ABSTRACT

The 2009 Florida debacle with tainted Chinese drywall was the beginning of a maelstrom of litigation that has spread nationwide and impacted thousands of homes. Early on, environmental consultants and the Florida Department of Health had been sent on a witch hunt to find the culprit that was the source of sulfur-like noxious odors, health complaints, and corrosion of copper building materials.

As Chinese drywall appeared to be the source of all the complaints, there was a rush to develop a means to evaluate the suspect drywall. Because there was no established methodology, diverse sampling and analytical procedures evolved. The source was confirmed, but the actual component that causes the problems still remains unknown. Many have speculated, but because no one has conclusive evidence, sampling and analytical methods can only focus on findings that seem to be consistent with problem residences.

Homeowner self-assessment screening guides generally aid those in suspect residences. Investigators have also developed a screening process. The components of Chinese drywall are different from those in U.S. drywall. Sampling and analytical methodologies are consistently similar in intent and dissimilar in methodology. No single method is definitive. Visual inspections and multiple sampling methods increase the probability of conclusive findings.