St. Pete Road Trip, “A desperate call for help”

This blog is a true story and occurred on the dates stated. I am writing this blog because this family was at the end of their rope. They had spent thousands of dollars trying to make this their dream home, only to feel like they are allergic to it. I believe that this is happening all over Florida. A lot of people do not know why they don’t feel well. Hopefully it will encourage someone to make that “Desperate call for help” and start living healthy again.

This blog post will be in five parts.

Part one is an introduction to the situation I encountered.

Part two is the Chinese drywall visual inspection and the indoor air quality inspection.

Part three is the testing that was required for these homeowners.

Part four is the testing results.

Part five is the recommended remediation and conclusion

After each section I will give a tease of the next section. This blog posting will start on my Active Rain blog and continue to my blog at my website at www.mermininspetions.com. All those starting at my Blog on Active Rain please follow the link to my website and click on the blog button and go to “The Inspector’s Corner” From the inspector. It will be titled “A St. Pete road trip, A desperate call for help”

Part one:

The initial introduction:

I received a request from a homeowner to perform a Chinese drywall visual inspection and a HVAC and indoor air quality inspection of their home located in St. Petersburg, Fl. During the week of the 23^rd of November this homeowner called me and expressed her concerns that she may be suffering from the effects of the chemicals associated with Chinese drywall. Though the home was built prior to 2003 which is thought to be the beginning of the time period when Chinese drywall was first used, she was concerned that Chinese drywall may have been used in the recent remodeling.

I then proceed to ask her about the condition of the HVAC system and if she new any of its background. She explained to me that the entire duct system had been replaced but the original air handler was still being used. This air handler was located in the attic above the garage. They then took a few pictures of the inside of the air handler and sent them to me for my opinion. I inspected the photos and found that the blower wheel was infested with major microbial matter. Other pictures showed that the interior of the air handler

was full of microbial matter. I suggested to them that the Chinese drywall was the least of their worries and that I would concentrate on the indoor air quality of their interior environment. The homeowner relayed a story to me about a trip to Atlanta where she felt so good she was able to take a nap. She explained to me that she was never able to take a nap at the St. Pete home. I conveyed to her that this was a common thing. A lot of people have expressed that they felt a lot better health wise when they left their home.

I then suggested to the homeowners that they contact a local Certified Mold Inspector to come in and inspect their home for indoor air quality issues. I also recommended that they have a visual Chinese drywall inspection just for their peace of mind. I let her know that I would be available to answer any questions they may have over the telephone because my office is in Lee County Florida just south of them. A few days later the homeowner called me back and explained that she couldn’t find an inspector that she felt comfortable with. At this time she requested that I come up there and do an investigation. Even though it was a two hour drive to St. Petersburg I felt obligated to make the trip and help them anyway I could. We decided that I would go up there on Monday the 30^th of November.

I proceed to perform a complete visual Chinese drywall inspection using the checklist I developed almost 10 months age. The conclusion of my visual Chinese drywall inspection was that there were no visual signs of the effects caused by the chemicals generally associated with Chinese drywall.

Next posting:

I inspected as much duct work as I could get to…….

The blower wheel inside the air handler was completely impacted …….

I would like to give the HVAC contractor the benefit of the doubt………..

I was recently in a development in South Ft. Myers doing a Visual Chinese drywall inspection. I was very saddened to discover that this very nice complex was suffering from the effects of the chemicals associated with Chinese drywall. I spent some time there speaking with residents of this development and found out that many of the units were being rented. I talked to one owner that recently moved his tenant out at his expense. He informed me that there were many empty units in the development.

