New Guidelines for the Remediation of Chinese Drywall Only Add to the Confusion
Several months ago I posted a BLOG describing how government bureaucrats were avoiding involvement with the issue of tainted drywall; and a couple of agencies have now acknowledged their responsibility to provide guidance. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have recently offered proposals and standards, but their new guidelines for the remediation of Chinese drywall only add to the confusion.
Additionally, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) has just released a 77 page document describing methods of identification and suggestions for remediation of defective drywall. But the new information seems to create more confusion than clarity, with research differing from the scope of repairs previously approved. And with thousands of homes and homeowners suffering the life-disrupting effects associated with the problem, and with others concerned that tainted drywall may exist in their homes, hopes for a rapid resolution seem as distant as ever.
While initial recommendations—including a ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Eldon Fallon—were that all wiring in affected homes should be removed, new research has suggested that the removal of high-voltage wiring is unnecessary. Unfortunately, the new study isn’t as irrefutable as some experts and homeowners would like; and a few vehemently disagree with the findings. Testing done at one lab has suggested that the PVC insulation surrounding residential wiring may block MOST of the sulfuric gasses emitted by Chinese drywall, and the lab’s recommendation is to remove only the exposed ends of wires that were attached to fixtures, then to strip a new section and reconnect.
However Sandia National Laboratories, the company hired by CPSC for the study, subjected electrical components to only eight weeks of testing, and while the tests were intended to simulate 40 years’ of exposure, critics say the results are incomplete. Some, such as Mike Foreman, a Sarasota construction consultant, and Richard Kampf, a Florida homeowner and former chief of staff for EPA in Philadelphia, fear that the limited testing may leave consumers at danger.
Additionally, a statement released by the CPSC states: . . . the CPSC has found a number of homes where problem drywall previously imported from China was not installed in homes until calendar year 2009. Previously, the CPSC believed that all such problem drywall installations were completed by the end of calendar year 2008. In this updated Identification Guidance for Homes with Corrosion from Problem Drywall as of March 18, 2011, the years of installation are adjusted accordingly, to include calendar year 2009.
And though the new guidelines are a step forward, it appears that more steps will need to be taken in order to resolve this costly and troublesome issue. With the HUD, CPSC and NAHB guidelines now in opposition to those of the federal judge in charge of court proceedings regarding Chinese drywall, the confusion for homeowners and contractors will continue; and further legal actions seem likely.
More information can be found by following these links:
The NAHB guidelines can be downloaded HERE.
CPSC and HUD Updated Remediation Protocol for Homes with Problem Drywall
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