mud pump drywall made in china

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I always find myself holding a pan with one inch of leftover mud when I need to stop and come back later. Once I just left my taping knives in the pan. Big mistake. When I came back 4 hours later in the afternoon, both of my new knives were rusted over. Now I try to wipe the knives clean before I call it a day, but what should I do with leftover mud? I thought I could add a bit water and mix well to make it last longer, but so far the result has been disappointing. I always come back to a pan of crusty compound. Even if I then add more water to revive the mud, I get a lumpy and unusable result.

What do people do with leftover mud when they need to call it a day? Dump it? I did that a couple of times. It takes a lot of time and paper towels to get the mud out of the pan and give the pan a rough scrub. It seems a hassle and a waste especially when I plan on coming back to the project in a couple hours.

In this article you will find my buying guide: the key point about even the best drywall primer does not need to have a lot of stain-blocking firepower (explained below). It simply seals and preps for the topcoat.

In my 30+ years as a pro, I’ve found the easiest painting is applying drywall primer. It’s a breeze. It goes on easily and as long as you do not leave drips, it dries flat and you don’t need to worry about looks. Here I highly recommend any top brand: avoid the no name brands.

Water (or other) stains? Drywall primer won’t block them. Kilz Original is the go-to stain blocking primer check this very good product. Another really great deal is Zinsser Cover Stain. Less expensive than others, but will probably handle any water stain in one coat .

The drywall paper and the drywall compound (“mud”) are both porous surfaces butthey absorb paint at different rates. If you do not equalize them with a primer made for this new wall, you will see the difference and it looks sloppy.

You can always apply drywall compound to a crack, wait for it to dry and re-sand. We normally use  quick-dry spackle or and caulk that are fairly quick to dry and both that don’t shrink.

After the joint compound is all sanded, the first thing to do is to dry brush the dust off the walls (it clings). This brush fits on your paint pole or broomstick.  Then, without stirring up too much dust, gently sweep the floor. You can use a little Shop-Vac with a paper filter, (not your house vac: it will die), then mop the floor. (read about the types of drywall vacuum sanders here),

Does new drywall require 3 coats? Mostly yes, and the first must be a drywall primer sealer. There is good news coming below, however about that primer.

Having said that, painting brand new walls is the only time I’d consider using a paint and primer in one, which may save you one coat of paint. See the section onPaint and Primer in One below. This is definitely not the best drywall primer, but it will do. If you do, buy quality paint and primer in one: use Kilz, a very good name in the drywall sealer world, and a very good paint and primer in one. I trust Kilz’s product, it is also aprimer with low VOCs. It comes in many colors and sheens.

For you traditional 3-coaters (like me), the first good news is that you don’t have to buy some exotic or expensive primer (assuming you have no mold or stains) for priming drywalls. You don’t need oil-based primer either. The best primer for new drywall are the low-cost primers, as they containonly what is needed: a normal drywall sealer does not need ingredients to seal stains, odors, mold, etc.

If your unpainted drywall has been waiting for a long time, especially in a basement, it may have sprouted some mold or mildew. In this case, you’ll need a little more firepower. If so, you’ll need to read the last section of this post.

Why not just put on 2 coats of paint? One word: Flashing. Because you will see the seams (and screw holes, tape, and corner bead) where the (1) joint compound a.k.a. ‘mud’ meets the (2) paper that is the outer face of the rock. The paper and the drywall compound are different surfaces andthey absorb paint at different rates You could apply 5 coats and still have flashing without a good drywall primer. Now you see that a drywall primer sealer means: it seals the pores so they all absorb alike.

Yours Truly learned the hard way: I know you can end up with terrible flashing! So the drywall primer sealer is designed with just the right sealants so there will be no difference in sheen or color changes in your finish paint.

Some painters say leftover flat (and only flat) paint is as good as the best drywall primer and will give a good result. No buddy. This does not work out but I need to make the job perfect: perhaps you don’t.

