CHINESE DRYWALL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who Is Affected by Chinese Drywall?

      Most affected homes to date are in the Southeast and Eastern U.S., in states such as Florida, Virginia, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi to name just a few, but anyone who has had this product installed in their home can be affected.

More than 340,000 homeowners from more than 37 states have reported various Chinese drywall problems, and the list continues to grow. The Chinese drywall first began arriving in the U.S. in 2001 and was banned in 2009, so if your construction/ renovation occurred before or after those years, you're probably safe.

What Are the Symptoms of Chinese Drywall?

The physical symptoms of Chinese drywall to watch for are similar to allergy, sinus-infection and cold/respiratory ailments, such as itchy, watery eyes, nasal and chest congestion, headaches, and even bloody noses. 

People with asthma may find their symptoms magnified, and children and the elderly are also particularly vulnerable. 

In the home, be alert to frequent malfunctions of appliances, devices and wiring - anything that contains metal - minor or major, from electric light switches to refrigerators and air conditioners, and so on. Also check for visible marks (darkening, tarnishing, pitting) on the exposed metal surfaces in your home.

You also may notice an odor of sulfur, similar to that of striking a match, throughout the home; however, the odor is not always present, and even when it is, residents may become immune to it via the phenomenon known as "olfactory fatigue."

What Can Be Done About Chinese Drywall?

If you suspect your home contains Chinese drywall, have it inspected by a qualified professional. We offer Chinese drywall inspections and also offer Chinese drywall solutions if needed. In any case, an inspection can either confirm your suspicions or set your mind at ease.

Where did this drywall come from?

The drywall is from a German-based company, Knauf Tianjin, which has subsidiaries in China. These subsidiaries manufactured the drywall from waste materials found on scrubbers within coal-fired power plants.

How did it get into so many homes?

From 2004 through 2006, after hurricane Katrina and other storms, the strain on the supply of American-made drywall required many builders to resort to international suppliers in order to fill demand. As a result, many distributors imported from the Knauf Tianjin company. It is alleged that this issue effects more than 200,000 sheets of drywall used to make homes between 2004 and 2006.

So, why the rotten-egg smell?

The waste materials used by Knauf Tianjin to make the drywall appear to contain iron sulfide (FeS2 pyrite), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon disulfide (CS2).Many believe that humidity causes the sulfur in the drywall to give off gas, which creates the noxious odor—but that’s not all—the sulfur corrodes copper as well.

Why is this drywall a problem?

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.

What is being done about the problem?

The building industry is being hit by a number of lawsuits--especially in Florida, where seven of the affected ports were located. A class action lawsuit has been filed against the makers, exporters and suppliers of Chinese drywall products that have been found to emit noxious odors, damage air conditioners, as well as other systems, and potentially lead to health problems. Health officials say that a definitive connection between the Chinese drywall and health problems has not been made, though over 50 complaints have been made to the Florida health department thus far.

If you have any questions or would like a FREE phone consultation, Contact the Chinese Drywall Info hotline 239-542-3000