Chinese Drywall Poses Potential Risks ["...Gives Off A Rotten-Egg Stench"]

AP Report ^ | April 11, 2009

[Steelfish]

Chinese drywall poses potential risks

AP – In this April 8, 2009 photo, Mary Ann Schultheis stands in the guest room of her Parkland, Fla. home …

By BRIAN SKOLOFF and CAIN BURDEAU, Associated Press Writers

PARKLAND, Fla. – At the height of the U.S. housing boom, when building materials were in short supply, American construction companies used millions of pounds of Chinese-made drywall because it was abundant and cheap.

Now that decision is haunting hundreds of homeowners and apartment dwellers who are concerned that the wallboard gives off fumes that can corrode copper pipes, blacken jewelry and silverware, and possibly sicken people.

Shipping records reviewed by The Associated Press indicate that imports of potentially tainted Chinese building materials exceeded 500 million pounds during a four-year period of soaring home prices. The drywall may have been used in more than 100,000 homes, according to some estimates, including houses rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina.

"This is a traumatic problem of extraordinary proportions," said U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, a Florida Democrat who introduced a bill in the House calling for a temporary ban on the Chinese-made imports until more is known about their chemical makeup. Similar legislation has been proposed in the Senate.

The drywall apparently causes a chemical reaction that gives off a rotten-egg stench, which grows worse with heat and humidity.

[Wissa]

Chinese Drywall "Gives Off A Rotten-Egg Stench"

So's the democrat-controlled congress, but what are you gonna do? :)

[angkor]

maybe it’s made from avian flu dead chicken landfill.

i would put *nothing* past chinese manufacturers.

nothing.

(having seen the videos showing black muck “fish farms” which are dosed with human contraceptive pills so that the fish can continue to “breath” in the black much cesspools, yucchh)

[autumnraine]

Thank God I didn’t get a new house I was envious of back when I didn’t realize A) They were made really crappy and B) Subprime mortage? That’s how they could afford a nice new home?

[BerryDingle]

wallboard gives off fumes that can corrode copper pipes, blacken jewelry and silverware, and possibly sicken people.

The drywall apparently causes a chemical reaction that gives off a rotten-egg stench, which grows worse with heat and humidity.

I had that same problem in the government, I didn't blame it on China though. My friends told me it was equal opportunity.

[dljordan]

If my house starts smelling like Chinese butt-crack I should run? Right?

[Cheetahcat]

rotten-egg stench ??? Smell like Dead Cat Maybe must be making the stuff out of their food then!

[Mister Muggles]

We can’t even make our OWN friggin’ wallboard anymore?

[Recovering_Democrat]

A “potential risk” that Bobby Wexler, whiner extraordinaire, want the federal government to pay for.

Florida ping, Joe.

[Joe Brower]

I know this issue has raised a big stink in my area of the Sunshine State.

Florida Freeper

[Sawdring]

We can make it, but in this case the Chines found a cheaper way to make it and ship it over here for us to use. We need a whole gaggle of unionized government inspectors at these ports to inspect each full container that is offloaded from Asia and each empty container going back. Only this can solve problems like these.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

We have sulphur water anyway, we’d never notice the drywall, LOL

[ExSES]

At the height of the U.S. housing boom, when building materials were in short supply, American construction companies used millions of pounds of Chinese-made drywall because it was abundant and cheap.

Such things happen EVERY TIME housing booms!

I can remember the "Cheap" copper plumbing installed in homes in the 50s and 60s "Booms" (the stuff corroded away and kept plumbers busy on retrofits for decades). Then, in the 80s "Boom" copper became too expensive and a form of glorified garden hose was installed instead. That kept plumbers busy on retrofits for decades again (the end fittings would separate due to expansion/contraction temperature fluctuations, causing extensive leaks.)

This debacle will be FAR MORE expensive to remedy for those who bought homes. The crappy stuff has even been used in $Million+ homes in Central Florida!!!

[softengine]

HA! I told everyone two years ago, that houses were being built with sh!tty materials and an overinflated pricetag. I told everyone that the drywall was worthless but... I have to admit I didn’t see this coming.

I spoke out on blogs and other places (including here) about my search for a new home to buy, and how I had come up with nothing but disillusion. The walls in my parent’s house require a sledgehammer to knock a hole in them, and when you do, its chickenwire and three inches of plaster. For two, maybe even three, years, I looked at new homes and found that in all of them the walls were that cheap-ass drywall so thin you’d have to put a sinker in to hang a 5x7 picture frame. And even that would not hang for long before drooping.

So, ha ha ha ha ha!!! I told everyone! Bad materials. Bad workmanship. And a big price tag. To all those who bought - You are SUCKERS! Ha Ha HaHa Ha.

[JACKRUSSELL]

A ping list dedicated to exposing the quality, safety and security issues of anything “Made in China”.


Please FReepmail me if you would like to be on or off of the list.

(This can be a high volume ping list.)

[ezo4]

take me off your ping list please

[Joe Brower]

Done.