Tainted drywall: know the signs

Re: 'The not-so-great drywall of China' (Dec. 11)

Dear Editor:

As a homeowner with Chinese drywall and an attorney who now represents more than 300 clients with Chinese drywall, anyone purchasing a home should check to see if there are any signs of Chinese drywall. While the bulk of the homes with Chinese drywall were built between 2004 and 2007, Chinese drywall was installed in homes built in 2001 and, of course, anyone who has remodeled or replaced drywall could have Chinese drywall in their home.

Many people assume that there is no Chinese drywall if there is no odor. Not true. The level of odor varies greatly in each home, as does each person's ability to detect the odor. Of course, the strength of the odor also depends on how much drywall was used in the home and the quality of paint. Some homeowners report no smell, but their home clearly has Chinese drywall. In short, do not rely on your nose alone.

Chinese drywall corrodes copper and metal surfaces, including electrical wiring. Check the Freon line on the exterior of the air conditioner -- the line should be copper. The majority of homes with Chinese drywall have had air conditioning problems, specifically premature replacement of the evaporator coil. You should also check the electrical receptacles and switches to see if the ground wires are blackened. In a new home, the ground wire should be copper.

While real estate agents clearly have a duty to disclose known defects, sellers are not always as forthcoming, and I have personally seen homes where a seller has tried to clean copper throughout the house to mask the effects of Chinese drywall. Purchasers should also be very careful with foreclosures.

In addition to obtaining a standard disclosure from a seller, I recommend asking the seller to disclose all electrical and air conditioning problems. For older homes, it would be helpful to ask if there have been any renovations or replacement of drywall.

Allison Grant
Chinesedrywall.com
Boca Raton, Fla.

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