are also concerned that the dry wall issues will affect the value of their houses, as well as their ability to sell. Many are already dealing with decimated real estate values as a result of the collapse of the housing market, the Journal said.
Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China is the company at the center of Florida’s dry wall problems. The company issued a statement last week insisting that sulfur-like smell coming out of its dry wall poses no dangers. However, Knauf Plasterboard insists that the damage done to air conditioning and electrical wiring is the result of dry wall made by some other company - though it has been unable to name which one.
Knauf Plasterboard also insisted that the dry wall problems are confined to Florida, but last week, the EPA revealed it was looking into similar reports in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Not All Home Inspectors are the same.
Use a Certified CREIA Home Inspector
Here is a list of Certified Home inspectors serving the Stockton-Delta area. They all have passed a strenous written exam and each to do a minimum of 30 hours of continous education annually to keep their California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA) membership current.
Richard Allen Bonander, CCI
Eagle One Home Inspections
Phone: 209/620-6648
RABonander@eagleonehi.org

Kirk A. Randall, MCI
ProTECH Inspection Service
Phone: 800/204-7034 Fax: 209/208-1606
inspectorkirk@sonic.net

Dennis Meredith, CCI
Independent Home Inspection Services
Phone: 209/712-0839
Fax: 209/367-4154
dennis@indhomeinspection.com

Mark Bateman, CCI, CNCS
MDL Home Inspections
Phone: 209/736-2711
Fax: 209/736-2711
fallenlf@wildblue.net

Dennis D Hoffman, MCI
Hoffman Home Inspections
Phone: 800/960-0556Fax: 209/369-0556
dennishoffman@comcast.net
www.hoffmaninspections.com

James Byrd, CCI
A Plus Home Inspections
Phone: 209/324-8963
byrdjames@sbcglobal.net

Sam Deabenderfer, CCI
Applied Inspection Services LLC
Phone: 209/896-7525
Fax: 209/863-1954
a-inspection@hotmail.com

Mark Harman, CCI
"The Inspector" Home Inspection Services
Phone: 209/324-3180Fax: 209/883-0163
mark@theinspector-home.com

Gregory Henry, CCI
Henry Home Inspections
Phone: 209/823-3202 Fax: 209/823-3202
ghenry886@comcast.net

Matthew Irion, CCI
M K I Home Inspections
Phone: 209/545-1545
Fax: 209/545-1545
mirion209@msn.comwww.mkihomeinspections.com

Peter Nusser, CCI
A 2 Z Inspections Inc.
Phone: 209/321-7235
Fax: 209/830-1992peter@a2zinspections.comwww.a2zinspections.com

Michael Dugan, MCI, CNCS
Focus Inspection Services
Phone: 800/450-6302
Fax: 209/832-4412
michael@focusinspectionservices.com
www.focusinspectionservices.com

David Smith, CCI
Professional Property Inspections
Phone: 209/586-0123Fax: 209/586-4554
ppiinspections@wildblue.net