CHINESE DRYWALL AND THE SMELL TEST The first government report on Chinese drywall is out . . . sort of: “On Monday, Florida’s health department said preliminary tests show there’s no ‘specific’ health hazard associated with the sulfur-based gases coming from the drywall, but the agency is conducting additional tests. ‘It’s not that we are saying it’s safe,’ Florida toxicologist David Krause told reporters on a conference call on Monday. ‘We are moving forward on a much more detailed in-depth’ study. The test results released by the state health department on Monday did make one, definitive conclusion: Chinese-made drywall contained strontium sulfide, a material that’s known to have the odor of hydrogen sulfide in moist air. The U.S-made drywall did not contain this material. The most common evidence of Chinese drywall problems is the corrosion of air conditional equipment, which is turning black and failing repeatedly. Homeowners have also complained about respiratory problems they believe are connected to the drywall.” [Developments]
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Chinese Drywall? Really?
It’s not a hard or terribly expensive product to produce. I guess the housing bubble created the demand to get foreign made drywall.
According to CNN the other the 2006 Hurricane season was the reason so much Chinese drywall got brought into Florida and Louisiana. US manufacturers weren’t able to keep up with the sudden increase in demand.
Maybe we will see a similar rash of ill-effects in a couple of years from now.
I go to school at the University of Tennessee and heard they have done some work on this. I saw the company they work with online at Chinese Drywall Testing Site
An opinion:
Thank you Senators Landrieu (LA) and Nelson (FLA)…Hope you can bring this to Washington’s attention. It is AMAZING
how this drywall issue has been (initially) hush-hushed, avoided, regarded with little importance and has just recently been given serious attention.
I have yet to discover if there are any precedents or proticol established. Does anyone know where I might look for such?
THIS ISSUE IS GOING TO BE ENORMOUS….It’s quite gloomy.
(1) All the metals in one’s home will corrode and result in mechanical failures – electrical, plumbing, appliances…(2) If it reacts and damages metal, what is it doing to the lungs? (3) Now, make a plan to get out…where do you live, who pays the mortgage, can you afford rent and a house note?-Will FEMA pay your rent, AGAIN? Do you have to go back to the trailer life? (4)What happens if there is an electrical shortage…will your homeowners insurace kick in should a fire result, afterall isn’t the short a result of the damaged electrical wire, that is a result of the defective drywall? (5) Is the homeowner going to be at fault if he fails to notify the mortgage and insurance companies of the defective product used in the home construction? (6)With the inability to sell your home(now -with a major defect), has your main (and only) asset become worthless?
You now can’t use the home for it’s intended use, there is an undetermined health threat or risk present and the family needs to get out, you had decent credit but used all the Katrina insurace proceeds as a downpayment on this brand new home..The entire neighborhood feels sorry for you.
Sue the contractor..if he is still in buiness and if you have any money left to do it. The distributors are up to their eyeballs in litigation…manufacturer doesn’t live here!!!! Get on the bandwagon with a class action..if that’s your only option..how soon do you think you’ll see any results from that?
Something to consider..If you manage to get your family out…are you kids sitting in a new or renovated school classroom? Daycare ? Are you relocating to a new/renovated apartment? Which restaurants are you frequenting? How recent was the renovation to the office that you go to daily?
Don’t be so naive to think the defective drywall was used only in residential construction!!!
CONTRACTORS DID NOT USE DEFECTIVE MATERIALS MALICIOULSY….CONSUMERS WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE PRODUCTS HAD THEY KNOWN OF THE DEFECTS…….
What is done is done…we need an answer!
LETS MOVE FORWARD
This issue can not be tabled or passed from one government agency to another..Decisions must be made and and a workable solution presented…AND ON A TIMELY BASIS.
This will certainly impact the local economy initially, but will trickle all over the states, just as Katrina events did.
SOMEONE OUT THERE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT….WE NEED YOU !!!