Real Estate Practitioners and Consumers alike need to know and understand, that homes constructed or remodeled with dry wall, made in China, may pose a serious health threat to the occupants. Disregarding the threat is foolishness at best and could have negative financial consequences for all concerned.
Recently the federal government reported that it has found a "strong association" between problematic imported Chinese drywall and corrosion of pipes and wires, a conclusion that supports complaints by thousands of homeowners.
Further, a report on defective building materials, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said its investigation also has found a "possible" link between health problems reported by homeowners and higher-than-normal levels of hydrogen sulfide gas emitted from the wallboard coupled with formaldehyde, which is commonly found in new houses.
An ongoing study is underway by the Product Safety commission, Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control to determine whether or not a health threat exists and the long-term implications of the corrosion.
Homeowners who bought new houses built with the imported Chinese building products, during the height of the U.S. building boom, 2004 and 2008, are finding their lives in limbo as hundreds of lawsuits against builders, contractors, suppliers and manufacturers wind through the courts.
An Associated Press analysis of shipping records found that more than 500 million pounds of Chinese gypsum board was imported, enough to have built tens of thousands of homes. Areas with the heaviest concentration of Chinese drywall issues reported are in Southeast, particularly Florida and areas of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Having received more than 2,000 homeowner complaints from 32 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, the CPSC has spent more than $3.5 million on the studies, in what is now the largest consumer product investigation in U.S. history.
The fed has reported that China is cooperating in the ongoing investigation and officials caution that not all Chinese drywall is necessarily problematic and that homes with American-made drywall also are being studied.
What to look for...
1.) Homes built or remodeled after 2003.
2.) Rotten-egg odor.
3.) Corroding copper pipes in air conditioning air handler interiors.
4.) Excessive and premature corrosion on interior plumbing fixtures.
5.) Blackening jewelry and silverware.
Go to the Drywall Information Center for more information about Chinese drywall and indoor air quality issues.
When buying or selling a home, there are many potential issues to be aware of, which is why we highly recommend and routinely engage the services of the appropriate professionals throughout each step of the real estate transaction.
Please contact us for all of your Pinehurst North Carolina area real estate and relocation needs.
Thank you for your interest and the privilege of serving you!
With our highest regard,
Wayne and Lynda Gomillion
Trusted Names in Real Estate
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