What First Time Home Buyers Need to Know About Chinese Drywall If They Are Thinking of Buying A Home That Was Build Between 2001 and 2009
Hello again and welcome. As a potential first time home buyer, you may be thinking of buying an existing home. If that is the case, you may want to have the house inspected for Chinese drywall if only as a precautionary measure, before putting pen to paper.
There were increasing evidence that drywall shipped to the U.S. from China and used in an estimated 100,000 homes between 2001 and 2009, contained potentially toxic materials that may have been responsible for damaging homes and causing major health problems.
An estimated 15,000 homes build in Houston and Conroe between 2004 and 2007 have been identified as having defective Chinese drywall. This drywall is known to release sulfurous gases, including carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide, that worsen when temperature and humidity rise, creating a sulfuric odor (rotten egg smell).
Here is what you need to know.
Majority of the affected homes were built between 2004 and 2007.
Two ways to know if a house is at risk, is the smell of sulfur (rotten egg smell) and by checking the copper in appliances for signs of corrosion.
An inspector can test for high sulfur levels.
Replacing affected drywall can cost in excess of $100,000.
Effects from the sulfurous gases include frequent failures of air conditioning units, corrosion or blackening of pipes, blackening of appliances containing copper, black soot on the plugs of washers and dryers, black soot on the wires behind light-switch plates, blackening of metal on bathroom fixtures and coils from air-conditioning systems, overheating of electrical systems, electronics malfunction, frequent power outages, air conditioning coils with a black residue, intermittent and total failure of dishwashers and/or refrigerators, microwave ovens, unusual sounds from electrical system devices and dim/flickering lights.
Reported health problems include but not limited to, eye irritation, asthma attack, itchy eyes and skin, sinus problems, difficulty breathing, respiratory infection, nose bleeds, persistent coughing, extreme fatigue, recurring headaches, sore throat, dizziness, insomnia, severe allergies, gastrointestinal problems, hair loss, joint and muscle pain.
If you plan on purchasing a home with known Chinese drywall, a standard insurance policy may not be an option for you.
To get rid of toxic Chinese drywall, it may be necessary to have all contaminated drywall removed and replaced. In addition, you will also need to replace all damaged wiring and all associated components. You will also need to replace all damaged appliances.
If you’re considering an older home that may have been constructed using Chinese drywall, make sure to have the home tested for high sulfur levels or buy another home. As always, thank you so much for stopping by. Remember, if you are thinking of purchasing your first home, email us. We are here to help. We have been helping Houston first time home buyers since 2011 and we can help you. I hope you have an amazing day. Until next time...Diana.