More good news: you do not have to apply a normal heavy coat of paint as you will with your topcoats; you just need to give the new wall a drink, and the job is done. Get the can of primer well shaken (or stirred, Mr. Bond). This coat can be very fast: you will be done in half the time of painting one of your topcoats. Calculate that into your expected quantity (but all paint seller accept unopened cans in return). Even the very best drywall primer does not have to be a heavy coat: just a film will do.

Probably ok for your home use, but I cannot say for sure that with paint and primer in one you will not see the difference in the sections of the wall: joints vs. paper, but feel free to try. It is not the best drywall primer solution, but for walls in good new condition, some paints do promise to equalize the surfaces at the same time they leave your color.

I understand you may be very tempted because you have painted before and you want to cut out a whole coat. But remember that the result will not be the same as a traditional 3-coat job using the best primer for drywall. Here a more complete post on paint and primer in one.

No, you probably need a shellac in our first coat product. Most wood will have sap (which will bleed through a simple primer like drywall primer and every coat of paint you put on after that. Also, the wood’s tree rings that absorb at different rates (the dark ring vs the light ring). Why is that bad? The softer ring will expand differently as the primer dries and you will not be left with a smooth surface. We use  BIN alcohol-based primer (liquid quart),a white pigmented shellac, when priming almost all woods. For that, you need rubbing alcohol for clean-up. Good to have the spray can (shown) also.

Especially with drywall, you will find that the ‘mud’ and the paper of the main sections dry at different speeds. You can easily tell when the last of the primer is dry, usually an hour or two. Don’t rush this step! All drywall primers are relatively fast drying.

Some paint makers will say you must paint within 48 hours after letting the primer dry, but I have never seen any problem waiting longer with the best drywall primer. Dust clinging to the wall while you delay is the only real problem: just use a broom and vacuum and/or mop (see above).

Not really. Some high hiding primers exist and they will fill more cracks than other primers, but at what cost? Drywall primer is cheap so we just fill cracks by hand. If you do manage to have some very small cracks go away after painting, you will find they re-crack quickly in time.

How can I achieve a “Level 5 Drywall finish”?You may have heard of different levels of finish, including Level 5 drywall (the smoothest) or skim coating, and so on. A great website for all you ever need to know and more is drywall101.com.It’s all well described on youtube: if you can afford it, this is the very best drywall for your home. This goes beyond the best drywall primer for sure.

So if see mold and you have started painting, you must stop seal it as soon as you see it. Try my system of buying a cheap paintbrush, cutting the handle so it fits in a small jar. Pour some of your primer in that jar and use that for your spot priming. The best primer for drywall, in this case, is the BIN we mentioned above. (Read about mold resistant paint).

See pump sprayers on this page. We recommend one thatcan also handle spraying light stains for your deck next time it needs it. Or click on the image for a low-budget one.

Here is the way we use primer in situations when we are not sure what kind of stain-blocking power we need: start with the lesser primers like the best drywall primer and if anything bleeds through, hit the spots with the heavy-duty primer.  This would apply to the best drywall primer, which may not have the power to block some discoloration.

This article series discusses Chinese Drywall, odors, indoor air quality hazards, corrosive outgassing, health hazards, and damage to copper building components such as copper electrical wiring and plumbing that may be caused by outgassing from Chinese Drywall used in construction in the U.S. Health complaints related to Chinese drywall outgassing include Individual sensitivity to odors varies substantially, making odor reports inconsistent, but complaints include headaches, runny noses, and difficulty breathing.

We report on the following: financial relief for people who have to pay for Chinese drywall removal and building repairs. Authoritative information sources on Chinese Drywall. Chinese Drywall indoor air quality concerns include corrosive hydrogen sulfide or other gases & chemicals.

B.S. makes the point that not all blackened copper or corroded copper components in buildings is easily nor necessarily traced to the Chinese Drywall outgassing problem. Some of these other sources of corrosion include:

Chinese drywall has received considerable attention in the U.S. as a source of odors, health hazards, and even corrosion of HVAC equipment, electrical wiring, and piping, found in North American homes renovated or built since 2001, and especially in homes built in 2006 and 2007.

