Advise & Consult, Inc. – October 4, 2012
There is still no assurance that the Drywall Act of 2012 becomes law and even less assurance that this bill will help anyone who is already suffering from financial and / or health effects from contaminated drywall that has swept through most of the country in the past few years. Even with the widespread number of cases and attention that the drywall is getting, federal health and environmental officials say there is not enough evidence to classify the defective drywall as a significant health hazard.
This drywall, mainly made in China, can be found in thousands of homes and buildings in 42 states and has also affected the District of Columbia, American Samoa and Puerto Rico. Florida and Louisiana have received most of the attention as those two states have been affected most from this contaminated drywall issue. Some believe that the high humidity in these states have exacerbated the problem. It seems that most of the drywall was imported from 2004-2008 as both states were also in a construction boom following hurricanes a keeping up with the rest of the countries housing boom.
One of the key warning signs that you house may have Chinese Drywall is a rotten-egg type smell. Once people start digging deeper into the problem they have also found corroded wiring and air conditioning coils, televisions and other appliances, jewelry, plumbing fixtures and other metal items, making the problem only that much more expensive as not only does the drywall need to be replaced, but all wiring and electrical components as well as sometimes the studs, meaning that a contaminated home is just about worthless.
There are some politicians calling for requirements to have the drywall carry the maker’s name and date of production. Currently it is very difficult to determine who the maker of the drywall is and when that particular drywall was manufactured. There is no end in sight to the lawsuits and legislation as homeowners fight with manufacturers, contractors, as well as government agencies. Right now it is looking like a no win situation for all parties involved.