Chinese drywall in your SW FL home............. (Cape Coral, Palatka: foreclosed, renting)
Fort Myers - Cape Coral areaLee County
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As much as we all learn from your experiences, I would recommend that if you are in the process of legal action that you not post too much information that can be linked to you or others that may be named in this action. You may not think you can be identified but you would be surprised especially with the incredible amount of liability that is at stake.
I hope that anyone that has been damaged in any way by this toxic garbage will be compensated fully to your satisfaction.
Homestager, is it possible for a seller to cover up the problem? I mean, what if someone replaced the wiring and the coils before putting an affected house on the market? I'd rather buy a home built before 2005 than to worry about it. I already bought one house that was a nightmare!
Someone could try. It would cost a lot to do just that much.
At the rate this stuff seems to turn copper black in a newer home, they would have to be able to list, show, and close on it within 8 weeks tops. It'll be blackening up again by then. Silver and copper can start the blackening within just a few weeks where the concentrations of the gasses are worse in the home.
A home built in 2001 was found with it. They are finding it in 2008 homes now, and this drywall is still for sale in Florida.
Unless someone within the government labels it a health hazzard, it can not be recalled, and it will continue being sold and used.
That is why it is so important, for anyone having the symptoms, to contact the health department and their local and state representatives.
I read today from Americas Watch Dog group, that the toxic drywall has now been found in 41 states.
Defective Chinese Drywall Could Be in Dozens of Other States (http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/4913 - broken link)
Besides, someone trying to pull a fast one by replacing black copper and listing their home, is taking a huge chance hoping they will not get sued for non disclosures issues later. They could loose more then if they just walked away from the place.
I do hope that anyone who ends up having to walk away for health reasons, at least lets the bank know the home was built with toxic drywall, so the bank will disclose it when they try to sell it.
I hope anyone that discovers they have it finds remedy quickly too.
I think it's wise to start sending e-mails to your elected government officials. This toxic junk from China coming into the country is getting ridiculous.
What good are having U.S. safety regulations, if our country imports products from countries that do not have them, and we have no one here checking if the products meet our safety standards before they hit the shelves.
The following in quotes is taken from this link- Look at the photos. China doesn't even care about polluting their own citizens with their industrial toxic waste. Note how they mention their burning of coal being one of their worst pollutants. It's the untreated toxic flyash from some of their coal plants that is dumped into the drywall as a filler.
As a result of the rapid industrialization of the past decades and loose regulations on emissions, China has become one of the world’s biggest polluters. In fact, a recent study by the World Bank found that China was home to sixteen of the twenty most polluted cities in the world.
China’s pollution is having a devastating impact on its citizens. An estimated 300,000 people die each year as a result of respiratory illnesses caused by air pollution and most of China’s waterways are heavily polluted from the dumping of untreated human waste as well as toxic waste from coal and chemical plants. Half of the country’s population has to contend with contaminated drinking water and acid rain is having a negative impact on crop yields in many areas. Meanwhile, clouds of smog envelope many of China’s cities making blue skies a thing of the past.
The main cause of China’s pollution problem is the heavy consumption of coal which is used for everything from creating electricity to cooking and heating in Chinese homes.
i looked at a house last week built in 2007 I pulled 3 outlets all black. I said to the realtor, it looks like there is evidence of chinese drywall. She said "well the only way to confirm that is to have lab tests." And I said well I'm going to make an offer on the house as if it has it and I'd have to rip out all drywall , insulation, electrical wiring, copper piping, and carpets. Her response " well there is no proof that there is any health risk, and there may be other remedies like air purification systems. Needless to say I decided not to pursue. But I doubt the realtor is going to say anything to the next potential buyer or that it will show up in any property disclosure
I read that Lennar is helping some of the residents get into other homes, but that good will is going to end soon, if it hasn't already. I also read that a law firm in Ft. Myers, I think Morgan & Morgan, has filed the first class action lawsuit in the country on behalf of homeowners. This is a terrible thing for homeowners to have to put up with. One lady was complaining about her dogs being very sick, her jewelry and pipes corroding and certain rooms smelling like rotten eggs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by coastalrap
As much as we all learn from your experiences, I would recommend that if you are in the process of legal action that you not post too much information that can be linked to you or others that may be named in this action. You may not think you can be identified but you would be surprised especially with the incredible amount of liability that is at stake.
I hope that anyone that has been damaged in any way by this toxic garbage will be compensated fully to your satisfaction.
I used to work for an architect whom does most of his business in Florida (he's from there) and has offices here in PA. He always told me, never buy a house younger than 10 years old. He had many reasons and all of them made sense. He specializes in being an expert speaker / witness in cases where homeowners had mold, moisture issues especially down in Florida. He's a brilliant man and his wife is also an architect. They really know their stuff. I believe him when he says not to buy a home newer than 10 years old. I feel for all of you who are now going through issues due to moisture, shoddy builders, etc... It was quite an education working for him and seeing all of the cases he was asked to be an expert witness in. Quite interesting!
