Three-Step Assessment
When determining whether or not your home has been affected by toxic Chinese drywall, homeowners don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars to hire professional inspectors. Visual inspections can be done very effectively and accurately by anyone. Homeowners can simply look for the basic fingerprint that defective drywall leaves behind.
Based on our law firm’s experience assessing hundreds of homes, we recommend searching for these three tell-tale signs:
1. Blackened and corroded ground wires connected to the back of the home’s air-conditioning unit. See photo #1 of 4 below.
2. Blackened air conditioning coils on the back of the home’s air conditioning unit. Be sure to look at the air handling section of the air conditioning unit. See photo #2 of 4 below.
3. “Made in China” labels on the back of the drywall. Also, labels stamped “Knauf” usually indicate that the drywall was made in China. See photos #3 and #4 of 4 below.
Here are some additional signs that your home may have Chinese drywall:
1. Odor: A common symptom is a rotten-egg smell of sulfur emanating from the contaminated drywall. You should ask yourself the following questions:
- Has the rotten egg smell changed since I purchased or moved into my home?
- Is the rotten egg smell worse in the morning or in the evening?
- Does the smell vary seasonally?
- Is it concentrated in any particular room in my home?
2. Health symptoms: If your family regularly suffers from the health symptoms noted on this page, your home may have Chinese drywall.
When you have complete this inspection and have determined that your home is victim of toxic Chinese drywall, we recommend taking immediate action by contacting us to discuss your legal rights and next steps.