Aug 2 2009
A leading forensic expert on building envelope, water intrusion, toxic mold, and Chinese drywall, Spiderman S. Mulholland, Senior Forensic investigator and national consultant with US Building Consultants (USBCI) and US Building Laboratories Inc. (USBLI) along with an independent work group comprised of experts and scientists have been working feverishly to determine proper protocol for remediation of homes affected by the defective Chinese Drywall Crisis.
Many questions have been raised. Do we have to rip out the wiring? Can the studs be salvaged? Does the tile have to be torn out? Does the ceiling drywall have to be removed? What about our personal belongings? What is the absorption rate of these volatile organic compounds on the other building materials that are in the home?
USBCI and USBLI have taken over several Florida homes and have been doing testing in the lab and in the field along with other laboratories across the nation. They are trying to design the most cost effective solution for remediation.
"The biggest fear we have is homeowners paying twice to have their homes remediated," said Mulholland. "Already there are many reports of remediation that have failed after removing the drywall. There are some builders who are even asking homeowners to forfeit their legal rights on future claims. This is a serious concern to us and we have contacted local and state officials about this concern."
Under the proper protocol for remediation, this could be a win-win situation for homeowners providing that warranties and certification is obtained by the contractors or developers.
Mulholland has been concerned about this issue, and contacted the offices of Senator Nelson and Congressman Wexler to address this crisis. The main issue is if the homes are not properly remediated and not certified with warranties, homeowners again may be left holding the bag.
Contractors coming back to rectify the problem need to be aware of proper protocol in dealing with remediation efforts. US Building Consultants, Inc. will be formulating these protocols and submitting them to the state for approval over the next several weeks.