As of the writing of this article, there are still many questions left to be answered in relationship to Toxic Chinese drywall. This uncertainty has led many potential buyers to question the home of their dreams.
Estimates are that homes built between 2001 and 2008 could be affected. With so many homes potentially affected by Chinese Drywall, it is no wonder that the market is largely paralyzed. The consequences of purchasing a home that has Chinese drywall problems are huge. For many, it means financial ruin. Homes that were once valued close to one million dollars are now worth a fraction of that, if they are able to be sold at all. Routed from their home, home owners have no choice but to escape to a safer living condition. Suffering from headaches, nose bleeds, and upper respiratory infections, many home owners opt for the comfort of a rental over the home that they own. Others suffer more dramatically. Chronic migraines, insomnia, and dementia have caused doctors to advise their patients to "get out" of their homes.
Rightfully so, potential buyers are terrified.
The absence of the corrosion typical in homes with Chinese Drywall is not, in and of itself, comforting. Homes that are exposed to lower levels of humidity have been slower to show signs of Toxic Chinese drywall. A simple visual certified inspection by a Chinese Drywall Specialist is much like just kicking the front tires of a used car. While obvious signs of corrosion are a good indicator that a home contains Chinese drywall, the fact that those signs are not present is far from a guarantee that the home is free of toxic drywall.
There are a variety of testing options.
Inspection options start with a visual inspection. This inspection searches for outward signs of a problem.
More involved is an air sample test which has been proven to be the least realiable. Variations of air tests have been used for quite some time. These tests involve sampling air from a home and analyzing it for specific compounds. The Consumer Products Safety Commission, who is heading up the government's investigation into toxic drywall DOES NOT recommend these tests.
Yet more involved is material testing. There are several levels of material testing involving different numbers of samples. Because homes were often built partially with Chinese drywall and partially with domestic drywall, it is crucial that all of the drywall in a home be tested to guarantee it free of Chinese Drywall. These test however are quite costly, thus many buyers choose not to use this method.
Estimates are that homes built between 2001 and 2008 could be affected. With so many homes potentially affected by Chinese Drywall, it is no wonder that the market is largely paralyzed. The consequences of purchasing a home that has Chinese drywall problems are huge. For many, it means financial ruin. Homes that were once valued close to one million dollars are now worth a fraction of that, if they are able to be sold at all. Routed from their home, home owners have no choice but to escape to a safer living condition. Suffering from headaches, nose bleeds, and upper respiratory infections, many home owners opt for the comfort of a rental over the home that they own. Others suffer more dramatically. Chronic migraines, insomnia, and dementia have caused doctors to advise their patients to "get out" of their homes.
Rightfully so, potential buyers are terrified.
The absence of the corrosion typical in homes with Chinese Drywall is not, in and of itself, comforting. Homes that are exposed to lower levels of humidity have been slower to show signs of Toxic Chinese drywall. A simple visual certified inspection by a Chinese Drywall Specialist is much like just kicking the front tires of a used car. While obvious signs of corrosion are a good indicator that a home contains Chinese drywall, the fact that those signs are not present is far from a guarantee that the home is free of toxic drywall.
There are a variety of testing options.
Inspection options start with a visual inspection. This inspection searches for outward signs of a problem.
More involved is an air sample test which has been proven to be the least realiable. Variations of air tests have been used for quite some time. These tests involve sampling air from a home and analyzing it for specific compounds. The Consumer Products Safety Commission, who is heading up the government's investigation into toxic drywall DOES NOT recommend these tests.
Yet more involved is material testing. There are several levels of material testing involving different numbers of samples. Because homes were often built partially with Chinese drywall and partially with domestic drywall, it is crucial that all of the drywall in a home be tested to guarantee it free of Chinese Drywall. These test however are quite costly, thus many buyers choose not to use this method.