As you can see the development that I did the visual Chinese Drywall Inspection was Avalon Preserve. Feel free to go to my blog at my website at www.mermininspections.comand click on the blog button which will take you to the INSPECTOR’S CORNER. Look for the “From the Inspector” posts and you will find all the previous Chinese Drywall update posts. You will find pictures of the visual evidence found in the unit I inspected in Avalon Preserve.  You will also see all the other corners that are made available for guests to write postings. There is a Realtor’s Corner that I allow Realtors to write interesting posts. Just send a post to me at jacob@mermininspections.comand I will look it over and if it fits into the whole concept of separate corners I would be happy to post it. I am looking for current events of the real estate business that you feel would be of interest to Realtors and sellers and buyers. No listing please, they will not be posted. Be looking of a Jacob Mermin Inspections monthly newsletter. It will cover all types of inspections.

                                                      These pictures are common visual evidence of the effects of the chemicals associated with Chinese drywall. Solid copper ground wires in a electrical outlet changes to black. Chrome plumbing fixtures become black, corroded and pitted. Copper air conditioning lines will turn black as well as the evaporator coil. And you will get blackening on the edges of a bathroom mirror.

I have seen these effects all over SW Florida and it always effects people. I have done these inspections just before a closing and feel very bad because their dream home is no longer a good investment. Every time I have to show my clients this kind of visual evidence they are sad at first and then they shake my hand and thank me for saving them thousands of dollars. When I hear this it makes me feel better and I realize I am doing what I am meant to do. I do full service home inspections that include a Chinese drywall inspection. I tell everyone that I meet no matter what get a home inspection before you commit to purchasing a home.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI/EPA Type ll

I believe that laws governing the HVAC industry are very important. These laws protect the homeowner in Florida. It amazes me that so many air conditioning contractors do not pull permits on their air conditioning and ductwork installations. What amazes me more is that the homeowner doesn’t care or doesn’t know that these permits need to be pulled and posted on the home in a place that can be seen from the street. This not pulling permits epidemic that has infected the air conditioning business in SW. Florida comes from the small mom and pop operation to the large corporate contractor. There are companies that sometimes pull permits and sometimes don’t. When the home is off the beaten path there is a good chance that a permit is not pulled. It costs about $100.00 considering the cost of the permit and the cost to post it to do business legally.

It is mind boggling that the County and City building departments do not have an advertising campaign to let homeowners know that it is the law that a permit must be pulled and posted for air conditioning and ductwork installations. Why don’t contractors go to the trouble of pulling and posting permits? One reason is that it can be a long ordeal at the building department to apply for these permits. It is a process that could be made easier and quicker but that is secondary to the requirement of following the law.

I believe that the companies that are not pulling permits are not doing the best work possible for the homeowner. When you pull a permit the contractor becomes responsible for any code violation issues that are at the home prior to the air conditioning installations. For example if the prior contractor who put in the previous air conditioner removed a portion of a roof strut to make that air handler fit in the attic it is the responsibility of the new contractor to fix that problem when they install the new unit. The present contractor has to bring the home to code with regards to their installation. The most important reason for pulling and posting a permit is that the work will be inspected by the appropriate building department to make sure that the job is safe and is up to code. Hopefully the code violations caused by previous contractors who did not pull a permit will be discovered by the building inspector. There are a few homeowners that have done previous work themselves that does not meet code. They do not want a permit pulled in fear that this work will be discovered. In my opinion there is no excuse for not pulling a permit. Homeowners should want the work they are paying for to be to code.

Many homeowners want the cheapest price possible and do not really care if it is done to code. I learned something recently that really made me think. I heard a statistic from the National Better Business Bureau. It stated that there were more than 10 million complaints last year against contractors. 80% of these complaints were filled against contractors who submitted the lowest bid. This means that homeowners are doing business with companies that are doing the cheapest work. I wonder how many of those companies did not pull permits on those jobs.

I am aware of many air conditioning companies that do not pull and post permits for air conditioning systems and ductwork. In my HVAC design work I will not do business with these companies when I represent one of my clients. I supervise each job and insist that these companies pull permits. I am aware of one local air conditioning company that has pulled less than 10 permits for air conditioning installations in the last two and a half years. I know of approximately 200 of their customers that permits were not pulled. This company is under investigation by all  the local building departments and the State of Florida and I am not at liberty to disclose the name of the contractor or the homeowners names. As soon as this information is public knowledge I will be reporting it in this blog.

