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Do You Have Defective Chinese Drywall In Your Home?

Is your new Florida home filled with the odor of rotten eggs? Have you had to pay for frequent repairs on your home’s air conditioning system, wiring or pipes? Have you and members of your family experienced irritated eyes, respiratory problems, nose bleeds and headaches that alleviate when you are away from your Florida home for a period of time? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a victim of defective Chinese drywall.

Hundreds of homeowners have reported these problems in new Florida homes built with dry wall imported from China. The lawyers at our firm are investigating potential lawsuits against the companies, builders and manufacturers responsible for these Chinese drywall problems. If your dream home has become a nightmare because of defective Chinese drywall, we urge you to call our office immediately for a free evaluation of your case.

Signs that You May Have a Chinese Drywall Problem

Because of a shortage of U.S.-made drywall, many builders used imported Chinese drywall during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005, and into 2006. Reports have indicated that some Chinese drywall may have been kept on barges at sea for months awaiting permission to enter the country. There is speculation that the humidity the material was exposed to while at sea may have something to do with the drywall’s fume problems.

For many people, the first sign that they may have a drywall problem is a the presence of a strong sulfur odor – often described as the smell of rotten eggs. In some cases, the odor is so bad, people are unable to live in their homes.  Air-conditioning evaporator coils, which are supposed to last a decade or more, are corroding and failing in homes only a couple of years old. Pipes and wiring may also be deteriorating because of the Chinese drywall fumes.

Many people living in new Florida homes built with Chinese drywall have also experienced health problems as a result of the fumes in their homes. A toxicologist for the state of Florida recently told one newspaper that the odor causes people to experience mild and moderate respiratory irritation that clears up when they leave the homes. Other residents have reported that they are experiencing headaches that also go away when they leave their houses. Other symptoms being reported included irritated eyes, nose bleeds, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and symptoms similar to bronchitis and asthma.

Health worries have caused many people to flee their new Florida homes. Health officials are most concerned that the Chinese drywall fumes could be especially dangerous for sensitive populations. These include the very young and the elderly. People with asthma and chemical sensitivities would be at greatest risk.

Possible Causes of Chinese Drywall Problems

Drywall is made from gypsum, which naturally contains sulfur compounds. If the drywall was exposed to humidity at sea, the process of evaporation that occurs as the drywall dries could be responsible for the odors coming from the material. According to a report on Environmental Expert.com, the problems appear to be related to the presence of iron disulfide (FeS2 pyrite) in the material. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon disulfide (CS2) are also suspected as culprits, the Web site said.

The possibility that the Chinese drywall is emitting hydrogen sulfide fumes is disturbing. Exposure to 50 parts per million of hydrogen sulfide for more than ten minutes can cause extreme irritation. Inhalation of 500 to 1,000 parts per million can cause unconsciousness and death through respiratory paralysis and asphyxiation, according to environmental experts.

Companies Involved in Chinese Drywall Disaster

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China is one manufacturer implicated so far in the dry wall disaster. Knauf has insisted that the drywall problems are confined to Florida, but our firm has become aware of similar reports coming out of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Despite health complaints, the company maintains that the rotten egg odor coming out of its drywall poses no dangers.  Knauf is also insisting that the damage done to air conditioning and electrical wiring is the result of drywall made by some other company – though it has been unable to name which one.

Lennar Corp., the nation’s second-largest builder by volume, reportedly built many Florida homes afflicted with Chinese dry wall problems.  According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Lennar is testing, and continues to test, a dozen of its Florida developments and has shared results with the state health department.  The company has relocated several families in order to rip out and replace the drywall in their homes.

Other builders, suppliers and manufacturers are likely involved in this debacle.

We are currently not aware of any definitive test to determine if a home has problem drywall. Nevertheless, you might consider contacting your homebuilder to ask about the materials used in construction.

Consumers raising concerns about drywall have typically identified a “rotten egg” smell within their house, several health symptoms while in the home, and corrosion or blackening of certain metal items. Consumers have also reported frequent failures of copper piping in air conditioning units.

The back-side of this drywall (not normally visible to the resident) is labeled as “MADE IN CHINA.”

The smaller sample (slightly gray in color) was taken from drywall which was removed
from the home and replaced with new wallboard (white in color).

The ground wire connected to the green screw is blackened and corroded.
This wire should be copper-colored.

This bathroom lighting fixture is pitted and corroded.

The copper coils on this air conditioner unit are blackened and corroded.

This copper pipe is blackened.