wiki image – Drywall

There was recently an article published in the Wall Street Journal about problems with Chinese drywall.

Apparently, after Hurricane Katrina when there was a shortage of building supplies we began importing some drywall from China. Some of the drywall used in South Florida construction is off-gassing sulfur.  There is debate about whether it is a health issue or not, but it seems to do quite a job on mechanical stuff like air conditioners.  The builders in South Florida have replaced drywall in some cases and air conditioners in others.

How does this affect homeowners in Gainesville?

We wanted to know if this is something our customers need to worry about when looking for Gainesville homes for sale.

We discovered some great news!  We spoke to a local builder, and a local drywall company who are both members of the local builder’s association (Builders Association of North Central Florida). The builders have been looking out for you – they knew about the product back in 2006 and their association decided the group would avoid using it.

That is a relief, both that BANCF was on top of things and that they avoided using the stuff!

What if you are worried about your home:

• Do you have strange smells in your home? (stranger than normal)
• Have you noticed your A/C coils changing colors?
• Was your home built during the building supply shortage?

Who to talk to?

• Talk to the local EPA or home inspectors.  They may have updates on the situation in your area.
• Talk to an A/C expert to see if your system is having problems, needs cleaning, etc.
• If your home is under warranty the company that gave the warranty may be able to help.
• It looks like we are at the beginning of this – there aren’t a lot of answers available about the health risks or who is responsible.   It sounds like there will be a class action lawsuit (big surprise here) but know qualifies and what they would get out of it are uncertain at this point.

If you know more on the subject please add a comment below.