Here is a quiz, what do you think this piece of equipment is and what is its common use?

You think about if for awhile and I will give you my latest Chinese drywall update.

I was called by a representative of Bank of America and requested to give them my opinion, actually a second opinion on a model home. As it turns out Bank of America is now responsible for the bankrupt builder Levitt and Sons. I was asked by a very nice young woman to come out to River Hall,a golf club community just before Alva Florida, which is on the way to Labelle. I jumped at the chance because I have been wanting to see this new golf course designed by Davis Love lll.

Apparently an inspector, what kind I don’t know had inspected one of the models for Chinese drywall. This inspector had this device pictured above and apparently it started alerting to the presence of Chinese drywall. This inspector told this Bank of America representative that this device was telling him that there was Chinese drywall in this bathroom. I was told that the air conditioner’s air handler evaporator coils showed evidence of the effects of Chinese drywall. For all of you unfamiliar with these effects the chemicals in Chinese drywall vent gasses that turn copper black, pit and corrode chrome, blacken mirrors and etc, etc, etc. You can read previous From the Inspector posts for further information. Being an EPA Certified Type ll air conditioning technician I am allowed to open up and test air conditioning equipment, also to include using and handling Freon. I found that there was definite visual evidence of the effects of Chinese drywall. I must admit that it was not the most effected air conditioning evaporator coil that I had seen to this point. Nerveless there was evidence of the blackening of the copper tubing in the coil. I then proceeded to the bathroom and removed electrical outlet switch plates to inspect the solid copper ground wire that is connected to the green ground screw. It was not black. I inspected the master bathroom mirror and it was not black. I inspected the water shut off valve under the vanity and saw that it was not black. Now this made me even more curious. How could this inspector’s Chinese drywall sniffer go off as they say alerting him to the gasses venting that are associated with the effects of Chinese drywall.

Now remember the device pictured in this post. Remember I asked you if you knew what its common use was. It is a Freon Leak Detector. This detects Freon leaks; it is used by air conditioning technicians to determine if air conditioning systems are leaking Freon. To be fair similar devices are used to detect natural and propane gas. I brought my Freon leak detector from my truck and showed it to the Bank of America representative and asked her if it looked like mine. She said it did, it was just a different color. I can assure you, the reader, that this inspector did not have a Chinese drywall chemical and gas venting detector. To be fair this leak detector that he had could possibly pick up venting sewer gasses from the toilet.

Here comes the part that really bothers me. He told the Bank of America representative that they would have to pull out a piece of drywall near the floor and send it to a lab. I am also a Certified Mold Inspector and I take mold samples all the time. There are certain protocols that need to be followed. One is that a Chain of Custody Form has to be filled out. COC form lists the sample taken, what they are going to be tested for and the requirements for those tests. This form is then signed in front of the client to show your client that you are taking responsibility for the sample. You are also telling your client what lab you are sending it to. You then explain to your client that the lab technician who is going to work on that sample also signs the COC form showing your client that they have taken responsibility from you and on to themselves. This COC form is given to the client with the results of the testing. According to the Bank of America representative there was no Chain of Custody Form.

Speaking of the testing, this bulk testing that was being done would take about 10 business days and costs on average of $1100.00. In two weeks the representative did not hear anything from this person. I was called in for a second opinion on weather there was any evidence of the effects of Chinese drywall. The original inspector told the representative that the master bathroom would need to be completely gutted and redone. He put her in contact with a contractor that he new and this contractor told her it would be $15,000.00 to do the bathroom. He put her in contact with a contractor that he new and this contractor told her it would be $15,000.00 to do the bathroom. Do I have to repeat it again or do you understand what I mean. As an inspector you claim that there is Chinese drywall gas in a bathroom picked up with a Freon leak detector and recommends that the bathroom be gutted and it will cost $15,000.00 that can be done by someone he recommends.

The only evidence in this model was the black copper tubing inside the evaporator coil in the air conditioner’s air handler located in the garage. The representative asked me how come this is the only evidence. My possible explanation was that since there is a ceiling return, maybe a few sheets of the Chinese drywall were used in the ceiling near the air conditioner’s return grill. I have found many homes where several different brands of drywall were used. This small amount of drywall could have caused the blackening of the copper coils because of it strategic location nears the return in the ceiling. I believe that these gasses over time expel themselves. The chemicals could be still there but no longer expelling the gasses associated with the chemicals in Chinese drywall. The only testing that should have been done is a piece of the drywall near the return grill. This should be done for piece of mind, and good customer relations. Show your clients that you care and you are not hiding anything.

Be careful, there are always bad elements in our society that will try and make easy money off someone’s misfortune. Hire a certified inspector to do a visual inspection first. You can go on from there. Take your time and don’t jump into anything. I believe that unless you have the rotten egg sulfur smell air testing will not show elevated levels of the gasses associated with the effects of Chinese drywall. Stay tuned and remember I value your comments.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322