Message Board
I have Chinese Drywall, I’m located in South Florida. I created this website to help homeowners and to help get an understanding of how widespread this disaster is. If you have Chinese drywall I want to hear from you, please register.
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Hi guys, I’m the guy the contractors pick-up and drop off at your house to fix it.
You can fix your house for a fraction the quotes flying around and without tearing down the building, all you have to do is roll up your sleeves and do a little work yourself and a year from now drywall from china will be a bad fading memory.
Hanging drywall is so easy a child can do it, finishing drywall is a little trickier.
Ready? you’re going to need:
1. A pickup truck/trailer or dumpster (U-Haul/WD)
2. Drywall supplies, joint compound, tape, edge metal, drill, screws etc (home depot, Lowes etc.)
3. Paint, paint supplies
4. Vaccum, heavy duty fans, cleaning supplies.
5. One hard worker (yourself?)
How to:
1. Cover all tiles, vents etc, and label and remove light switches, baseboard, countertops, cabinets, mirrors, leave stuff like the kitchen hood, gas water heater etc hanging.
2. Tear off all the drywall clean (soap and water people) the walls, studs, inspect the damage, if you got carpet it’s got to go.
3. Hang drywall, finish the walls, PAINT, repair and return everything cabinets, switches, tiles, etc.
4. Move in and forget.
A couple a gotcha’s; this is all labor intensive a one floor 3000sqft bldg can take one hard working guy with an occasional helper working 40hrs/wk 6 months, someone’s got to watch the dumpster, aluminum and copper in the house, if you got electrical damage you MUST get a certified electrician/plumber, contractors will be like ” the charge for installing insulation wasn’t included, I’m going to have to charge extra” and don’t forget to document all damage/take samples.
I am a struggling african artist (computer animation) I have been dry-walling for 7yrs and have done restoration from mold damage for a couple of years and if you’re in south florida for $17/hr I can help get you back in your crib in 6 months. Call 9548048268 Ill jumps on my bicycle and give you a hand.
There is a simple way to find out if your drywall is defective. Do a “jar test”. It works everytime. We have different kinds of drywall in our home… some is bad and some is not. This is what you need: Glass mason jars (Publix has them), distilled water, aluminum foil, a metal baking pan, insulated copper wire, or some type of copper wire. (Not pennies, there isn’t enough copper in them). Steps: collect your drywall samples. Test every kind you have if they are different manufacturers. Next, cut the drywall into small blocks that will fit inside the jar. Remove the paper from the back of the drywall because some claim it affects the results. You won’t get it all off, but peel off as much as possible. Pour about 1/4 cup of distilled water in the bottom of the jar before adding the drywall. Cover the top of the jar with aluminum foil and poke the copper wire through the foil, leaving the tail bent over the top of the foil on the outside. Make sure there is enough wire in the jar, but not touching the drywall. Cook it on the lowest temp on the grill and within 24 hrs (or less) the copper will blacken if defective. Our worst pieces only took 4-6 hrs to start corroding. You will be amazed at the results! After the time is up, or the wire in the jar is black, let the jar cool. Do not sniff the drywall because it is dangerous! The chemicals off-gas greatly at the high temp. If you can, video tape your experiment and results to use as evidence. Good luck and post your results, I’d love to know! We’re all in this together!
Today, August 1, 2009, I looked at a house (for sale) at 3837 NE 19th Ave, 33909 (in Cape Coral).
The builder is Paul Hansen (Hansen Homes) in 2005. The price ($65,000) is very low for a 1700+ sq ft.
house on a fresh-water canal. I believe that I have found obvious signs of chinese-drywall.
Tomorrow, Sunday, August 2, 2009, at 9:00pm, the Realitor (Amy Ivey) will sell the house to highest bidder.
She does not come near the house and does not answer her telephone about the house; instead,
referring to other real estate personel that do not work with her.
Anyway, when my wife heard the price of this house, she wanted to buy it and resell it. I investigated,
because, I am old and know it appears too good a deal to be a good value.
We have CDW too. I feel so sorry for all of you. We couldn’t live in our home anymore. We were all very sick and even the dog was seizuring. Don’t wait for some professional to tell you the drywall is harmful… it is! We all feel like different people now and my dog is back to drinking only 2 bowls of water a day, instead of 8! Get out of your house and get your drywall tested. We did copper corrosion tests and found out exactly which boards (98% of them) were toxic. Get out of your homes now, even if you have to walk away. There are homes to rent, and your health is what is important. It’s hard to leave… but it is the right decision. Now, when we go back to our house we have to wear masks.
Why look to China or their companies to claim, we need an immediate solution to our problem. There are also here big responsible companies that took advantage over the good time of construction to fill their pockets here in our country, For example LA SUPREMA ENTERPRISES Located in Aventura Florida.
