Archive for the ‘South Florida’ Category
Lennar Tots Up Chinese Drywall Damage
By JAMES R. HAGERTY
Lennar Corp. has identified about 400 homes in Florida that have confirmed problems with defective Chinese drywall and has set aside $39.8 million to repair the homes, the Miami-based home builder said in a securities filing Friday.
The figures are as of May 31, Lennar said.
Complaints about odors and corrosion blamed on defective drywall have been increasing for months. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CSPC, said in a letter to four U.S. Senators earlier this week that it has received more than 600 complaints relating to this drywall issue from 21 states and the District of Columbia. Most of the reports are from Florida, Louisiana and Virginia.
Lennar and some other builders have been forced to gut homes, mostly built in 2006 and 2007, to replace drywall, wiring and other fixtures.
Lennar said that it hasn’t yet found defective Chinese drywall in homes it built outside of Florida and that it isn’t yet able to “reasonably estimate its future exposure” to the problem, which has led to a spate of lawsuits against drywall suppliers and builders.
The builder said it has a $20.7 million receivable for covered damages under its insurance policies. Lennar said it is seeking reimbursement from subcontractors, insurers and others for costs the company expects to face in investigating the problems and repairing damaged homes.
Drywall, also known as wallboard, is made from gypsum coated with paper and is used in walls and ceilings.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124726920245725829.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Probes into Chinese drywall mount, but yield few answers for homeowners
By ALLISON ROSS
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 27, 2009
BOYNTON BEACH — Jimmy Diamond says he was flying high back in 2005. He and his wife had good jobs. They had just purchased a two-story, $600,000 home in an upscale Boynton Beach neighborhood.
But now Diamond rubs his face and laughs tiredly when asked what his plans for the future are.
Plasterboard problems
Although not every home in a development has problematic Chinese drywall, these communities have confirmed some properties were built with the material.
Woodfield, Vero Beach
Promenade at Tradition, Port St. Lucie
Cobblestone Creek, Boynton Beach
Mariner Village Townhomes, Stuart
“We have no plan,” Diamond said. “All I know is I’m screwed because I can’t sell my house.”
The Diamonds, who had lined up a buyer for their home, discovered that the development they live in, Cobblestone Creek, has houses with tainted Chinese drywall.
“We had to tell the buyer,” Diamond said. “They backed out the next day.”
The Chinese drywall controversy is snowballing: Investigators from the Consumer Product Safety Commission were in West Florida on Thursday testing homes with the suspect plasterboard. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is testing to determine whether the material can safely be tossed into landfills. And the Florida attorney general’s office has launched an investigation into Chinese drywall manufacturer Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. – a subsidiary of German company Knauf Gips KG – and drywall distributor L&W Supply Corp. – a subsidiary of U.S.-based USG Corp. – to determine whether any deceptive practices may have occurred in sales or marketing of Chinese-made drywall.
Used extensively in rebuilding following the hurricanes of 2004 and during the housing boom, Chinese-made drywall was an alternative to the U.S. product, which was in short supply. However, Florida Department of Health guidelines suggest the problem could go back to 2000.
It’s now believed that the material is throwing off foul-smelling sulfuric gas when exposed to heat and humidity. Those gases are also suspected as the cause of corroding wires, pipes, home fixtures and even jewelry.
On Monday, the Florida Department of Health released preliminary results of tests of Chinese drywall that eventually should help determine whether the tainted drywall poses a health risk. The results showed higher levels of organic material and sulfuric compounds – particularly strontium sulfide – than U.S.-made plasterboard.
State toxicologist David Krause said several more tests need to be conducted.
In the meantime, homeowners are left to try to figure out for themselves what to do next.
Thursday night, a group of about 150 Boynton Beach homeowners gathered outside the Cobblestone Creek community’s clubhouse to hear a presentation from a group of lawyers.
Some knew they had drywall in their homes; some weren’t sure. Others were simply scared.
“We put our life savings in this house,” said Tonya Radi, a resident in Cobblestone Creek who moved in about eight months ago. “This is the house we thought we’d live in for the next 20 years. What if it’s not healthy? I’m pregnant right now. Or what if people move out, what will that do to my (homeowners association) fees?”
A number of homeowners in the section of Cobblestone Creek built by developer Northstar Homes have complained of air conditioning coils that failed, strange odors and tarnished jewelry. A few have torn out pieces of the drywall in their attic to find the name of a Chinese drywall manufacturer printed on the back, they said.
Northstar did not return calls for comment
State and federal authorities are helping to find answers for homeowners, but all say that answers may be a long time coming.
