Chinese drywall

Easy to spot signs of Chinese Drywall

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With the home prices so affordable once again, there are many buyers looking for that next big purchase.  Unfortunately, we have all been made aware that some home built or renovated after 2001 could potentially be constructed with Chinese drywall. These homes can be completely remediated, but some buyers just don’t want to go to the added time, energy and expense involved in buying this type of property.

 These properties aren’t always clearly represented as infected drywall homes. So we as consumers need to get educated as to some of the most apparent and easy to spot signs.  Obviously the best way is to hire a home inspector and they can without doubt confirm or deny any suspicion that you may have.  When viewing multiple homes the cost
of an inspector can become very expensive.   Here are some simple signs to help streamline our home search.

Smell of sulfur it is comparable to rotten eggs.

Was the home constructed or drywall replaced after 2001?

There may be corrosion of the evaporator coil.

Metal corrosion and blackening on one or more of the
following:

Copper wires

Ground wires

Electrical connectors

Un- insulated and un coated copper pipes

Chrome plated bathroom fixtures

Silver or copper hardware

The mirror backing in the bathroom

Discoloration of picture frames and kitchen utensils.

We hope to educated consumers and help them make informed and educated decisions, buying a home is a big investment and we want to help you make right decision for you and your family. 

If we can help assist you in any way, please don’t hesitate to call we would love to help your search for your new Cape Coral home.

Yours in Success,                                                 

The Florida Future Realty Team

239-542-8521

Inquiry@floridafutureagents.com

Government guidelines for the remediation of chinese drywall

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Many Cape Coral homes have been deemed “Chinese Drywall homes” and unfortunately that comes with a stigma.  Most buyers are scared away from the thought of purchasing a home affected with this mainly because of the unknown.  We have learned a lot about them in recent
months and there continues to be more information on how and what is necessary to correct the problems and make the home just like new.

Fortunately, the government has also stepped in and created a task force that studied the effects Chinese drywall has on each individual component of the home.  It is now mandated and guidelines were created for removal and remediation.  This allows home owner the
security of knowing the job was done correctly.

The Interim Remediation Guidelines for Homes with Corrosion form

Problem Drywall are as follows

They state that you must replace:

  • All possible problem drywall
  • All fire safety alarm devices(including smoke alarms and carbon
    monoxide alarms)
  • All electrical component and wiring (including outlets, switches,
    and circuit breakers);and
  • All gas service piping and fire suppression sprinkler systems

According to the guidelines, once these repairs have been made your home or potential home is ready and safe to occupy.  People have once thought that it could spread to surfaces such as wood, tile, carpet, and furniture.  The task force stated that they do not have
any scientific basis to believe that to be true. 

The material in the effected drywall is high levels of sulfur, which emits a corrosive gas that attaches itself to anything metal (copper pipes, electrical wiring, HVAC, systems, appliances and so on) we know that the removal process can be time consuming and added expense is
involved, but people should not steer clear of these properties anymore.  There are many of these homes in inventory that are priced well below market value giving the consumer the potential of instant equity once the repairs have been made. 

We have been in contact with a local contractor that states they are able to repair these homes for approximately $21.00 a square foot (just to give you an estimate of the repair costs). This contractor will guarantee the complete removal of the drywall and all directly affected components.

We also have been made aware of a lender that has allocated funds for rehabs, including Chinese Drywall.

We hope this information help open doors for buyers that just haven’t found the “right” place.

All information above was gathered from the CPSC

Information is subject to change as investigations continue.

Yours in Success,

The Florida Future Realty Team

239-542-8521

Inquiry@floridafutureagents.com