Tainted Corrosive “Chinese” Drywall

RETS has joined together with Foreman and Associates, US Risk Insurance Brokers and Larry Battarbee of Battarbee Insurance
to bring you the latest and most up-to-date
information on Tainted Corrosive (Chinese) Drywall

Expert Answers To Your Questions

What is Tainted/Corrosive “Chinese” Drywall?

Know the FACTS!

Join us for the answers to these questions and more!

Do you want to increase your inspection revenue by an Additional $80 to $250 per inspection? Attend this course and see how you can start offering Tainted Corrosive “Chinese” Drywall inspections as an added value to your client base. 

RETS, in association with US RISK Insurance Brokers and Larry Battarbee of Battarbee Insurance, have assembled experts from Florida and Washington DC to deliver the first TREC approved continuing education in Texas on these subject.

Upon completion of the first two days, you will know the history, dangers, inspection protocol, and be familiar with the abatement process and obtain 16 hours Continuing Education.

Last week a Carrier Air Conditioning Dealer in Midlothian (south side of D/FW), documented from 2004 to 2008, he replaced 15% of the air conditioning units in newly built homes due to premature failure (less than 12 months). (This falls into the documented average for new home construction with 15% to 25% having CDW.) At the time, Carrier said it was due to ant beds. They later determined it was Chinese drywall. 

A homeowner in Spring, TX, bought a home in 2007, built in 2006. He replaced his A/C coils 3 times by 2009. The A/C technician did not know why. At the request of a potential buyer, in January 2010, a home inspector (who had just read an article about CDW) examined the home and found Chinese Drywall. Six months ago, a foreclosure was documented nearby. Educated inspectors have found subdivisions in Kingwood, Conroe, Humble, South Houston, Katy, Cypress, Jersey Village, Tomball, Pearland, Porter, and Spring. (Despite this, a Houston Keller Williams broker told me Sunday, she had been told Chinese drywall stopped in New Orleans and did not come into Texas.)

A home in Whitesboro, TX (Oklahoma border) was found this week with Chinese drywall. Another was documented in Royce City, TX. A subdivision in Dallas. Four more homes in Dallas.

Current conservative estimates suggest infected homes could exceed 300,000 in the Texas built since 1999, including Houston, Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, and San Antonio. Residential subdivisions, built by major builders, have been found in Houston, Austin, and Dallas, with 30% to 100% of the homes affected for houses built since 1999. Add to the mix, homes remediated after hurricanes. Tainted Corrosive “Chinese” Drywall is still being trucked into Texas under NAFTA through our Mexico border ports of entry TODAY with blank labels. It is critical home inspectors be able to recognize this problem in homes, condos, apartments, public and commercial buildings. 

TREC may not require it, however, that does not stop a homebuyer from holding you accountable after it is missed in an inspection. 

DAY 1 (8 Hours)

• United States port map with import chart showing ports, states, quantities, houses and sheets estimates
• Manatee Port Interview with photos and documentation
• Typical home quantities of 4 x 12 drywall, batch information markings
• Change from ASTM C-36 to ASTM C-1396
• Undocumented drywall importation by truck from Mexico and Canada

• Insurance Companies Not Covering Damages, denial letters 

• People begin complaining of issues, health related, appliance failures
• Local newspaper and television campaigns to draw attention to issue
• Local and State Government involvement drawing Senator attention
• Congressional hearings and victim testify to congress
• Inez Tannenbaum and her mission to China

• 30+ Different Tainted Corrosive brands with photos of labels
• Typical Domestic Brands GP, USG, NG
• Typical 5/8 inch drywall vs. ½-inch drywall, ceilings and walls

• Gypsum mining process and history
• Gypsum board manufacturing: mined vs. synthetic
• Significant mining changes with Knauf and Taishan from 2005 -2008

ASTM Standards

• Creation of C11 Emergency Task Force
• Implementation of Protocols dealing with TCDW
• ASTM C1396 stamps and current protocol
• Terminology: Defective Drywall: No recall to date, not defective by nature, Tainted and Corrosive

Judge Fallon's Multi District Litigation

• Mandated Evidence Preservation or Protection Order (EPO) for future litigation requirements
• Remediation requirements: 4 major components of structure are require 100% removal
• All drywall, HVAC, Electrical Wiring, and Insulation
• Remediation requirements: 3 ways for abatement after demo
• Power Wash, HEPA Vacuum, & Spray and Wipe

Have Your E & O Insurance Policy Reviewed

Underwriters and Claims attorneys will be available, at the seminar, to examine your current policy, to help you understand your specific insurance policy and identify important hidden exclusions.
Most insurance companies and policies exclude Chinese Drywall, leaving the home inspector bare and financially exposed, in addition to the following other dangerous exclusions:

• Employee Inspections,
• Sub-contractor Inspections,
• EIFS, Stucco, Hardy Board, Synthetic Stone,
• Any Damage to the Home or Injury Caused by an item missed in the Inspector’s Report,
• Septic, Pools, Spas, Jacuzzis.
• Code, Phase Inspections
• Dwellings under construction remodel or alteration,
• Dwellings in Residential Tract Developments of 75 Units or More,
• All Appliances, Window AC units, Irrigation Systems,
• Commercial Buildings,
• Even the Opinions of the Inspector Pertaining to the Adequacy of any Structural System or Component.
• Some policies carry an endorsement which can cost the inspector a felony conviction up to a $10,000 fine and one year in jail….Referring Agents.

Michael S. Foreman - Principle, Foreman and Associates, Inc., Forensic Construction Consultants, Nationally known expert in Building Envelope Issuesand Tainted Corrosive Drywall Remediation, Identification and Treatment.

Michael Shaw - PhD from MIT, Writer for Health News Digest, Michael has written thousands of articles covering numerous topics, involved in the very start by writing numerous articles covering all sides of the issues that surround many different topics pertaining to Tainted Corrosive Drywall.  

DAY 2 (8 Hours)

• Early Reports with un-validated information and tests
• XRF Technology and Strontium backing reports
• Myths and Facts: Electrical Wiring Removal
• 220 Volt Electrical wiring
• National Association Home Builders (NAHB) most recent report
• Sandia Report and policy changes

NDE Analysis Protocol

• Visual Analysis Overview and background protocol creation
• Analysis Breakdown by Affective Components
• Hot Water Heaters, HVAC, Refrigerator, Wiring Outlets, Copper Pipes
• Difference of indicators for each component

Tainted Corrosive Drywall Remediation Guidelines Overview

• Correct Abatement Requirements Break-down
• Removal of Drywall and associated construction materials
• Evidence Preservation or Protection Order (EPO)
• Post demolition SNiPER® Treatment
• Post SNiPER® Treatment clearance testing (Chamber Testing)
• Re-construction and moving forward

• Government denial of associated health risks


• No long term studies planned or conducted at this time
• Client interaction and testimony

QUESTION AND ANSWER: After Each Section, Inter-active Q & A Time

CONCLUSION: T.O.P. Promotional and Concluding Statements