They are the ones who should respond financially to our expenses and our damages. If they are easily identifiable, what are waiting to catch them
Is there anybody from OKALOOSA COUNTY (FL) that has Chinese Drywall? I have had my coil replaced three times now!!! My micorwave touch key pad has stopped working (only about two buttons work at this point), this unit is less than a year old. I imagine more things will break down with time. My coil was totally black (those half rings) and the wires in my home are also black. My drywall does have the china stamp on it.
Has anybody out there had any resolve at this point?
FYI-here is a pretty good article-I guess is okay to share it.
http://www.constructionlawmonitor.com/articles/chinese-drywall-1/
keepourheads ..
don’t think this is a site for political views on foreign affairs. Lets stay on tract here..
DO YOU HAVE THIS TAINTED STUFF? How is your family’s health? Did you find another place to live yet? Hope you can keep your kids in the same school district. How successful have you been with arranging for someone “else” to tear all your sheetrock out and replace it? How long will it take? I havn’t gotten all my estimates yet..but it is kind of pricey.
The mortgage company is not too excited about extending more $ to front the costs but the demo-crew is not excited about collecting their pay on a contingency basis. Open to suggestions here..
“The First Rule is that the Chinese are primarily interested in the money. The Second Rule is, look at Rule One.”
Alright, Chris Hill, we all know you hate china.
“They will do anything to get and keep the money, anything.”
And Americans will do anything for oil, including invading another country and raping and killing.
Give me a break.
I hope this is all resolved soon, but let’s keep our heads and refrain from demonizing china when there isn’t any scientific proof.
Albert – I have a house in Pensacola that has Chinese Sheetrock. We recently moved the homeowner to another house without Chinese Sheetrock. If you will call me at 251-345-1247 I can arrage for you to get as many samples of the sheetrock as you need. c. stefan
If there is anyone in St lucie county, Fl on this site, please contact me.. Our family has so many questions as to what everyone else is doing. Is your insurance company honoring your claim? Is your mortage company defering payments? Are you having to forclose? We just found out this week that our home is infested with this stuff and have no idea what to do…..
SCStang98@aol.com
Albert-
Knauf hired a firm that wants to get a sampling of the sheetrock in my house..they want 6 sample pieces of rock that are 12″x12″. They will conduct NO air quality test, some moisture tests, take pics of the corrosion on the electrical outlets/AC coils and get this…NOW they are looking for specific “numbers” on the rock…just having their names printed all over it KNAUF TIANJIAN CHINA is not sufficient??? The testing company is out of Miami. I have to call them back to assure that I will get a copy of the findings. Maybe I should forward same split samples to you..
Has ANYONE else out there had Knauf sample their home?
Thanks.
We are a new company, located in north-west florida. We are in need of a sample piece of toxic drywall. We have a machine that gives chemical readings. We can test the drywall without cutting and spreading the toxins in the air. We have a few sample pieces (6inchesX6inches) but we are in need of more to qualify our company. Many state people and goverment workers dont want us to do this becuase we would only charge $275.00 per house, while other companys charge $500.00 to $1800.00 to check with only visual inspections. I hope someone can help and in return we will offer a free insepection with a print out if your drywall comes back tainted.
THANK YOU
Albertfreeland@cox.net
Yes, I have the bad stuff. I am trying to evacuate my home…before hurricane season even gets here.
I heard on the news, that 1 in every 5 American homes have a mortgage that exceeds their home’s market value. I have just found out that I am in that crowd too…
My throat is scratchy . I am afraid to have my kids over to visit.
My house has no odor …YET. I had a lengthy conversation with an enviornmental worker-friend …he recommends to get out ASAP..
Some neighbors are going to just give their home back to the bank…they need to get out with their kids.
I will loose in excess of $125,000 — CASH—- I really can’t afford to give it back to bank. I am going to try redhibition and “un-do” my purchase…think the contractor will go for that?????
I am curious, how many homes in the New Orleans and surrounding areas are affected and how many people just don’t know, yet. How many SCHOOLS, CLINICS, commercial bldgs, apartments, retail spaces, restaruants are built with this stuff? EVERYTHING GOT REBUILT IN NEW ORLEANS.
WHY ever, would one think it’s confined soley to our (residential) homes.?
Thanks for your imput. I may need your info when we get to court…In the mean time, I am going to start packing.
ginger,
It’s true that of the hundred plus drywall manufacturers in China, only a handfull have produced a toxic product.
There isn’t much confusion as to which product one has.
Good drywall does not eat metal or people. Bad drywall does. There is one common symptom EVERY home with the toxic drywall has- copper turns black and corrodes. This does not happen in homes with good drywall.
