New Rules Set Requirements for Contaminated Drywall in Homes
February 2nd, 2010
In a positive step forward last week, the federal government defined what homeowners must do to formally determine that they have contaminated drywall in their home. These requirements are useful because they not only establish what evidence a homeowner must collect to prove they have a problem, but should help ensure homeowners do not destroy evidence when remodeling if they later want to take part in a lawsuit and/or obtain proposed government financial assistance.
When gathering the required contaminated drywall evidence, homeowners need to look for and document signs of corrosion such as blackened copper wiring and blackened air-conditioned evaporator coils. Other evidence should be gathered such as documenting that the drywall was made in China. A photographic catalog of these markings can be found here. Pictures and/or a third party report of these findings is always advised to ensure the evidence is gathered and documented with objectivity and clarity.
A homeowner can also hire a firm (home inspector, home forensic firm or environmental consulting company) to test for chemicals in the home and/or in a specific sheet of drywall or copper piping. Again, results should be documented and retained by the homeowner. But be careful. There currently are no set standards or practices these firms must adhere to when reviewing and documenting drywall contamination so make sure you understand what they will and will not test for, as well as the associated costs since many simple tests can start anywhere from $400-$800.
As part of this process, homeowners must have documented evidence of when their drywall was installed during the known contamination period between 2001 and 2008. This installation date determines how many pieces of evidence the homeowner must gather to support their claim on drywall contamination. Government rules mandate that if the drywall was installed between 2005 and 2008, a homeowner needs to find only 2 pieces of corroborating evidence. Drywall installed between 2001-2004, however, requires that four pieces of corroborating evidence be gathered.
The next step the government needs to take for those unfortunate homeowners caught up in this mess is to outline the proper remediation process for handling and destroying contaminated drywall. Right now, some people are taking the drywall out themselves, often putting it out with the local trash so they can quickly and cheaply get rid of it. Others go to the opposite extreme – hiring men in airtight bunny suits to remove the contaminated walls in a manner similar to how asbestos is handled. Either way, the need is the same – to remove the dangerous drywall from the home and make it habitable again for the owners.
I’d love to hear your comments on this blog! Feel free to contact me also with questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.
Posted by:
Patricia Bennett
February 3rd, 2010 at 09:04 PM I am a Disabled Veteran that was exposed to Agent Orange, and now I am a victim again with Chinese Drywall/Domestic Drywall in my home in North Port Florida. I am contacting any and all Congressmen and Senators, Govenors, and etc. to help our cause in this Disaster right here in America. If you are infected with Chinese Drywall, or are unsure Please contact me by email and I will try to assist you, so that you don't make the same mistakes that I and other victims have made. My email is PTGBB@webtv.net. You can also sign up at a website developed for Chinese Drywall Victims. That address is ChineseDrywallVictimsNetwork.info