Do I have a problem?
Do I have a problem?
How do I know if I have Chinese drywall in my home?
What are some of the signs that I should look for in my home?
What does Chinese drywall do to my home?
Should I continue to live in my home if it has Chinese drywall?
What should I do if I think my home was built with Chinese drywall?
Do I have a problem?
Trying to get a handle on whether you have a problem with Chinese Drywall and, if so, how extensive this problem truly is, can be a daunting task. We suggest you start by asking yourself these simple questions:
$ Does your new home smell like rotten eggs, ammonia, or like a burnt match?
$ Has your air conditioning, wiring, or plumbing required frequent repairs?
$ Have the coils in your air conditioner or copper water pipes turned black?
$ Do fixtures in your home appear rusted or corroded for no apparent reason?
The cause of these and related problems may be defective Chinese drywall. These problems have or will cause extensive damage to many people's homes and offices. Some have already spent thousands of dollars in repairs to their pipes, wiring, and heat and air conditioning systems. The problem is widespread and growing. You may be able to access the drywall by simply going into your attic and removing some of the insulation to expose the drywall that ceiling of the room below. Be careful when doing this as injuries can and do occur if you step off the ceiling joists. Do not do this if you are unfamiliar with your attic. You also can cut out and remove a portion of the drywall from the interior living space. This will damage your wall. We are working with our experts to establish a non-evasive testing procedure to check for sulfur content.
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How do I know if I have Chinese drywall in my home?
The easiest way to determine whether you have Chinese drywall installed is to look on the backside of the drywall and look for an identification mark. You will see either “made in
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What are some of the signs that I should look for in my home?
Look for corrosion. See whether you can detect a foul smell similar to rotten eggs. You may see corrosion on your copper pipes or the coils inside your air conditioning unit. The copper pipes and coils may be black instead of their typical copper color. The copper in your electical wires may also be corroded. We do not recomend that you inspect the electrical wiring in your home unless you are experienced in handling electrical wiring. You could be injured. An electrician may be able to inspect your wiring to determine if it has begun to corrode.
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What does Chinese drywall do to my home?
Many experts believe that Chinese drywall is an inferior product to drywall made in the United States. While US made drywall is made with gypsum, a naturally occurring a common white or colorless mineral (hydrated calcium sulphate) used to make cements and plasters. Experts believe that the inferior Chinese drywall contains additives which, when confined to the spaces in your home, emit a foul smelling sulfur gas. You may smell the sulfur inside your home. The sulfur gas may effect a person's health or begin to corrode certain fixtures in your home. Copper wiring and tubing is often the easiest place to detect corrosion. The copper in wiring and tubing begins to turn black. The black corrosion may rub off onto your fingers. Other fixtures in your home that are chrome, such as bathroom lights or faucets may also appear to be rusting or pitting much earlier that is usually expected.
Obviously, these problems should be repaired and the cause of the damage removed from your home.
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Should I continue to live in my home if it has Chinese drywall?
You should follow the advice of your experts and physicians - do not make rash decisions. Moving out of your home can be very expensive and you must make sure that you are taking this step because of legitimate concerns and not simply a fear of the unknown. If you do move out of your home, make sure you have documentation from third-party sources advising you to take these steps and also providing you with a reasonable basis for such action. Document the costs you incur and provide all of this information to your attorney.
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What should I do if my home was built with Chinese drywall?
We suggest that you contact an experienced construction defect attorney, and a qualified expert. These professionals will guide you through the process and provide you with the information you need to determine what the best course of action is for you.
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