Washington Chinese Drywall Attorney - Helping Victims of Chinese Drywall

The building boom that occurred during the early part of the 21st Century led to many builders and contractors being busier than they had ever been before. While this was obviously a positive for the economy, it also led to some difficult decisions as demand got higher and production schedules got tighter.

Below is a look at one of the products that could be seen as a negative result of this boom - Chinese drywall. You'll find information regarding the nature of the defect, when the defect occurred, the resulting damage, government reaction to the issue and finally how to proceed if you've been harmed as a result of using Chinese Drywall.

Nature of the Defect - Chinese Drywall Rot

The Chinese drywall was ordered by several home builders for many reasons, most of which centered on the low cost. It's estimated that as much as 300 million square feet of drywall was ordered and ultimately delivered to the United States. The defect was such that after the drywall was used in homes, it seemed to simply rot from the inside out and decay very quickly. This process led to a large amount of collateral damage in these homes, and there are currently competing theories regarding how this drywall came to rot as it did.

When the Drywall Defect Occurred

The issue of when the defect occurred, as previously mentioned, is contentious in nature. There are two theories that seem to dominate the discourse, and each of these appears below:
  • In China - One of the theories involves the basic lack of standards and oversight in China, especially in an industrial sense. As a result, many feel that the drywall was simply not manufactured or designed properly such that it had the tendency to rot before it ever left the factory. Of course, Taishan Gypsum and Knauf Tianjin, the only two of the many companies involved with this manufacturing process that have been mentioned, have disavowed this possibility.
  • At Sea - The other theory concerns the amount of time that the drywall spent at sea. Before the shipments of drywall were allowed to enter the United States, they sat out on the open water in their ships awaiting approval for entry into the country. There was a delay in this approval, and some feel that this exposure to the sea air and saltwater led to an infiltration of chemicals into the product that ultimately led it to rot.

Resulting Damage of Decomposing Drywall

Regardless of how the defect came about, the damage this drywall did is not debatable. Below is a look at some of the more common problems caused by this Chinese drywall:
  • The Smell of Drywall- One of the first complaints to arise concerned the smell that was emanating from the walls in homes that had used this product. When it rotted, the drywall gave off a strong, sometimes unbearable odor of sulfur, and that by itself drove many people from their homes, as breathing fumes of any sort of decomposing synthetic material is not only extremely unpleasant, but could also be dangerous.
  • The Walls - Clearly, when the drywall used to support a wall is rotting, it affects the structural integrity of the wall as a whole. Thousands of homes suffered damage to their walls that required repairs and replacements before additional damage was done.
  • The Circuitry - Wiring exists inside many walls, and many wires and circuits that were installed behind this drywall also began to malfunction, short-circuit and even rot in some cases as well. This required repairs and replacement and created a potentially dangerous situation in terms of shocks and even fires.
  • The Plumbing - When the outside portion of plumbing is exposed to a decomposition process, some pipes will follow suit and begin to rot as well. When plumbing rots, it leads to malfunctioning sinks, toilets and showers as well as the potential for water leaks and additional water damage.

Government Action from Defective Chinese Drywall

The government has recognized the public outrage in response to this story and as is usually the case, reacted outwardly. Congressional hearings have been scheduled and held and inquiries are currently ongoing by several states' Attorneys General in an attempt to pinpoint the problems and those most responsible for them.

As of now, no criminal prosecutions have taken place, but several companies have been publicly admonished and people have been warned to take a close look at their drywall to make sure that they have not had this defective Chinese drywall installed in their homes.

How to Proceed with a Defective Drywall Claim

If you have noticed any problems with your drywall or you're sure that your drywall is defective, you need the help of the defective products lawyers at Phillips Webster. Contact them today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Washington and Seattle Drywall Law Firm - Lawyers and Attorneys

Chinese drywall that's allegedly defective has been installed in thousands of homes, and there are two theories in existence that attempt to assign responsibility - that the Chinese manufactured the product improperly and that exposure to sea and saltwater led to the tendency of these products to decompose and rot. This rotting has led to serious damage in thousands of homes, and you need to contact the defective products lawyers at Phillips Webster if you've been damaged by these products.
 



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