The U.S. CPSC has received about 3,082 reports from residents in 37 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of certain metal components in their homes are related to problem drywall. State and local authorities have also received similar reports. - US CPSC.

between the imported Chinese drywall and U.S. domestic drywall samples tested, including Chinese samples found by LBNL to have some of the highest reactive sulfur gas emissions.

The top ten reactive sulfur emitting drywall samples are from China. The patterns of reactive sulfur compounds emitted from drywall samples show a clear distinction between the Chinese drywall samples manufactured in 2005/2006 and NA drywall samples, with the exception of two Chinese samples C14 and C15, which have similarities to the NA emission profile.

The newer Chinese samples (manufacture date of 2009) demonstrate a marked decrease in sulfur emissions as compared to the 2005/2006 samples, and in some cases are similar to those of the NA[North American Manufacturer-produced drywall] samples.

The March 26, 2010 US CPSC REPORT on CHINESE DRYWALL indicated that the odor source is not bacteria but outgassing of sulphur compounds. Quoting from that study (page 6),

While several organizations have hypothesized that SRB is responsible for production of reduced sulfur gases, only one peer-reviewed scientific paper was identified on this topic and it did not show a positive association between SRB and problem drywall. In the study published in 2010, subsequent to a poster in 2009, Hooper and colleagues describe the isolation of an iron oxidizing bacterium, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, in Chinese drywall using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methodology (Hooper et al. 2010).

Other groups, in non-peer reviewed literature, have also evaluated the role of SRB as a source of sulfur gases generated from problem drywall. In the October 2, 2009, issue of Builder Magazine, an interview with Sabre Technical Services advanced the position that the paper facing in problem drywall contains bacteria that are capable of producing reduced sulfur gases.

This position is contradicted by a limited study in which gamma irradiation was used to sterilize one piece of problem drywall and to examine the effects on corrosion potential. The study concluded that irradiation did not alter the corrosion potential of the drywall and, therefore, live bacteria did not play a role in copper corrosion (Cerro 2009).

In conclusion, there are conflicted studies of varying quality that have attempted to determine the role, if any, of microorganisms in the generation of sulfur-based corrosive gases emanating from problem drywall. This preliminary study demonstrates that SRB is culturable from a subset of both Chinese and U.S. manufactured drywall samples, but does not definitively determine if microorganisms are responsible (wholly or in part) for the generation of corrosive gases generated from problem drywall.

Corrosion of copper electrical wiring (probably specifically where insulation has been stripped back such as at electrical connections). In turn the effects of Chinese drywall outgassing on building electrical systems may include:

FHA-insured families experiencing problems associated with problem drywall may be eligible for assistance to help them rehabilitate their properties. HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program may also be a resource to help local communities combat the problem.

Homeowners who believe they may have problem drywall should immediately report to CPSC by calling 800-638-2772 or logging on to www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/drywall.aspx. Hearing- or speech-challenged individuals may access the phone number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

AN 10 APRIL 2008 COURT DOCUMENT reporting findings of fact and conclusions of law in GERMANO, ET AL. V. TAISHAN GYPSUM CO. LTD., ET AL., CASE NO. 09-6687 [108 page PDF] specifies general scientific findings on Chinese drywall which distinguish it from typical, benign drywall as the following: [Also see details and additional cases quoted at

The sulfur gases released by Chinese drywall are irritating to the human body. Exposed individuals reported irritation of the eyes, respiratory system, and skin, among other things.

The Florida Sun Sentinel along with other news agencies such as the Los Angeles Times have reported (May 2010) that the U.S. CPSC has named five Chinese drywall Manufacturers, as the producers of corrosive H2S outgassing drywall and asked that these companies step up to their responsibilities to pay for repairs needed by U.S. homeowners who installed their products. Included among the five were the first five companies listed below in order of level of drywall outgassing:

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. [According to the Sun Sentinel, this manufacturer, Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd., is settling cases with builders who have fixed homes containing the problem drywall.] The highest outgassing product was produced by this company in 2005. Drywall produced by this company in 2006 ranked in fifth highest outgassing position as well).

