Insurance Dispute Lawyer Blog
Two of Florida’s elected representatives met with homeowners to discuss the federal government’s interest and action regarding Chinese drywall. The drywall, imported and said to cause corrosion and a myriad of health problems, has been discovered in homes all around the Gulf Coast region and appears to be a problem that is not going away:
Two Florida lawmakers met with homeowners yesterday in West Palm Beach to discuss the state’s Chinese drywall problems. Attendees told Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, and Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., that they were most concerned about health problems posed by the sulfur fumes the drywall is emitting.
The Florida Health Department has received over 150 complaints of Chinese drywall that emits a “rotten eggs” odor and causes metals, such as air conditioning coils, to corrode. In some homes, the drywall problems have been so severe that families have had to move, and some builders have begun gutting and replacing drywall in the buildings. It is estimated that the defective material could have been used in as many as 36,000 homes in the state.
Both Nelson and Wexler have sponsored legislation calling for a recall of Chinese drywall, as well as further testing and a ban on the product. Nelson has also called for the resignation of the head of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to step down because of the agency’s slow response to the drywall issue.
The problem is not limited to Florida, however, as estimates tie Chinese Drywall to as many as 7,000 homes in Louisiana though, when all is said and done, it may be more. This seems almost certain as preliminary numbers of how many houses built with the material have skyrocketed to 100,000. It is important for residents who have had renovations or have had their homes built in the past five years to contact their builders and find out what material was used. If they are suffering from any of the health symptoms associated with Chinese Drywall exposure, it is important for these homeowners to contact a medical professional immediately and then consult legal counsel to be informed on their rights.