Another problem with Chinese made drywall.

Forums: Health, Chinese Products, Drywall
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AP IMPACT: Chinese drywall poses potential risks
By BRIAN SKOLOFF and CAIN BURDEAU, Associated Press Writers Brian Skoloff And Cain Burdeau, Associated Press Writers 32 mins ago

PARKLAND, Fla. " At the height of the U.S. housing boom, when building materials were in short supply, American construction companies used millions of pounds of Chinese-made drywall because it was abundant and cheap.

Now that decision is haunting hundreds of homeowners and apartment dwellers who are concerned that the wallboard gives off fumes that can corrode copper pipes, blacken jewelry and silverware, and possibly sicken people.

Shipping records reviewed by The Associated Press indicate that imports of potentially tainted Chinese building materials exceeded 500 million pounds during a four-year period of soaring home prices. The drywall may have been used in more than 100,000 homes, according to some estimates, including houses rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina.

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Type: Discussion • Score: 2 • Views: 1,569 • Replies: 12

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@cicerone imposter,

Theyve been making it with coal flyash. Seems that the H2S and Sulfuric acid content is almost toxic and can cause metal studs and nails to corrode and the drywall falls off the walls (Lotsa lawsuits in Florida and flood affected parts of Louisiana)

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@farmerman,

Harry Shearer had a bit on that on Huff Post and I had some trouble trying to save the link in simple form (as in, print). He mentioned the formosa termite problem in combo with this new (fill in the word). I guess I'll call it 'tribulation'.

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Good grief! Are making it with powdered milk?

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@farmerman,

farmerman wrote:

Theyve been making it with coal flyash. Seems that the H2S and Sulfuric acid content is almost toxic and can cause metal studs and nails to corrode and the drywall falls off the walls (Lotsa lawsuits in Florida and flood affected parts of Louisiana)

I wonder if this is a clue to the construction defects of all those schools and buildings that collapsed in the earthquake that killed all those kids in China.

3 Replies

@Butrflynet,

Well, drywall helps with shear, but I'd be surprised if that was all of the problem. I can see it being some of it.

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@Butrflynet,

Good question; I wonder if we'll ever know.

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@Butrflynet,

Most building problems in seismic areas have to do with buildings that are more rigid and dont provide any damping of the horizontal shear energy. Id guess that drywall was not a big factor in the buildings in china cause drywall rides on the structure s frame , it isnt part of any bearing support.

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@farmerman,

I'm not talking about the drywall specifically, but the corrosion of metals that it is being blamed for.

Were the construction defects in those buildings due to metal corrosion caused by the drywall?

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

Dont know what the drywall was contacting in the China buildings. But Id guess that the nails etc werent load bearing either.

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@farmerman,

But if the toxins created by the drywall can harm metals, isn't there any possibility of that having some effect?

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@cicerone imposter,

I suppose if the metals under the drywall were actually the building frame, which I kind of doubt. Think about how bearing walls are then plied with "skins" that are the inner walls or drywall frames. These just hang on the bearing walls. Anyway, in china, the buildings that collapsed were masonry I believe.

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@farmerman,

If they were masonry, then it has no bearing.

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Another problem with Chinese made drywall.

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