These companies are or were producers of drywall sold in the U.S. that has been tested and confirmed as emitting so much hydrogen sulfide it can cause pipes and wires to corrode and cause breathing or respiratory problems for home occupants.

Alison Grant, a Boca Raton FL lawyer representing more than 500 homeowners affected by Chinese drywall says that the U.S. appeals to the manufacturers to stand behind their product won"t help, and that litigation is required. The Sun Sentinelarticle added that seven homeowners in Virginia and one in Louisiana have been awarded damages, but that foreign companies may not be compelled by U.S. court rulings.

In September 2010 the New York Times reported that severe financial problems and health concerns continue to plague owners of homes where Chinese drywall was used in construction or remodeling, particularly in homes built after 2004 when Hurricane Andrew had caused U.S. made drywall to be in short supply. See"Drywall Flaws: Owners Gain Limited Relief", The New York Times. 18 Sept. 2010.

Watch out: Notice that some of the same companies who produced problem drywall are also listed here - so just identifying the brand name of drywall does not necessarily indicate whether the specific product found in a particular home is a problem or not. That is why an expert inspection for signs of outgassing and corrosion as well as other identification steps are important.

U.S.; and USG Corporation Drywall test sample from 2009) [U.S. Gypsum reports that all of its drywall products, including its Sheetrock brand are free of the Chinese drywall outgassing defect. ]

One U.S. drywall supplier, Banner Supply, was reported by Miami News Herald partner CBS4 as having been aware of the drywall outgassing problem without notifying its customers. Banner Supply switched to distributing U.S. made drywall and signed a confidentiality agreement with its Chinese supplier that obligated the distributor to remain silent about the problem. The Miami News Herald article (20 May 2010) reported that lawsuits against Banner Supply are expected to go to trial in June 2010 [in the Miami Dade Circuit Court].

The U.S. government has encouraged lenders to suspend mortgage payments and to reduce property taxes on homes damaged by Chinese drywall. [Paraphrasing, The

IRS PERMITS CASUALTY LOSS DEDUCTION FOR CHINESE DRYWALL REPAIR COSTS: 30 September, 2010, announced in an IRS letter from George J. Blain (Assoc. Chief Counsel, IRS) to U.S. Senator Jim Webb [2 July 2010] (D-VA) and reported in various media sources including the New York Times On 1 October 2010. According to the Times article, "... taxpayers can deduct so-called casualty losses - generally the cost of repairs from a sudden or unusual event - in the year in which the loss occurs". Some limitations on this Chinese drywall repair cost loss deduction include

US CPSC-US IRS CASUALTY LOSS DEDUCTION DRYWALL GUIDANCE LETTER: 23 November 1999, Cheryl A. Falvey, director, US Consumer Product Safety Commission wrote to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives providing information in support of an Internal Revenue Service IRS Revenue Code interpretation that could permit homeowners to take a casualty loss deduction on their income taxes for repairs necessary due to the presence of Chinese drywall in their homes. Web search 10/01/10, original source: www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/irs.pdf

As of September 2010, we have found noeports of payouts by U.S. insurance companies to cover costs to homeowners of repairs associated with sulphur outgassing Chinese drywall, and other media outlets indicate that insurance companies have been universally denying claims

Check this: Reported in several media outlets including the New Orleans Times Picayune (26 March 2010), The Louisian Court Orleans Parish Judge Lloyd Medley has issued a ruling striking certain homeowners insurance policy exclusions from being relied on by Audubon Insurance (owned by AIG), a home insurance company involved in denying a Chinese Drywall claim. Audubon had excluded Chinese Drywall claims under the terms of a "pollution or contamination" exclusion that Medley concluded applies to "environmental damage" and not to damage to a building from substandard building materials. [Think of losses caused by a building collapse due to inadequate sizing of framing member - Ed.]