A team of investigators – including an electrical engineer and a toxicologist – from the Consumer Product Safety Commission was in Southwest Florida beginning Thursday, testing affected homes for electrical corrosion risks and health risks associated with the drywall, commission spokesman Joe Martyak confirmed.
He said he didn’t know whether the investigators would soon be looking at homes in Palm Beach County or the Treasure Coast, where state officials have received reports.
“The government doesn’t know enough to give us an answer about whether this is safe or not, so I’m not going to put my children at risk,” said Alli Sirota, a Cobblestone Creek homeowner.
She has two small children and another one on the way, she said, and so she and her husband are hiring movers to move into a temporary place.
“I just need to get out,” she said. “I need to think about this one small step at a time or I will go nuts.”
Jimmy Diamond, who said he now can’t sell his home because it’s worthless, added, “The builder probably didn’t even know he was putting in bad product. But it still (stinks) that we tried to sell this house and couldn’t because of this drywall.”
Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2009/03/27/a1a_drywall_0328.html
Toxic Chinese Drywall Creates Big Headaches, and Much More
Two months ago I reported on the strange story of drywall manufactured in China that was allegedly emitting toxic odors and corroding plumbing and HVAC pipes in some new Florida homes. As I speculated at the time, this had the feel of a story that would be growing in significance in the months and years to come.
The Christian Science Monitor now reports that as many as 100,000 homes may be affected, with the reparation bill running into the billions of dollars. Florida homeowners are reporting a crazy list of symptoms arising from the presence of the sulfur-emitting drywall. They include “rotten egg” smell, rusted bath drains, dishwasher failure, discolored jewelry, and headaches and throat and sinus irritation.
Phew. All this from some drywall. At least so the victims have been led to believe. The U.S. suppliers and the builders refuse to take any responsibility, insurance companies claim they don’t know what to think and some lawmakers are urging the governor to declare the problem akin to a natural disaster. Suits have been filed, and some of the builders involved have declared bankruptcy. Meanwhile, some homeowners are stuck with houses they can neither live in safely nor repair. Some of the houses are being bulldozed. These are houses that are only a few years old!
What I have been unable to determine yet is where else this drywall ended up. Could any of us amateur remodelers have picked some up at the home improvement store? Did any of the stuff find its way to states other than Florida? Worth keeping an eye one, for sure.
Source: By Jeff Beneke, About.com Guide to Garages & Storage Spaces
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FEMA Help Sought For Chinese Drywall
Rep. Robert Wexler wrote Crist a letter Thursday asking for help. In the letter Wexler said the health and safety risks associated with Chinese drywall are similar to the impact of a hurricane or other natural disaster.
“This designation will allow state and local officials to work with these families to petition funds from FEMA that could help cover the substantial costs of removing Chinese drywall,” Wexler said.
Wexler and Sen. Bill Nelson are working toward a legislative ban on Chinese drywall.
At a meeting in Parkland Thursday night, residents gathered to discuss the impact that Chinese drywall has had on the value of their homes.
“Right now the house is worth zero,” Gary Schultheis told Local 10.
“We’re vacillating. One minute we’re staying, one minute we’re rebuilding, one minute we’re leaving. We don’t know what to do,” homeowner Mary Ann Schultheis told Local 10’s Rob Schmitt.
Residents believe sulfur in the drywall is destroying electronic equipment and anything that has copper wiring.
“We’re concerned about our health,” Gary Schultheis said. “If it does this to metal and wiring, I don’t think it could be very good for a human lung.”
A South Florida attorney who is working on a class action suit, told Local 10 that if the suit is approved, he would be representing tens of thousands of people.
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Toxic Chinese Drywall: Is It in Your Home?
CBS The Early Show, Featured, Green Home, Repairs and Installation, Safety and Security by Danny Lipford
Danny Discusses Chinese Wallboard on the Early Show
As if homeowners didn’t have enough to worry about, they can now add toxic gases emitted by imported Chinese drywall to the list. Increasing evidence indicates that some of the over 500 million pounds of drywall shipped to the U.S. from China during the housing boom following Hurricane Katrina contained potentially toxic materials that can release gases believed responsible for damaging homes and causing health problems.
Risks to Health and Home
Some homeowners with Chinese drywall report a strong sulfur smell, similar to that of rotten eggs, permeating their homes. Health problems are said to include headaches, respiratory ailments, irritated eyes, and nosebleeds. In addition, the toxic gas is thought to be responsible for corroding copper and tarnishing silver, resulting in the failure of everything from computers and TVs to air conditioners and refrigerators. Even electrical wiring and switches have been affected, as have the silver on mirrors and jewelry.
