Virginia Chinese Drywall Testing

Email me or call 571.238.6013 to make sure that your home is not putting you and your family at risk!

UPDATE: The Consumer Products Safety Commision (CPSC) has released an updated report as of October 29th, 2009.

This report details that, "the majority of the reports (more than 93%) continue to be from Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia." You should not buy or continue living in a home that was built between 2001-2008 without having it tested. More reports are due out any day detailing the health risks associated with defective Chinese drywall in Virginia.

Chinese drywall is one of the most widespread and significant manufacturing defects associated with home building. This material defect affects homes built between 2004 and 2008 – during the height of the construction boom in this area. Chinese drywall in Virginia has been reportedly identified in several different communities built during the height of the market. The gas that is emitted has been linked to significant illnesses. In addition, the corrosive nature of the gas dramatically increases the likelihood of an electrical fire.

Chinese Drywall can cause:

Electrical Fires
Health Issues, including headaches, nose bleeds, upper respiratory illness, sinus infections, and neurological issues.
Premature failure of appliances, electronics, and other metal components.
Unpleasant sulfur-like smell

Who should have their home tested for Chinese drywall?

Everyone who lives in a home built between 2004 and 2008
Chinese drywall has been positively identified in Northern Virginia.

What should I do if my home tests positive for Chinese drywall?

The suspect drywall needs to be removed. Repairs on an average home can exceed $50,000! Chinese drywall testing is available for just $400. Why take the risk?
Several class action lawsuits have been filed. As a result,many builders have set money aside to make the repairs to affected homes.
DO NOT WAIT. Have your home tested now. If you wait, you will miss out on the class action suits and you may be responsible for the repairs.

Chinese drywall testing in Virginia is available for just $400. You cannot afford not to have your home tested. Bulk discounts are available - call for details.

There are several signs of a home that may have Chinese drywall, but only a test completed in a laboratory can accurately identify the presence of this drywall. The problems associated with Chinese drywall in Virginia occur on several different layers. Least harmful is the odor that is a result of the sulfur gas. These homes sometimes exhibit a smell reminiscent of rotten eggs. The smell in and of itself is unpleasant but relatively harmless.

Because Chinese drywall in Virginia is not necessarily exposed to high temperature and humidity, the symptoms may be somewhat delayed in relationship to Florida and other areas of the South. Virgina Chinese Drywall Corrosion Higher summer temperatures and humidity are more common in the southern areas of the United States and this condition increases the release of the sulfur gas and can exacerbate the signs and symptoms of Chinese drywall. Because Chinese drywall in Virginia may not have been exposed to these conditions yet, the release may be more gradual, resulting in delayed results of the exposure.

Aside from an unpleasant smell, the sulfur gas emitted by Chinese drywall in Virginia has been linked to upper respiratory illness, sinus infections, nose bleeds, and earaches. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), EPA, and US Consumer Product Safety Commission are still investigating the health risks associated with Chinese drywall.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recently reported:
"The most frequently reported symptoms are irritated and itchy eyes and skin, difficulty in breathing, persistent cough, bloody noses, runny noses, recurrent headaches, sinus infection, and asthma attacks. Since many consumers report that their symptoms lessen or go away when they are away from their home, but return upon re-entry, it appears that these symptoms are short-term and related to something within the home."

The potential risks don’t end there. Exposure to the sulfur gas causes oxidization and corrosion on metal in the home. Copper electrical wiring, appliances, air conditioners, plumbing, nails, screws, and door knobs are all exposed to the corrosive mixture of sulfur gas and moisture that is released by Chinese drywall in Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Health says:
"Some of the gases emitted from Chinese drywall can corrode metals, in particular, copper. Corroded metals such as brass fittings, copper coils, and electrical wires may pose an immediate health risk. Leaking gas pipes and air conditioning units may expose you to Freon and natural gas. Corroded electrical wires may affect the normal functioning of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors."

This corrosion, in turn, will cause premature failure of nearly every system in a home. This results in constant replacement of nearly new appliances, service call after service call for A/C systems, and an overall rapidly failing home.

Of particular concern is the effect that Chinese drywall in Virginia has on the electrical system. These systems are designed to safely provide electricity to all corners of your home. The corrosion that is a result of this drywall is of significant concern on an electrical conductor as the corrosion could cause electrical fires. Each and every electrical component in a home is exposed to Chinese drywall in Virginia – wiring behind the walls, wiring in the breaker panel, wiring inside appliances, wiring inside computers, etc. The expense and hassle of repairing all of these systems is huge!

Home Inspections of Northern Virginia is proud to offer testing for Chinese drywall in Virginia. These tests will provide you the peace of mind necessary to enjoy your home without worry that you are exposing yourself and your family to hazardous conditions. Several do it yourself kits have been released before being removed from the market as ineffective and inaccurate. Only a full lab FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) analysis can accurately identify the presence of the contaminants. This test detects the contaminants and does not rely on the gases that are emitted, allowing it to detect the potential for future concerns as well.

Chinese drywall testing consists of sampling drywall dust from behind several switch plates. This dust is sent to a lab for analysis. Because many of the homes affected by defective Chinese drywall in Virginia contain both tainted drywall and non-tainted drywall, it is necessary to test several areas of the home for the most comprehensive test possible.

For just $400, we test three areas, typically one on each living level.