It was reported today in the paper that some US companies purchased this in bulk and had it labeled in their USA name, so KNAUF will not appear ......
I'm not saying that is true, BUT...............
Two weeks ago, I was in a Lehigh Acres home (built in 2005). The home showed several symptoms of "Chinese Drywall". The copper ground wires behind electrical outlets and switch cover plates were black. The copper supply lines under the bathroom sink and toilet shut off valves were black. I didn't smell the odor as much as in other homes, but I had the "copper penny in my mouth" taste (that's the only way I can accurately explain it, lol). After pulling away several pieces of attic insulation, all I could see written was National Gypsum/North Carolina. I was even able to see the back of an interior wall from a tub access, which also read National Gypsum.
Not even a week later, I was in a NW Cape Coral Home (built in 2006). The smell was quite strong but all the evidence mentioned above was apparent. The plumbing fixtures also had black "spotty" corrosion. Once again, I pulled back several pieces of insulation in different areas of the attic only to see the same company name, National Gypsum.
I understand that some homes had a combination of American and Chinese drywall installed, but I do find it quite coincidental that this name has showed up in several other SW FL homes experiencing the same corrosion issues.
Simply ripping out the Chinese drywall and replacing it is not the solution either.
From a recent Herald Tribune article:
"Sulfur gases being emitted from the Chinese-made material have been tied to corrosion and blackening of pipes and wiring in homes. Now, Tannenbaum is raising concerns about whether the nails and framing components might be affected.
Galvanized metal has showed signs of damage in other houses constructed with Chinese drywall, said Michael Foreman, head of the Sarasota construction consulting firm Foreman & Associates, which has been investigating the drywall issue statewide.
"The chemical reactions are basically deteriorating the galvanizing material. This is causing the metal to rust and lose its structural integrity."
i looked at a house last week built in 2007 I pulled 3 outlets all black. I said to the realtor, it looks like there is evidence of chinese drywall. She said "well the only way to confirm that is to have lab tests." And I said well I'm going to make an offer on the house as if it has it and I'd have to rip out all drywall , insulation, electrical wiring, copper piping, and carpets. Her response " well there is no proof that there is any health risk, and there may be other remedies like air purification systems. Needless to say I decided not to pursue. But I doubt the realtor is going to say anything to the next potential buyer or that it will show up in any property disclosure
Smart to do a quick check on your own. That was a stupid remark from the realtor. She is not an expert and should keep her mouth shut with her ideas of what has been proved and remedies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by andreaspercheron
I used to work for an architect whom does most of his business in Florida (he's from there) and has offices here in PA. He always told me, never buy a house younger than 10 years old. He had many reasons and all of them made sense. He specializes in being an expert speaker / witness in cases where homeowners had mold, moisture issues especially down in Florida. He's a brilliant man and his wife is also an architect. They really know their stuff. I believe him when he says not to buy a home newer than 10 years old. I feel for all of you who are now going through issues due to moisture, shoddy builders, etc... It was quite an education working for him and seeing all of the cases he was asked to be an expert witness in. Quite interesting!
And I would (almost) never buy a home older than 10 years old. While there may be from time to time a quality issue that surfaces there are always issues with aging homes. Roofs, water heaters, windows plumbing fixtures, built to older codes etc. etc. Then on top of that, you have an obsolete floor plan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by whitesandbeachbum
Simply ripping out the Chinese drywall and replacing it is not the solution either.
From a recent Herald Tribune article:
"Sulfur gases being emitted from the Chinese-made material have been tied to corrosion and blackening of pipes and wiring in homes. Now, Tannenbaum is raising concerns about whether the nails and framing components might be affected.
Galvanized metal has showed signs of damage in other houses constructed with Chinese drywall, said Michael Foreman, head of the Sarasota construction consulting firm Foreman & Associates, which has been investigating the drywall issue statewide.
"The chemical reactions are basically deteriorating the galvanizing material. This is causing the metal to rust and lose its structural integrity."
Joe
If that's the case the best remedy may be total razing, why take a chance on what little is left.
Here's more from another article in the Herald Tribune:
The results of chemical tests of Chinese drywall blamed for corrosion and possible health problems confirms that the product emits gases that cause fouls odors and also fosters corrosive reactions in a home's air-conditioning system.
"The odor that has been described by investigators and homeowners in Florida residences originated from the emission of volatile sulfur compounds," wrote Lori A. Streit, a chemical analyst with Aurora, Ill.-based Unified Engineering.
"There is a distinct difference in drywall that was manufactured in the United States," Streit said.
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