Here is something I have heard, “Mrs. Jones since you already have an air conditioner I don’t have to pull a permit on your job, only when you don’t have air conditioning do we have to pull a permit.” Do not let contractors lie to you. If they are not pulling a permit it could mean they are cutting corners because they know that the building department is not going to do an inspection and will not see those short cuts that could be going against codes.

Remember if you do not see a permit posted on your house when the job is completed the contractor is breaking the law. Unfortunately the homeowner is also responsible for this permit and could also be liable for any fines the building departments may levy. It is your property and it is your family. Do not be apart of a code violation or a safety issue that could threaten your investment or your loved ones. I am a certified home inspector, mold inspector, air quality inspector, and air conditioning technician. I have seen problems during my inspections that I would not wish on anyone. Do not be a statistic or become a news report because shoddy work has affected your home or family.

Stand up for yourself with your contractors.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

Recently I was asked by a long  time Friend’s son for help. I have known this kid since he and my daughter were in baby carriers watching their young fathers play on a church softball team. He says ” Jake you know all about that IAQ stuff right”. “Yes Ronald I know all about Indoor Air Quality”. He then proceeds to tell me that his girlfriend’s grandmother is always sick, and that he noticed all this black junk on one of the air conditioning grills the last time he was over there. He asked me to go take a look at it and tell grandma what I thought and what she should do. Well I am going to show all of you a picture of what I saw, and I hope it doesn’t look familiar to anyone who maybe keeping up with the Inspector’s Corner.                                               

I get there and remove the filter from in front of this coil and I can’t believe my eyes. I put the filter back in front of the coil and went out to my truck. I found my rubber gloves and my respirator and had one hand on my hazmat suit. I didn’t want to scare poor grandma so I left it in the truck and told myself to be careful. You must understand that I see this almost every day and each time I do I still don’t understand why. There are people out there breathing this in, making themselves sick and not even realizing it. This includes this grandmother.

Showing the progression of Microbial Matter is very important in explaining a client’s indoor air quality issues. For those who don’t understand the process the blower motor pulls the cold air off an evaporator coil and sends it through the supply plenum to the duct system. The air handler is center stage when it comes to the average indoor environment. While the system is running air is continuously re-circulating from the return into and out of the evaporator coil to the blower and out the duct system. It is a vicious circle that needs to be broken.

The evaporator coil, blower motor, and the unit’s insulation are full of Microbial Growth. As a National  Certified Mold and Air Quality Inspector I do not like it when I hear about others calling this mold. This word is thrown around by air conditioning companies to get home owners upset and worried and I guess in the mood to buy what ever is presented.

After I do a visual inspection I need to decide whether to recommend to my client to have lab testing done. In this case there is so much Microbial Growth that lab testing is the next logical step. We need to know if there is something in this home that could be dangerous. Most people do not realize that there are thousands of different molds with many sub species that look so much alike under the microscope that they are just lumped into one category. The EPA has developed a testing system called ERMI/DNA Mold Testing. This is the only mold testing developed by the EPA. It is very technical, it goes directly to the mold DNA where they can separate out the sub species. It is very CSI like, and very expensive. It is not every day mold testing. This type of mold testing is for Law suites and litigation or for insurance purposes. Mold effects us in different ways. Some people react to it from as far as 100 feet away where some can stand over it and not be bothered. It is well documented that mold usually effects the young and the old and those with breathing issues and immune system deficiencies. Molds that produce Mycotoxins usually effects everyone. Molds like the “Black Mold” which is actually called Stachybotrys.

