Chinese Drywall, Defective drywall?? What is it really?? - I have heard a few stories about "Chinese Drywall" Also known as "Defective drywall". One is that after the hurricane Charley, hit that was also the boom of new construction here in the SW Florida area. No one ever heard of those 2 words Chinese Drywall or Defective Drywall not until around the end of 2009 beginning of 2010.
Hearing more and more about homes containing this materials. How would you know you had it? Good question some say it gives off a sulfur odor...I personally say it smells like sulfur from striking a match. Others will tell you it smells like rotten eggs. People who were living in these home were getting sick, some had sinus problems, bleeding nose, shore throat and dry cough. Than A/C units needing replaced, refrigerators not staying cool enough, all in new homes.
While the construction boom was going on and after Charley, we also know now that it was also used to rebuild some Louisiana homes damaged by hurricane Rita.
My husband and I were out with a builder who was building homes at the time of the boom. He was approached by a salesman trying to sell him this board. When he talked to his drywallers they said stay away from it! It doesn't smell right, it doesn't cut right their is just something not right about that board! So, he never used it. But what he did tell us is that the price would have saved him 1,000.00. per home (depending of course on the size). Now, what doest that tell you? Yes, in fact you can drive by a house and know it has Chinese Drywall also known as Defective Drywall, by the builder. Not all the homes have it but pretty much most of them do.
As time has gone on, I have been in more homes with it than I wanted to. When I leave the home I smell it, taste it and than get a headache from it. Yes, it is that bad! Signs that I know what to look for to "suspect" that the home has it is the wires hanging out of the wall, the copper will be black. The copper under the kitchen sink will also be black, and the mirrors in the bathrooms the back around the edges will look like they are peeling away.
Than we find out its not called Chinese Drywall any more its now called Defective Drywall. Why, because American suppliers purchased the board stamped their name on it and sold it. They to were experiencing the shortage of materials.
Well, I like to recommend to my buyer do their research before purchasing a home with it or a home that has been remediated. I personally feel we don't have enough information about the long term effects, or how re-sale of the home will be in the future. Chinese Drywall, Defective Drywall, what does the future have in store for us? Will it effect value?
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