Yes, this is a big mess for the government to have to sort out, regarding imports and customs and new regulations ect.
For now, I would just be tickled pink, if our negligent government would at least put a ban and recall on the toxic stuff for a start, until they sort the rest of it out.
Independent investigators know exactly which Chinese manufacturers made the toxic junk, and which U.S. importers brought it in, and who was supplying it.
Tests have already proved what toxic and corrosive chemicals are found within the bad drywall. To name a “few”, hydrogen sulfide, sulphur dioxide, carbonyl disulfide, and off course when they meet moisture they create sulphuric acids.
These chemicals are a health hazzard. People have been complaining g of chronic health problems since they have been living in these toxic gas chambers. They are telling everyone what the short term health hazzards of living in a Chinese drywall home are. Many are forced to flee their health gets so bad, and or are being told by their doctors to GET OUT, because they don’t have an anti-biotic for this and are tired of the chronic visits from families over the same problems that won’t go away.
All of these people, living in the effected homes are the first case study for research , regarding low level chronic DOMESTIC exposure.
There is no adequate reference research for low level chronic domestic exposure to this chemical cocktail of gases, for infants, young children, men, women, the elderly, sensitives and pets. The best they have for referencing research is studies on healthy men, for limited exposure times, in the work place. If a study says, 1 part per million of chemical X is okay for up to 4 hours, that does not mean, 1 part per million is okay for a baby sleeping in a home 24/7.
The other issue is, that research on healthy men in the work place, is related to the effects of a singular chemical. There is none , even in the work place, for the chemical cocktail found in this drywall.
The people need to do their own research and be smart enough to realize that no one is in a position to make any claims about exposure effects of this drywall to health besides the people living in these homes.
I can tell you now, that I am aware of some more serious cases that have not been reported by the media yet, such as a 4 year old girl with emphasema, a 6 year old boy who was rushed to the hospital with seizures, a 7 year old boy who was diagnosed with an auto immune disorder, and a 10 year old boy, diagonsed with asthma, all after they had been living in these homes. Those are all problems to expect, at higher exposure levels. Who knows what other more serious problems are not being reported, or made known to the Health Department or Consumer Product Safety Department.
People also need to know, that the immune system can loose tolerance over time to low level exposure, and as it does, it takes lesser amounts, to bring on the symptoms of higher exposure levels. The health effects of living in these homes, gets worse with time, not better.
My contractor’s distributor said that Chinese drywall has been imported and used in the United States for the past 10 yrs-with no ill effects. If this is true, then ALL drywall marked CHINA is not necessarily defective??? If test results deem the drywall safe and non-toxic, will there be a certificate to document such and what agency will issue it ? Will I be able to re-sell my house?
If test results prove the drywall contaminated and a human health hazard, then who is in charge and what type of procedures will be implemented for the bad drywall’s disposal…? Who polices such? How can the EPA or DEQ not be totally involved in all of this?
Dear All, I have lived in China for a number of years and am familiar with the business practices, politics and ethics of Chinese nationals.
The First Rule is that the Chinese are primarily interested in the money. The Second Rule is, look at Rule One.
They will do anything to get and keep the money, anything.
Let’s for a moment think about the situation if the circumstances were reversed.
A US based company, exports drywall to various countries and also sells to US companies.
Reports come in from China, UK, Germany, France, Spain etc of corrosion of copper, Hydrogen Sulphide and Sulfur dioxide emitted from the drywall manufactured and exported from the US.
The first thing that would happen is that the media, both US and international would ferret out the facts and the truth would come out and be made available to the general public.
Ultimately, Civil action would be taken in US against the manufacturers and they would be made liable in the the US courts.
However in China practically the opposite would happen.
The first thing is the fact that the media in China is not free. Every newspaper, television, book, magazine and website is censored. As are all blogs, MSN chats, forums as are all Google searches. ( and the Chinese equivalent.) Access to non Chinese websites deemed unsuitable are also blocked sometime whole domains, sometimes individual pages. In addition access to Chinese websites is also blocked from outside China to stop people viewing Chinese websites which may be used for research.
In addition there is no privacy in email, telephone or postal communication.
The Chinese government is engaged in a huge centralized public relations campaign, trying to project an image of China as a good, just nation. It is not. Do not be fooled.
The government will get involved in covering up the problems related to this drywall and will make it difficult, near impossible for anyone to recover any money from those responsible.
Foreign journalists in China are tracked, bugged and harassed in China.
As for the people in the companies, even if they knew that the drywall was harmful, they would just try and get the money anyway. Look at what happened with the baby powder, the people involved knew it was harmful and did nothing and this was to their own citizens.
Check out this blog to get an idea of the legal issues:
http://www.chinalawblog.com/2009/01/chinese_drywall_if_you_think_t.html