There have been some "successful" class action and individual lawsuits involving claims for damages associated with the installation of Chinese-made drywall in U.S. homes, but actual settlements that addresses the losses of all homeowners in the U.S. may be very slow in coming.

In recognition that there has been U.S. nationwide litigation involving several class actions and thousands of individual cases, including 10 "bellwether" cases in Virginia and Louisiana, On 15 June 2009, a Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation transferred all federal actions alleging damages from defective Chinese Drywall to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, referred to as the MDL Court) for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. p 1407.

See In re Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Prod. Liab. Litig., 626 F. Supp. 2d 1346 (J.P.M.L. 2009) (Rec. Doc. No. 1). Above paraphrased from and also see "Case 2:09-md-02047-EEF-JCW Document 5011-1, Plaintiff"s Steering Committee"s Memorandum of Law in Support of its Motion to Enjoin Conflicting State Court Proceedings in Muscogee County, Georgia that interfere with this court"s continuing jurisdiction over this litigation."

Owners of seven homes in Virginia where Chinese tainted drywall was installed were awarded 2.6 million by the federal judge overseeing the Chinese drywall multidistrict litigation underway (in 2010) in New Orleans, LA as we reference just below.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA, IN RE: CHINESE MANUFACTURED DRYWALL PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION, MDL NO. 2047, [PDF] Section: L, Judge Fallon, Mag. Judge Wilkinson, Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law, Case 2:09-md-02047-EEF-JCW Document 2380 Filed 04/08/2010 [108 page PDF document]. We quote from the conclusions of that case, just below:

A 10 April 2008 court document reporting findings of fact and conclusions of law in GERMANO, ET AL. V. TAISHAN GYPSUM CO. LTD., ET AL., CASE NO. 09-668 [108 page PDF] specifies general scientific findings on Chinese drywall which distinguish it from typical, benign drywall as the following:

See: U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans), CIVIL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 2:09-md-02047-EEF-JCW, -EEF-JCW In Re: Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, that collects the pertinent court documents, hosted at http://www.freecourtdockets.com/

The U.S. CPSC and the U.S. HUD in January 2010 issued recommended interim guidance for identifying problem Chinese drywall in buildings: Procedures for] Identification of Homes with Corrosion from Problem [Chinese] Drywall (local copy).

The CPSC-HUD recommendations involve two basic steps in identifying Chinese drywall that may be causing or contributing to a safety, mechanical, or air quality problem in homes: [From the Executive Summary of the CPSC HUD document cited above.]

The Florida Department of Health has also provided lists and photos of components in homes likely to be affected by sulphur and other outgassing products emitted by Chinese drywall in homes. That state"s DOH also provides a case definition that "... enables the user to rank homes as a possible, probable, or confirmed case. Homes that exhibit the sentinel indicators of drywall associated corrosion are defined as possible cases.  All three sentinel indicators of Criteria 1 must be met for the home to be considered as a possible case.  Criteria that define a probable or confirmed case are described in later sections." - Florida DOH

Watch out: blackening and corrosion on copper HVAC components such as refrigerant tubing may be found in both homes with Chinese drywall and homes that did not use that material - DF.

Observed metal corrosion, indicated by blackening of one or more of copper electrical wiring, exposed copper Corrosion of electrical components will presumably pertain to copper wiring and other copper electrical components exposed to air and to Chinese drywall outgassing, such as copper electrical wiring from which insulation has been stripped back - at electrical receptacles,switches, splices, and in an electrical panel; our OPINION is that depending on the level, location, and duration of corrosive gases in a building, there may be hidden damage as well, such as corrosion of internal copper parts in some circuit breakers or switches.

The Florida DOH Criteria 2 and 3 for confirming a Chinese drywall problem case are intended for use by trained building inspection experts. We summarize below material that is provided in detail at the FL DOH Chinese drywall information web article.

Our photos (above and below) show modern identification stamps or lables that may be found drywall products used for interior walls and ceilings. Also see additional drywall identifying number stamps found at Drywall Gypsum Board Used for Exterior Wall Sheathing.

