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CHINESE DRYWALL ISSUES
In late 2008, a few dozen residents in Florida complaining about sulfur and rotten eggs smells inside their home. It was determined to be coming from the walls. This soon gave rise to class-action lawsuits against drywall manufacturers as well as the builders of these homes. Several health departments in the South are investigating these drywall issues. These investigations were inconclusive, but did trace the problem to Chinese Drywall imported since 2004, and some even as early as 2001. The specific elements that are causing the problem and how they were included in the building material’s production cycle still remain a mystery.
Drywall, Sheetrock, Gypsum, Plasterboard, and Wallboard are basically all gypsum-based plaster layers sandwiched between two sheets of paper. The majority domestic gypsum comes from quarries. It is a by-product of coal and oil based power plants. So far, many laboratories have identified that the Chinese Drywall contains the sulfurous gases hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, and carbonyl sulfide. The emissions are exacerbated by hot and humid environments, making the Southeastern United States fertile ground for this problematic Drywall.
The odor problem would have been enough to command the replacement of this wallboard, but it has also been found to corrode copper piping, wiring, and air conditioner coils, eroding it slowly into a black powdery substance. This is due to a reaction with the sulfides resident in the Chinese Drywall. People living in these homes have reported respiratory infections, sinus problems and nosebleeds.
No one knows how long it will take to figure this all out exactly, but there has been a storm of requests for Drywall abatement and replacement, with the homeowners shouldering the cost of inspection and replacement in many cases. Suncoast Construction formed their Chinese Drywall Remediation Unit in early 2009 to Service Commercial Chinese Drywall replacement needs in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. The need is painfully evident and Suncoast Construction’s Inspectors and Remediators having been trained to effectively identify the issue and completely remove the problem. Suncoast will inspect, test, contain, tear-out and replace the Chinese drywall, and clean up all exposed and contaminated areas. Suncoast will bring your Dwelling up to spec, eradicating all odor and contamination.
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