Chinese drywall controversy is a health and safety issue involving defective drywall manufactured in China and imported by the United States starting in 2001.Drywall is a common building material typically made of a layer of gypsum-based plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper, then dried in a kiln. Foreign drywall was imported by the United States during the construction boom between 2004 and 2007. Importation was further spurred by a shortage of American-made drywall due to the rebuilding demand of nine hurricanes that hit Florida from 2004 to 2005, and widespread damage caused along the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. An analysis covering drywall imports since January 2006 showed that more than 550 million pounds of Chinese drywall was brought into the United States since then, enough to build 60,000 average-sized homes.
Homeowners alleging that they installed contaminated drywall have reported numerous incidents of corroding copper and other metals in their homes. The Florida Department of Health advised homeowners worried about tainted drywall to check copper tubing coils located in air conditioning and refrigeration units for signs of corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide, as these are usually the first signs of the issue. Under normal circumstances, copper corrosion leaves it a blue/green or dark red color, whereas corrosion as a result of hydrogen sulfide exposure leaves a black ash-like corrosion. Homeowners who have verified that their home contains contaminated Chinese drywall are advised to replace any suspect drywall, as well as any potentially damaged copper electrical wiring, fire alarm systems, copper piping, and gas piping.
The bulk of these incidents have been reported in Florida and other southern states, likely due to the high levels of heat and humidity in that region. Most of the affected homes were built during the housing boom between 2004 and 2007, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when domestic building materials were in short supply. An estimated 250,000 tons of drywall were imported from China during that time period because it was cheap and plentiful. This material was used in the construction of approximately 100,000 homes in the United States, and many believe this has lead to serious health and property damage.
Officials are looking into claims that Chinese-made drywall installed in some Florida homes is emitting smelly, corrosive gases and ruining household systems such as air conditioners, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says. The Florida Health Department, which is investigating whether the drywall poses any health risks, said it has received more than 140 homeowner complaints. And class-action lawsuits allege defective drywall has caused problems in at least three states -- Florida, Louisiana and Alabama -- while some attorneys involved claim such drywall may have been used in tens of thousands of U.S. homes.
The exemptions reveal that Chinese drywall was only used in Southwest Florida between 2004 and 2007; the four year span of recovery from Hurricane Charley and Wilma and the building boom. If you break it down by percentage, in Lee County only .44% of the single family homes and condos are infected and only 2.5% from the boom building years. In Charlotte County the percentage of homes infected is .27% and in Collier County it is .06%. The toxic material causing all the problems is only found in the 1/4 inch drywall used in residential construction. The 1/2 inch drywall used in commercial buildings is safe.
Besides the horrible odor, Sulfur corrodes copper and is often evident by the copper blackening and flaking off. This drastically reduces the functional life expectancy of any copper building material, such as evaporator coils and tubing, which can ultimately cause an air conditioner to fail. Chinese drywall may also corrode copper plumbing, copper electrical wiring, and copper water lines. Metals such as chrome, brass and silver may also be affected. In homes with Chinese drywall, bathroom and kitchen faucets and drains are typically tarnished.
Homeowners alleging that they installed contaminated drywall have reported numerous incidents of corroding copper and other metals in their homes. The Florida Department of Health advised homeowners worried about tainted drywall to check copper tubing coils located in air conditioning and refrigeration units for signs of corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide, as these are usually the first signs of the issue. Under normal circumstances, copper corrosion leaves it a blue/green or dark red color, whereas corrosion as a result of hydrogen sulfide exposure leaves a black ash-like corrosion. Homeowners who have verified that their home contains contaminated Chinese drywall are advised to replace any suspect drywall, as well as any potentially damaged copper electrical wiring, fire alarm systems, copper piping, and gas piping.
The bulk of these incidents have been reported in Florida and other southern states, likely due to the high levels of heat and humidity in that region. Most of the affected homes were built during the housing boom between 2004 and 2007, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when domestic building materials were in short supply. An estimated 250,000 tons of drywall were imported from China during that time period because it was cheap and plentiful. This material was used in the construction of approximately 100,000 homes in the United States, and many believe this has lead to serious health and property damage.
Officials are looking into claims that Chinese-made drywall installed in some Florida homes is emitting smelly, corrosive gases and ruining household systems such as air conditioners, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says. The Florida Health Department, which is investigating whether the drywall poses any health risks, said it has received more than 140 homeowner complaints. And class-action lawsuits allege defective drywall has caused problems in at least three states -- Florida, Louisiana and Alabama -- while some attorneys involved claim such drywall may have been used in tens of thousands of U.S. homes.
The exemptions reveal that Chinese drywall was only used in Southwest Florida between 2004 and 2007; the four year span of recovery from Hurricane Charley and Wilma and the building boom. If you break it down by percentage, in Lee County only .44% of the single family homes and condos are infected and only 2.5% from the boom building years. In Charlotte County the percentage of homes infected is .27% and in Collier County it is .06%. The toxic material causing all the problems is only found in the 1/4 inch drywall used in residential construction. The 1/2 inch drywall used in commercial buildings is safe.
Besides the horrible odor, Sulfur corrodes copper and is often evident by the copper blackening and flaking off. This drastically reduces the functional life expectancy of any copper building material, such as evaporator coils and tubing, which can ultimately cause an air conditioner to fail. Chinese drywall may also corrode copper plumbing, copper electrical wiring, and copper water lines. Metals such as chrome, brass and silver may also be affected. In homes with Chinese drywall, bathroom and kitchen faucets and drains are typically tarnished.
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