Watch out: not all drywall bears identification markings; if there are no stamps on the back of drywall, also look for possible remainders of drywall top or bottom edge tapes as often that paper contains the manufacturer"s identification.

Watch out: don"t assume that if you find U.S. marked drywall that no Chinese drywall is present. Some buildings were constructed or remodeled using drywall from both sources.

If a home meets Criteria 1 for possible Chinese drywall presence, and significantly if you have ruled out other sources of hydrogen sulfide in the building, such as these sulphur or sewer gas odor sources ...

and where a number of items in Criteria 2 are confirmed, then the FL DOH considers the home a probable Chinese drywall case and investigation continues with Criteria No. 3 to attempt to identify the presence of Chinese drywall by product markings. We summarize the criteria just below:

If the results of a Chinese drywall investigation have met the criteria for “possible case”, ruled out other sources of hydrogen sulfide as significant contributors to copper corrosion in the home (we listed possible sulphur gas and odor sources just above), and receive positive results on a sufficient number of samples from one or more of the above evaluations in Criteria 3, then according to the Florida DOH, the home meets the criteria for a “confirmed case”.

Before blaming drywall for building odors, be sure that the smells are not from another detectable source such as sewer gases or a failing hot water tank anode - see ODORS, SMELLS, GASES IN BUILDINGS-DIAGNOSIS & CURE for details and see SMELL PATCH TEST to FIND ODOR SOURCE. The FL DOH suggests that reports of sulphur odors indoors are not a reliable indicator that Chinese drywall is present, because of a variety of reasons.

Below we list common sources of sulphur gases and odors in buildings as well as a few warnings about trying to confirm a Chinese drywall problem based on smell alone.

In sum, before blaming drywall for building odors, be sure that the smells are not from another detectable source such as sewer gases or a failing hot water tank anode - see ODORS, SMELLS, GASES IN BUILDINGS-DIAGNOSIS & CURE for details and see SMELL PATCH TEST to FIND ODOR SOURCE. - DF

EMS lab provides a range of tests for the level of outgassing and probable hazard or building damage from Chinese Drywall, as do some other U.S. environmental testing laboratories.

Remove the source of corrosion - the offending Chinese Drywall - has to be completely removed - this means removal of drywall ceilings and walls in homes where this material was installed.

Identify and replace corroded, unsafe building components, such as the smoke alarms and CO alarms mentioned above. If electrical wiring is badly corroded, it may also be unsafe, or circuit breakers may be unsafe and may also need to be replaced. Gas piping and sprinkler system piping may also need replacement according to the CPSC INTERIM REMEDIATION GUIDANCE FOR HOMES WITH CORROSION FROM PROBLEM DRYWALL [PDF]

Watch out: the indoor air "purifiers" and "deodorizers" sold by some vendors who specifically advertise regarding Chinese drywall odors are not the proper approach to dealing with this problem, treating the symptom rather than the cause, and ignoring corrosion and other damage caused by this product.

Consumers are encouraged to report problems with their drywall, especially apparent or confirmed damage from Chinese drywall outgassing to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

FHA-insured families experiencing problems associated with problem drywall may be eligible for assistance to help them rehabilitate their properties. HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program may also be a resource to help local communities combat the problem.

Homeowners who believe they may have problem drywall should immediately report to CPSC by calling 800-638-2772 or logging on to www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/drywall.aspx. Hearing- or speech-challenged individuals may access the phone number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA: MDL NO. 2047 IN RE: CHINESE MANUFACTURED DRYWALL : PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION : SECTION: L

From 2004 through 2006, the housing boom and rebuilding efforts necessitated by various hurricanes led to a shortage of construction materials, including drywall. As a result, drywall manufactured in China was brought into the United States and used in the construction and refurbishing of homes in coastal areas of the country, notably the Gulf Coast and East Coast.

Sometime after the installation of the Chinese drywall, homeowners began to complain of emissions of smelly gasses, the corrosion and blackening of metal wiring, surfaces, and objects, and the breaking down of appliances and electrical devices in their homes.

