I was recently told by a Broker / Realtor that she heard the reason I wrote everything up during a home inspection and was so picky is because I got sued. The truth is, I write everything up I don’t want to fix so that I don’t get sued!

Thank you

Taking a Look at Issues With Drywall from China by Michael D. Conley

ASHI Certified Inspector

Published March 2009 Issues with drywall and drywall mud from China have been around since the late 1990s. More recently, drywall from China is being linked to health and safety issues, with the critical focus on drywall imported and used during the time period from 2004 to 2006. This time period coincides with the height of the Florida construction boom, in tandem with a shortage of drywall manufactured in this country.

The jury still is out on whether or not Chinese drywall creates a health issue. It seems to some it does to the degree that they have to move out of their homes. To others, it’s an expensive nuisance that is affecting components in their homes.

While some involved in this fray claim the defective drywall does not pose health or safety problems, many homeowners are complaining about health problems that seem to occur only when they are in their homes. Preliminary investigation by the Florida Department of Health concluded that current emission levels from drywall testing pose “no immediate health threat.”

Nevertheless, homeowners who are exposed to the problem say otherwise. Health concerns and health problems reported include an array of respiratory problems, nosebleeds, irritated eyes and headaches. Of concern is the possibility that the Chinese drywall is emitting excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide fumes and ammonia gas, which can cause extreme irritation, unconsciousness and even death.

One inspector I spoke with said the drywall smelled like spent firecrackers. What do firecrackers have within their mix? Sulphur and ammonia.

Knauf, a German company manufacturing in China, produced some of the Chinese drywall in question. Knauf Plasterboard, Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China maintains that its Chinese drywall is safe and homeowner problems must be from some other source. But I spoke with a local consulting firm that stated the Knauf plasterboard is, in fact, defective. Also stated was that the ASTM standard (ASTM C36) used for the product was out of date and no longer recognized.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) explained that the C36 standard was replaced more than four years ago with “ASTM C1396.” The C36 drywall was produced in March 2006, two years after that standard was changed.

Standard 1/2″ and 5/8″ fire-rated sheets are the culprits and they are not properly rated for fire resistance. My market area appears to be at the epicenter of the drywall-from-China quandary. Port Manatee is where millions of board-feet of this drywall was delivered and distributed throughout Florida and other parts of the southeast.

One homeowner reported that her jewelry was tarnishing quickly. Another homeowner complained that his A/C coil was corroding after only a year or two. Other indicators of a problem include black copper wiring in the main service panel and doorstops that turn black or look tarnished. Television sets, computers, microwaves and refrigerators all have been mentioned as susceptible.

Until we learn more, home inspectors can look for the following:

Drywall installed from 2004-2006. This appears to be the time period during which most of the drywall in questions was installed, but inspectors should allow leeway on both sides of those dates.

To identify the drywall, find a place where the backside is exposed (e.g., in the garage or attic where there is no insulation). -

Look for the words “CHINA” in red ink or “KNAUF” in black ink. – Look for C36 stamped on the back or edge tape, if available.

Use your nose or listen to any complaints from the homeowner. Sample a number of electrical receptacles and look at the copper wiring as well as the A/C coil.

Currently, there are about 80 complaints pertaining to this drywall, and it appears there will be more in the future. Lawsuits are pending with homebuilders and the manufacturer. As to the final outcome, who knows? All we can do is wait and see.

Some people don’t seem to understand the reasoning behind flashing. It’s a must to properly flash or you can / will end up with water inside the home. At a home inspection in Gulf Shores, Al I found a home made kick out flashing installed which is not keeping water out of the home.

Improper kick out flashing

This home is a victim of tradesman that either don’t know better or just don’t care

At a Home Inspection the other day I saw the worst case of mold in a crawlspace in 11 years of inspecting in Pensacola and Gulf Shores areas. This mold substance is so embedded into the floor and joists under the home I could put my hand right through the framing members.

Should have ventilated

I sure am glad I wear a respirator mask

Venting another pet peeve,

A strong majority of homes inspected here on the Gulf Coast of Alabam and Florida have attic access where it’s most difficult to get to. It seems like most 2,3 and 4 story homes have a small scuttle hole in a bedroom or closet. That means you need to carry the ladder up and down all those flights. Every step is another chance to hit something with the ladder. Then, after arriving there it’s typical to fiond the attic has not been accessed and a few inches of blown in inuslation falls into your eyes and eventually makes it on the floor for cleaning up later.

Attic access

Most single story homes here have pull down attic stairs for quick easy access. Obviously no cleaning or stair climbing to be done. I joke around with some folks and tell them it’s because builders want to pay home inspectors back for calling out inferior work.

As you can see from this picture taken a few days ago, not only did I navigate 4 floors I also became a mover of furniture and belongings.

I have recently been reminded of an old quote I first heard as a young adult  ”Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. “ 

I’m sure most people understand the need for continuing education. At Ellis Inspection Services, we take it very seriously! You might wonder how much can change in the home building industry, well, let me tell you…

There are a multitude of new building techniques daily. Along with each new technique, someone has to learn to put them together, and someone still needs to learn to inspect them. Every item out there gets tested somehow, weather just through time, some gravity, proper and improper installation etc. It is a huge cycle. 

I typically start my day off at 5 a.m. , get through my e-mail then review and study particular home inspection techniques through threads and blogs on the Internet for half an hour so. During the course of an average day I speak to the other inspectors that work with us, and I read a few selected periodcals related to home inspections and building. 

The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) requires 20 hours of contineuing education annually by pre-certified institues. Each hour of credit usually takes close to two hours of study and prep time. 

Each certification and or group reqwuires more training and studies. Building codes, mold, air quallity, water quality, green, infrared. Now when your through studying you have to apply what you’ve learned. 

These are just a few reasons why hiring an experienced well trained, educated and practiced home inspector is so important.

It is very common in this area for builders to install pull down stairs to access the attic, via the garage ceiling.  Should a fire occur in the garage it could quickly and easily spread to the attic and then the home.

Once this has been done, there are a few relatively simple repairs that can be made to remedy the problem.

1) Cover this thin piece of wood veneer with a 5/8″ drywall

2) Some attic stair manufacturers provide a “No Burn Paint” which also slows down the heat and smoke through the access.

There are some products that can be sprayed on to meet firewall safety requirements. www.noburn.com is one example.

http://www.memphisfoldingstairs.com/
FIREGARD OPTION

The fire retardant plywood door panel is chemically treated to provide slower ignition, low flame spread, lower smoke production, and has self extinguishing features (burning ceases when ignition source is removed or exhausted.) Class A, or 1, pressure treated plywood is approved by building codes throughout the US for specific applications within fire resistant buildings as an equal alternative to non-combustible construction.

The opening for the attic access has breached the firewall integrity
IRC Building code – 309.2 Separation required.
The garage shall be separated from the residence and its attic area by not less than 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board applied to the garage side.

If no anti-tip brackets are installed, this will allow the stove to tip over if someone should lean on the door.

This could cause burn and physical damages.

Keep those tree branches trimmed away from the roof to help prevent damaged shingles and eventual water damage inside

Neoprene flashing boots last 2-4 years here in the south. Once they dry and crack, it’s a matter of short time before water leaks into the home