Chinese Drywall Q&A

Chinese Drywall Questions & Answers
Prepared by John Pelland, Accent Construction & Remodeling LLC
Fort Myers, FL CRC1328285 Phone (239)989-7809 www.accentconstructionandremodeling.com


Q. What are some of the signs of defective Chinese drywall?
A. Many homes constructed with defective Chinese drywall have developed odors ranging from the smell of matches to that of rotten eggs. Repeated air conditioning system failures that require replacement of coils in air handler. Visible indications of corrosion and pitting on chrome plated faucets and sink drains. Blackening of metal jewelry, ornaments and mirrors. Appliances and electronics malfunctioning or not working altogether.
Q. In what years was this defective Chinese drywall installed in homes?
A. Mainly in the years 2004-2007, but found in homes built as early as 2001. Based upon shipping records experts feel as many as 36,000 homes in Florida could be affected.
Q. How does Chinese drywall affect My health?
A. As of now , there has been no data to show Chinese drywall causes any health problems. There have been, however, many reported instances of irritated eyes, sinus problems, sore throat, nose bleeds and headaches. The Florida Department of Health is currently studying the matter.
Q. What materials are in the defective Chinese drywall that are not in US manufactured drywall?
A. The Environmental Protection Agency released new information from recent tests conducted on the materials used in Chinese Drywall. The EPA reports that drywall produced in China contains sulfur, and two other organic compounds which are generally used in the production of acrylic paint. These materials are not used in the production of drywall made in the United States. The EPA also found that Chinese produced drywall contains 10-times the amount of strontium (a metallic element) than that of American made drywall.
Q. How can I determine if I have Chinese drywall?
A Unfortunately, there is no simple way to determine if you have defective Chinese drywall. If you are able to get to a location where the back of the sheetrock can be viewed, finding a marking that indicates it is “Made in China” is the most definitive method. The defective drywall may contain markings such as:
“CHINA”
“MADE IN CHINA”, or
“KNAUF- TIANJIN” which designates the specific manufacturer
Viewing the back of the drywall will often require the homeowner to enter the attic or crawl space and pull back the insulation. However, some of the drywall may have no discernible markings or it is possible that only a portion of the drywall used to construct the home was made in China. All US drywall has special markings on the edge tape. In addition to some of the visual signs mentioned above, we feel one of the best ways to determine if you might have a problem is to pull off electrical cover plates from plugs and switches and look at the ground wire, it should be copper in color not black.
Q. Is all Chinese drywall defective?
A. No. BNBM Chinese drywall does not appear to be defective. This brand has been ISO approved for manufacturing export. It has no detectable odor and testing has shown no contamination problems.
Q. What sheet sizes and thickness did this defective Chinese drywall come in?
A. The defective Chinese drywall came in ½” thick by 4’x12’ sheets only. Green board or water resistant drywall for behind tile is not Chinese drywall and Fire rated 5/8” thick drywall is not Chinese drywall.
Q. Should I hire an inspection company to determine if I have defective Chinese drywall?
A. If you are experiencing several of the signs mentioned above and your home was built between 2004-2007 but you just aren’t sure if you have defective Chinese drywall we do recommend hiring a qualified company to inspect.
Q. What type of company should I hire to remove the defective Chinese drywall and restore our home?
A. Because of the large scope and nature of removing this defective drywall from many homes we only recommend hiring an experienced Florida Certified General Contractor. The contractor you hire should be able to answer all your questions including: what are your procedures and guidelines for removal, are there currently any state guidelines or protocol for removal, what permits are required for this job, what type of insurance do you carry, are you a Florida Certified Contractor, how will you assure me 100% of defective drywall will be removed, how long will it take to complete job and how will I know all your suppliers and subcontractors were paid in full. Accent Construction is a Florida Certified Residential Contractor and provides this information to each and every client.
Q. Does all of the dry wall need to be replaced?
A. It depends on the amount of defective Chinese drywall and how spread out it is in the residence. If defective drywall is limited to a single room or area, than it might be possible to contain and repair that area alone. If the defective drywall is randomly spread throughout residence than it is likely that all drywall will need to be removed and replaced.
Q. Does all the electrical wiring, plugs, switches, breakers and fixtures need to be replaced?
A. We do not feel wiring needs to be replaced but the exposed copper ends of wires should be cleaned. We do feel corroded/tarnished breakers, plugs, switches and smoke detectors should be replaced. Some light fixtures will need replacing depending upon extent of corrosion.
Q. Can we save the cabinets and counter tops?
A. Most cabinetry can be properly removed and stored for reinstallation. Built in cabinets and wall units will probably need replacing. Laminate countertops can possibly be removed, stored and reinstalled. Granite and solid surface countertops have a higher chance of being damaged during removal so they might need replacement.
Q. Do I need to replace my entire air conditioning system?
A. Most if not all of the copper components in air handler unit including the copper coil system will need to be replaced. Other components will require inspection, cleaning and servicing.
Q. What plumbing fixtures and valves will need to be replaced?
A. Many chrome plated items such as faucets and drains become pitted and corroded so they will need replacement. Other metal valves and piping will need to be inspected to determine whether they can be cleaned or will require replacement.
Q. How much will repairing the defective drywall cost?
A. Every home will be different based on its own circumstances such as how much defective drywall is in residence, how much damage has been caused, height of walls and ceilings, complexity of job, access to residence, and so on. We have come up with an average cost based upon our experience with removal and restoration of this defective drywall to be around $40 per square foot. This amount is based upon a mid range home.
Q. Does the insulation, carpet and padding have to be replaced ?
A. To be safe, we believe porous items like these should be replaced because of cross contamination.
Q. How long will it take to remove the Chinese Drywall and repair my Home?
A. Most residences can be remediated in 3-6 months depending upon size and nature of job.
Q. How can I be assured that the company I hire for removal and restoration will do job properly?
A. Ask a lot of questions up front, make sure everything is in writing, make sure company is a Florida Certified General Contractor, get a third party inspection to verify and document removal of all defective drywall and proper cleaning and neutralizing of site. Make sure they follow state and local guidelines for removal and repair as they become available.