Many of these homeowners also began to complain of various physical afflictions believed to be caused by the Chinese drywall. Accordingly, these homeowners began to file suit in various state and federal courts against homebuilders, developers, installers, realtors, brokers, suppliers, importers, exporters, distributors, and manufacturers who were involved with the Chinese drywall. Because of the commonality of facts in the various cases, this litigation was designated as multidistrict litigation pursuant to 28 U.S.C. =A7 1407.

Based upon the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, the Court found that scientific, economic, and practicality concerns dictate that the proper remediation for the Plaintiff-intervenors is to remove all drywall in their homes, all items which have suffered corrosion as a result of the Chinese drywall, and all items which will be materially damaged in the process of removal.

The sulfur gases released by Chinese drywall are irritating to the human body. Exposed individuals reported irritation of the eyes, respiratory system, and skin, among other things.

IRS Letter to Virginia Senator Jim Webb on Chinese Drywall casualty loss deduction, web search 10/1/2010, original source: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY/indoor-air/taxrelief.pdf

"Chinese Drywall Maker, Others, to Fix U.S. Homes", M.P. McQueen, The Wall Street Journal, October 15, 2010, orignal source: http://online.wsj.com/article/ , Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

"Draft Report on Preliminary Microbiological Assessment of Chinese Drywall", U.S. CPSC, draft report 26 March 2010, - Web Search 08/03/2010, original Source: http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/microbio.pdf

Germano, et al. v. Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd., et al., case no. 09-6687: Germano Chinese Drywall Lawsuit Case Court Ruling (PDF) - Web Search 06/13/2010 original source: http://www.chinesedrywallprotocol.org/uploads/Germano.pdf

U.S. CPSC & HUD Executive Summary, Chinese Drywall Hazards, published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, and supported by the US CDC (Centers for Disease Control), the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and HUD, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - original source: http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/execsum0410.pdf

Chinese Drywall information hosted by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, and supported by the US CDC (Centers for Disease Control), the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and HUD, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/index.html

HUD and CPSC Issue Guidance on Identifying Problem Drywall in Homes, same source as op.cit., - original source: http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/hud10020.html

FHA-insured families experiencing problems associated with problem drywall may be eligible for assistance to help them rehabilitate their properties. HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program may also be a resource to help local communities combat the problem.

"U.S. names Chinese drywall brands with worst emissions", Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2010 - Web Search 08/03/2010 Original Source: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drywall-20100527,0,3260498.story

"Chinese Drywall Seller Reportedly Aware Of Problem", CBS4 News, May 20, 2010, Web-Seach 08/03/2010 http://cbs4.com/local/Chinese.Drywall.CPSC.2.1565689.html

US CPSC Form for registering information about a drywall incident You can also report a drywall complaint by calling toll-free at 1-800-638-2772 or by sending an e-mail to info@cpsc.gov

U.S. CPSC, NOTICE of INQUIRY: IDENITFYING LABELS for DRYWALL [PDF] U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission, 24 November 2009, retrieved 2021/07/07 original source: https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/pdfs/foia_drywalllabels.pdf

CPSC Alert to Fire Safety Professionals - ALERT! Report to CPSC any fires that you suspect are associated with problem drywall - see http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/firesafetyprof.pdf Report problem drywall-related fires to: CPSC’s Rik Khanna at rkhanna@cpsc.gov or 301-504-7546 or

We are aware of complaints and lawsuits related to certain wallboard manufactured in China that was imported into Florida in the 2005-2006 timeframe. All of United States Gypsum Company’s wallboard is produced in North America and does not have the problems associated with Chinese made drywall.

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/indoor-air/casedefinition.html#presence - help with visual identification of Chinese drywall products.

2. Demott, R., Alessandroni, M., Hayes, H., Freeman, G., Gauthier, T. - Elemental Sulfur and Trace Metal Content in Chinese and Domestic Brands). Poster Presentation at Technical Symposium on Corrosive Imported Drywall Nov 5-6, 2009.