When Imported
Corroded copper in refrigerator.
According to estimates, approximately 20 million square feet of Chinese drywall has been imported into the U.S. since 2004. It’s thought to have been installed in somewhere between 50,000 to 100,000 homes. Problems have been reported so far in over a dozen states including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Homeowners in Florida have been the hardest hit, with over 140 complaints received and several class action lawsuits filed.
Tests Conducted
Tests recently conducted for the Florida Department of Health, found small amounts of the chemical strontium sulfide in samples of imported wallboard. When combined with humid air, trace amounts of the toxic gases hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, and carbonyl sulfide were released. Further testing will be conducted to determine more about the chemical makeup of the product and the amount of gas released.
Products Involved
Chinese drywall made by 20 different companies was imported into the U.S. between 2004 and 2008. Several of them—including Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin (KPT), Knauf Gips (KG), and Taishan Gypsum Co.—have been the focus of the lawsuits that have been filed to date.
What to Do
It’s impossible to determine the origin or manufacturer of installed drywall without removing sections of it, and even then, drywall is often poorly marked on the back or not marked at all. Since some imported drywall doesn’t appear to cause a problem, the best way to know if your house is at risk is the sulfur smell and by checking the copper in appliances for signs of corrosion. Tests on samples can then be conducted to confirm the presence of contaminants. If your drywall does have a problem, there is little that can be done to alleviate it other than tearing out all the drywall out and replacing it.
Source: http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/safety-and-security/toxic-chinese-drywall-is-it-in-your-home/
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Sens. Nelson, Landrieu call for recall, temporary ban on Chinese drywall imports
By ALLISON ROSS
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 30, 2009
U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson and Mary Landrieu have introduced a resolution and bill pressing the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall Chinese-made drywall and temporarily ban imports of the building material, as worries about the possible effects of the tainted product continue to grow.
Nelson, D-Fla., sent letters in February to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency, asking them to begin investigations into the imported plasterboard.
In February, a spokesman for the CPSC said that the agency had been looking into the issue before Nelson’s letter, but that the agency “appreciates his concern.”
The bill calls for a CPSC study carried out in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute for Standards and Technology. The study would examine samples of Chinese-made drywall used in homes in Florida as well as Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia.
Problems have been reported Viscaya in Delray Beach, the Promenade at Tradition in Port St. Lucie and Woodfield in Vero Beach among others.
Separately, the resolution calls on the CPSC, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to “take action on issues relating to drywall imported from China,” including creating a formal investigation, instituting a ban on importation of Chinese drywall or related building products, recalling hazardous Chinese drywall already in the country and seeking civil penalties against companies that produced or distributed hazardous drywall in the U.S.
Some Chinese-made wallboard has been found to emit sulfuric odors and gases thought to be responsible for corroding electrical wiring, air conditioning components, toilet handles and even jewelry.
“Anytime you have mounting evidence of potentially toxic goods you have an obligation to act quickly to protect consumers,” said Nelson said in a statement.
Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/health/epaper/2009/03/30/drywallbrief30_copy.html
Concerns about Chinese drywall used in SWFL
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Chinese drywall concerns – There are new concerns about Chinese drywall used in Southwest Florida. The drywall has been making people sick and leaving people with expensive home repairs.
It’s not just newer houses at risk. The big focus has been on houses built during the 2004 to 2006 construction boom. Hurricanes Charley and Wilma happened in those years. There was a huge drywall shortage during those times. Suppliers turned to China.
Della White, who runs Environmental Service Group in North Fort Myers, first started looking into the problem about six months ago.
“I talked to an HVAC contractor and he said it maybe something to do with the drywall. We’ve been having trouble with something… and it’s hush hush Della,” said White.
Until now.
Southwest Florida builders are getting complaints about people getting sick and foul smells.
“Like a new box of matches. You open a box it smells like that… sulphury,” said White.
And copper going bad… things like electrical wiring and air conditioner coils are costing homeowners big bucks.
“I had one person call me that’s concerned about what’s going on. So she took off the electrical outlets, because of the copper wire that’s in there, and it’s all black,” said White.
So far, everyone’s focusing on homes built in Florida during the 2004 to 2006 boom years. But the director of a certifying agency for indoor air quality inspectors says they’re expecting the problem to grow now in new Orleans because of Katrina repairs and a high demand for drywall he says people here who had wind and water damage from Charley and Wilma could have this problem too.
White says it’s something to watch out for. “Drywall replacement problem… Oh yes… absolutely… It depends on where the drywall comes from,” said White.
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Source: http://www.winknews.com/news/local/36655184.html