Defective Chinese Drywall
Southern states all across the US are beginning to ramp up their investigations into the nature of the defective drywall problems that have recently come to light. This cheap drywall, imported from China, has been emitting sulfur fumes in the houses in which it was installed, causing an unpleasant experience for all involved.
As the lawsuits begin to trickle out, so are high-profile inquiries into the nature of this beast. For instance, the University of Florida’s building and construction school has been tapped to look into that state’s drywall problems.
The leading speculation as to the origin of the defective drywall is that it was originally mixed with ash waste from coal mines in rural China. They have lower standards of safety over there, and this is probably why the problem arose. However, it should never have been allowed to be imported into the US, and somewhere heads are going to roll. As more lab work is done, more will come to light. In the meantime, homeowners all through the South are discovering that the houses that they had built over the last five or more years are starting to smell like rotten eggs.
Early estimates of the scope of this problem peg the potential number of affected houses at possibly 100,000. Why the cases are taking place in the South US is not currently known, but some think it is because the warmer weather is like a trigger that causes the drywall’s composition to change. I wonder if it is because of a few big building companies that tend to operate in the Southeast; maybe they all used the same Chinese exporter.
The company Knauf, located in China, has already admitted that some of its defective drywall complaints are specifically tied to a gypsum mine in Tianjin, which they no longer use at all. Who knows if they’re telling the truth.
My own personal belief is that this problem has barely even begun to rear its head. I hope I’m wrong, but that’s just my feeling. It reminds me a bit of the subprime credit crisis in how it sleeps for awhile before it blows up. Companies like Knauf really ought to take more precautions.
So the question becomes: who will pay for these homes to be stripped of their old, defective drywall and replaced? It may have to be the American companies, such as the builder Lennar Corp., who ultimately have to pay up in settlements. The number of lawsuits being filed is climbing like a rocket, as everyday a new homeowner wakes up to the smell of sulfur emanating from his very own walls.
If your home has been affected by this travesty, you need to know a couple basic things. Firstly, some people have reported getting sick but the full extent of that sickness is not really clear at this point. And secondly, you may want to consider your legal options.
Filed Under Chinese Drywall Inspection, Chinese Drywall Problems, Defective Chinese Drywall |
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