As more and more people from across Florida and elsewhere are reporting problems in their homes built with imported drywall, I’ve proposed legislation aimed at initiating a recall and imposing an immediate ban on tainted building products from China. You can find out more about that legislation here, but in the meantime, I wanted to give you some resources so you can find out if you have a problem with the drywall in your house, and if so what you can do.

How do I know if I have "Chinese drywall"?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. The most definitive method to date is finding a "made in China" marking on the back of a sheet of drywall. Below are five signs you may have a problem from the Florida Department of Health.

There is presence of sulfur-like or other unusual odors
Confirmed presence of Chinese manufactured drywall in the home
Observed copper corrosion, indicated by black, sooty coating of un-insulated copper pipe leading to the air handling unit present in the garage or mechanical closet of home
Documented failure of air conditioner evaporator coil (located inside the air handling unit)
Confirmation by an outside expert or professional for the presence of premature copper corrosion on un-insulated copper wires and/or air conditioner evaporator coils (inside the air handling unit)

Florida Department of Health

The Florida Department of Health has set up a website specifically for people who are wondering if they may have the hazardous imported drywall in their house. It has a section for frequently asked questions and a list of local, state, and federal agencies where you can file a consumer complaint.

Consumer Product Safety Commission

The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has put up a website with information about the status of their investigation of hazardous drywall, including a section to answer many of the questions you may have. To report a complaint of toxic drywall to the CPSC, you can fill out a form on their website.

Check back here for the latest information: