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Florida may be epicenter of Chinese drywall complaints

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By SHANNON BEHNKEN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 8, 2009

TAMPA - Shortly after Frances Gari-Colon moved into her Riverview townhome, she started to get itchy eyes and headaches. Then the air conditioning unit stopped working - the copper coils turned black. The builder replaced them, but it happened three more times.

"Last year, I couldn't get my contacts out of my eyes because they were so dry," Gari-Colon said. "When I took them out, my doctor says it peeled the first layer of my eyes off."

Gari-Colon and roughly 25 other homeowners in the River Walk community, located off of U.S. 301, learned recently they have Chinese drywall in their homes. Experts say the drywall emits a corrosive gas that damages appliances, gives a rotten-egg stench and may cause health problems.

River Walk isn't alone. As many as 100,000 homes nationwide have the Chinese drywall, some experts estimate, and Florida appears to be at the epicenter of the growing problem. The Florida Department of Health has received nearly 400 complaints from homeowners and several federal agencies, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, are investigating. Of the 365 complaints the commission has logged, most have come from Florida, according to its Web site.

Dozens of builders used Chinese drywall mainly between 2004 and 2007. Homeowners have complained of sore throats, dry eyes, nose bleeds and dizziness. Some say they've been advised by their doctors to move out of their homes.

Columbus, Ohio-based MI Homes, which built River Walk, is offering to relocate residents and replace all infected drywall and appliances, said Marshall Gray, area president of the Tampa division of MI Homes.

"This is isolated to two or three of our communities in the Tampa area, and we're working with our customers take care of the problems."

Gray said MI and other builders had no way to know the drywall was bad because it was purchased by subcontractors who were then hired by builders. During the housing boom and immediately following hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana, builders ran into a drywall shortage. Subcontractors turned to China.

"We plan to bring the homes back down to the stud stage," Gray said. "It's a tremendous amount of work and will cost close to six figures to repair each unit."

Chinese drywall first surfaced in Florida, experts say, because humidity brings out the corrosive gas quicker. But it has been found in homes in others states, including Louisiana, California, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia.

The Environmental Protection Agency tested Chinese-made wallboard in two Florida homes and discovered sulfur and two organic compounds associated with acrylic paint, according to a report released last month.

Officials with the Florida Department of Health say they still have not determined whether the drywall poses a health risk.

MI offered to pay relocation costs and replace equipment tainted by the drywall.

Other builders have offered similar agreements. Some, such as MI, require homeowners to agree not to sue if they discover later that the drywall caused an illness.

"That's unacceptable," said Jack Landskroner, a Cleveland attorney with Landskroner - Grieco - Madden, Ltd, who is representing MI homeowners across the nation. "These people bought homes to raise their families, not toxic waste dumps that make them sick."

Landskroner said builders need to offer extended warranties on their work and address health concerns and equity concerns. Homeowners may have trouble selling their homes later because it had Chinese drywall.

That's a concern for Gari-Colon, but she said she signed the agreement with MI because she wants her home repaired as soon as possible.

"I just want to come home to a new, safe home," she said. "I think MI has really stepped up to the plate. They're trying to do the right thing, and I don't think this was their fault."

Her neighbor, Bill Martineau, is grappling with whether to sign the agreement. He wants his townhome repaired but worries about signing over rights to sue for a health problem he and his wife, Cindy, may develop later.

Martineau says the air conditioning unit has been repaired six times, light bulbs have to be changed often and silver jewelry tarnishes. The couple has had headaches, dry eyes and repertory problems.

"We don't have many choices," Martineau said. "It's a take-it-or-leave-it kind of agreement."

How do I know if I have Chinese drywall?

The United States Consumer Products Safety Commission says it is not aware of a definitive test, but symptoms include health problems like itchy eyes and respiratory problems, reports of a rotten egg smell, and in some cases corrosion of metal pipes and wiring.

What is the commission doing about it?

The agency has opened up an investigation on three levels: To determine what relationship the drywall may have to health symptoms: to discover what extent the product corrodes metal and may become a fire hazard in homes; and to document how the product was distributed and where it was made.

What should I do?

If you think you have Chinese drywall, the agency recommends seeing your doctor first. You can complain to the products safety commission at https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx or by calling 1-800- 638-2772.You may also want to contact your builder and insurance company.

U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7804.

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