3. Salazar, R., Krause, D., Eldredge, C. - Comparison of Methods Utilized by Commercial Laboratories for Analyses of Bulk Drywall Samples. Poster Presentation at Technical Symposium on Corrosive Imported Drywall Nov 5-6, 2009.

4. Singhvi, R, Lin, Y., Admassu, G., Syslo, J. Field Analysis of Elemental Sulfur in Drywall by GC/ECD. Poster Presentation at Technical Symposium on Corrosive Imported Drywall Nov 5-6, 2009.

5. Spates, W., Rinicker, T., Toburen, T. - Evolution of Chinese Drywall Inspections and Findings Based on Laboratory Data and FDOH Guidelines and the Need to Incorporate New and Productive Inspection Techniques Poster Presentation at Technical Symposium on Corrosive Imported Drywall Nov 5-6, 2009.

6. Tuday, M., Chen, K, Cherazaie, H., Fortune, A., Henton, W., Parnell, C, Dangazyan, M., Cornett, C. Measurement of Corrosive, Odorous and Potentially Harmful Gases from Imported and Domestic Wallboard . Oral Presentation at Technical Symposium on Corrosive Imported Drywall Nov 5-6, 2009.

References (Available at10. Garland, S.E., and Greene, M.A. Statistical Analysis of the Chemical Screening of a Small Sample of Unused Chinese and non-Chinese Drywall – Tab A. Oct 28, 2009.

12. EH&E Report 16512 for the CPSC. Draft Final Report on an Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment of Residences Containing Chinese Drywall – 51 home study. Nov 18, 2009.

to Problem Drywall [PDF] U.S. CPSC, March 2011, retrieved 2018/08/09 original source: https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/pdfs/blk_media_electrical031811.pdf

1. The H2S offgassing of this drywall can cause costly, even dangerous, hidden damage to mechanical systems, such as corrosion on circuit boards or controls, as well as the better known corrosion on copper pipes etc.

Interesting question, Rudy. I don"t know an authoritative answer nor could I find one but here"s an informed answer based on what we do know about Chinese Drywall hazards.

Electrical or other metallic components can be damaged by corrosive outgassing from Chinese Drywall. So electrical wiring, presumably covered with intact insulation, should not have had its copper wire cores exposed to gases and thus should be OK. But that might not be true for exposed copper wire components such as wire ends at splices or at connecting terminals of receptacles or light switches. It seems to me that an onsite inspection of such metal components is in order.

Effects of the Chinese drywall outgassing on non-metallic building components have not shown up in documents that we could find by researching the question.

Im a drywall installer I"ve been hanging sheetrock for 27 yrs I was working on Guam 90 to 95 there was this pabco sheet rock that glittered when you cut it and made us itch, and i get tiny blisters all over my right hand to mid forarm it dry"s up all the skin peals off leaving raw spots on my hand it started when hanging this sheetrock and twenty yrs later it still does this once a month or so, ive asked hoards of doctors they dont know,in 97 had spots on lungs took meds for a year what was it?

doctors dont know, I know its the pabco drywall and shaftwall liner, I think it had Asbestos in it, thats just on Guam in the states I worked all over the country,and ive seen most of those id stamps you rember it because each brand of sheetrock acts differant,when you see one with a certain stamp it like not this love again,I"ve tryed to contact lawyers but I live in SAIPAN CNMI USA, Its hard to get things done on a tiny tiny Island in the pacific, so thats the first comment SMILE WORLD

I never knew what the smell was, never thought of if, but i know that smell as if it were cookie"s baking in the oven, i had to start using a inhaler in 2001 and ive never had aszma ,ok i just checked the sheetrock i have in my house still had 8 sheets and its,Universal Gypsum Board Green Label Singapore, the reason im on this page is because of my septic tank and found this about drywall, i think this is a building code violation andwant to ck, have 2 nieghbors we all have septic tanks all 3 tanks are within 15 feet of each other know sewage comes up thru the ground,the building inspector had to pass that right?

CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.