Financial and Health Issues Knocking on Chinese Dry Wall

Port St. Lucie, FAKathy says her family moved into their new home in April 2007 and encountered problems with their air conditioning system within a few months. "The air conditioning coil should last about 15 years, not six months," says Kathy. " The coil is made out of copper and I heard from various news reports that Chinese drywall deteriorates copper and silver.

"We couldn't figure out why this coil kept going on us. We phoned the company that installed the air conditioner when the house was built; they replaced it and said the coil looked at least 10 years old." Kathy then had to get the entire air conditioning unit replaced last July because the whole system was dripping water.

They couldn't figure out why this happening at first. The air conditioner installer said his company is encountering a lot of the same problems and he attributed it to the Chinese drywall.

"We were advised that the only way to get rid of the toxic drywall is to tear out all the wall boards and start over again," says Kathy, "but for the time being, we opted for a special filtration system. We had an air purification system installed that is supposed to filter out volatile organic compounds (VOC). So if this latest a/c coil lasts, we may not have to go to drastic measures.

The first three times we had the coil replaced, the air conditioner was under warranty. This time they charged us $200 and the purification system was $1150, so that is quite a substantial amount when you aren't expecting it."

Kathy says her home isn't as bad as some others she has heard about because they haven't noticed a sulphur or vinegar odor, but if they have copper wiring and pipes anywhere else in the house, it is a cause for concern…

Chinese Drywall Health Concerns

"Since we moved into the house, my husband's headaches have gotten more frequent and severe and his eyes are constantly burning and watering," Kathy adds. "It is very worrisome to live in a home that could be toxic…

Although my cat was elderly, she was in good health. About 18 months after we moved in, she got sick and frail and I had to put her to sleep. The vet said she had nerve damage; it was very coincidental because her symptoms started about six months after we moved in.

We are fearful for medical reasons, even though we don't have symptoms. And I worry about our new cat, exposed to the China drywall 24/7. And down the road, if we face the continued expense of replacing the a/c coil, we could end up spending a lot of money. We are planning on getting the house tested in the next few weeks. I'm sure that is going to be an extra expense. I think it's about time to get legal help."