any chinese drywall experts out there?

looking to buy a 2006-07 lakehouse in Alabama. My research suggests it may have been here at that time.

Home inspection is Tuesday the 26th. He says he is familiar with the topic.

Any wisdom here?

Thanks

Data

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

I think you are wise to hear what he has to say on the subject. Not sure how they would identify chinee drywall but maybe the experts have a way to tell. I am also sure that not every house built within a certain time period used the stuff.

In the meanst while, try googling the subject and maybe there will be something to sink your teeth into.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

I believe they can take a sample of the drywall to be tested. (If the owners allow it)

Otherwise you'd have to see if the contractor/drywaller knows what kind of drywall was installed.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

I am an insurance adjuster. Chinese drywall is very easy to identify if you can get a look at the back side of the drywall. Common place to look is the attic area push aside the insulation to see the drywall markings. Look into unfinished closets, utility rooms etc. to see the back of walls. You must check both ceilings and walls as they are two different sizes of drywall and depending on the drywall shortages of your area some wall drywall was short and some ceiling drywall was short so Chinese was substituted for both or either one. If Chinese it will say 'Made in China' or 'Knauf Plasterboard' or 'Dragon Brand Drywall'. Just find the manufacturer name and Google.

To check for the effects of Chinese drywall there are some obvious signs.
Rotten egg smell when windows are open and humidity is high.
Cheap inexpensive plated metal objects are pitted before their time.
A/C coils or anything copper has green patina.
Check a/c coils.
Check copper wiring by removing outlets and switches.
Check plumbing under sinks or at water heater.
Check small copper wire inside cable tv connectors.
Check copper coils back of refrigerator.

There are other indications but these are the most obvious. Lots of info can be Googled.

And by the way no Chinese drywall damage/repairs are covered by your average homeowners insurance policy.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

I have a house i'm leasing in FL right now and it's state law there that if a house is going to be sold the homeowners have to disclose if the house has chineese drywall or not. So you may want to check with your local home inspector.

If it's suspect, the home inspector will take a drywall sample and send it out to a lab.
You usually know if a house has it, you can smell it as soon as you walk in the door.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

TheBoatOrMe!!! said:

WTH? I've been in the business for about 15 years and have never heard of Chinese Drywall. The railroad made it out here but not the drywall. What's in it? Asbestos?

Click to expand...

First I've heard of it too...how widespread was the use of it? I must work for builders that refuse to use it.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

http://www.chinesedrywall.com/

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

it's more of a down south thing in parts that experienced a building boom in the last 5 years previous to the recesion. You won't find it up north or out west much.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

The one season they had several hurricanes come ashore there was a shortage. The chinese stuff was imported to fill the lack of supply.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

I would like to hear. Considering a project on Logan-Martin.

Re: any chinese drywall experts out there?

between 2001 and 2008 is suspect for CDW. If you are looking at houses or major remodels from that time, you ought complete a full visual check at all of the outlets, light switches, copper wires to circuit breakers, copper tubing for water, and copper tubing on AC or fridge cooling coils. The chinese dry wall emits sulfur which oxidizes onto copper (or silver and some "soft metals" which I take to mean lead or iron other than stainless). You may smell the typical sulfur odor, too. You'll see a black oxidation, rather than the typical shiny copper.

Today on my inspection of a house on the lake, only the outlets and switches had the typical black oxidation. Bummer, as the main circuit breakers, coils etc were normal.

In addition, you should try to visualize the backside of the drywall, such as in the attic or crawl space, and if you see Made in China, or Knauff, or Tianjin - be very cautious. We saw insulation with the Knauff name (not implicated with fiberglass, though)

This and more info is on the Consumer Product Safety Commision website - it is very good.

Caution in that there is currently no formal "certification", so don't let someone try to sell you any kits or say your house is safe or not. CPSC writes a simple algorthim about when you should send any actual samples of the drywall.

My inspector was good and knowledgable - but before you hire one, as I learned today, you can simply unscrew the fixtures and look for yourself - just be carefull about the hot-wires. He too acknowleged that no one should certify "good house or bad" but his expertise was useful.

Good Luck!

Data in B'ham (boat on Smith)