In the case of grandma I took a swab sample of the evaporator coil, blower motor wheel, and a supply vent. Results came back from the lab with four different types of mold. It also came back with something called back ground particulate. Which is dust, dirt, pollen, pet dander, dead skin cells, bug parts and etc. etc. etc. Back ground particulate can be considered food for mold along with paper, drywall, dead plant material, etc. etc. etc. Another item came back in the test results called Hyphae which is the feeding apparatus of the mold. This usually means that there is a growing and feeding mold colony in the area where the testing was taken. Mold needs only two things to grow, moisture and a food source. Well we have already discussed the food source. Mold will grow in 70% humidity. There is always 70% humidity in Florida. I have seen it 65 degrees outside and 90% humidity.

An air conditioner’s air handler is a prime area fod mold growth. An air handler can be it’s own environmental system. The air conditioner is a dehumidifier with cold air being a by product. Remember the evaporator is exposed to the air in your house and then removes your home’s humidity. Combine that with the dust, dirt, pollen, etc. and you have the two items needed for mold to grow and start a living feeding colony. This is my passion. I want everyone to have good quality air. If you see dirt on the air conditioning supply grills in your home you may have a growing, feeding mold colony inside your air handler. You might want to call a Certified Mold Inspector and find out if you may have a problem with your indoor air quality. If you have kids that seem to always be sick. People have told just when they thought they were better they were sick again. If your nose starts running and your eyes keep watering you may have allergies or you could have mold in your house. People are allergic to mold. Florida is the number one state for breathing problems. In closing I would like to share the most stupid thing anyone has ever said to me about these issues. It was from one of those know it all wise guys we have all met. He actually  told me, “Mold is not that bad once you get use to it”. My answer to him was, “Well it’s obvious you do not care about your indoor air quality, how about your wife and kids”. My motto is “without air quality, we cannot have quality of life”.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

I was out to the River Hall development near Alva, Fl. again last week. I was asked by one of the residents to do the $99.00 visual inspection that I am advertising on my website and other outlets. My client wanted to know where they stood. This home is a second residence and occupied several times of the year. A second air conditioning evaporator coil was replaced one day before my arrival. I requested that my client ask the air conditioning company to leave the coil so that I could include it in my inspection and investigation. Unfortunately the a/c company said they couldn’t do that as it was to be sent to the manufacturer for warranty. Couldn’t postpone that one day, go figure. I asked if my client could do part of my job by taking pictures of the contaminated evaporator coil before it was taken away.

AIR CONDITIONING

As you can see in this picture the old evaporator coil with it’s blackened copper tubing is in stark contrast to the new shinny copper tubing of the new evaporator coil. This is definate evidence that this home maybe suffering from the effects of the chemicals associated with   Chinese Drywall.

ELECTRICAL

My visual investigation continued by inspecting several electrical outlets and switch plates. As you can see in this picture there is a wire that is connected to a ground screw on the left side of the electrical outlet. I found several electrical outlets that had this blackened copper ground wire.

PLUMBING FIXTURES

All types of plumbing fixtures are a good area to find if there is visual evidence of the effects of the chemicals associate with Chinese Drywall. As you can see with this sink plug it is very corroded and pitted. Stainless steel or chrome are very effected and visual evidence is usually easy to see. Your darker bronze type fixtures are the most difficult to see.

This matching faucet in the same guest bathroom is also effected by the chemicals that are associated with Chinese drywall.

DRYER PLUG

In this close up picture of the home’s dryer electrical plug you can see that the brass elements are just starting to turn black. On several occasions I have seen the brass elements of the common dryer plug become completely black in color with no sign of that shinny copper color. This dryer plug may eventually fail due to Chinese Drywall.

 In this Chinese Drywall update I have given a few examples of the evidence that I have found during my many inspections. There are plenty of other household locations that can be effected by the chemicals associated with Chinese Drywall. These include mirrors, refrigerators, freezers, and main panel electrical breaker boxes that are found inside condominiums instead of the garage. These are usually in the laundry room and can be a major problem if the copper wire is effected.

Again the latest developement is the River Hall community on State Road 80 near Alva, Florida on the way to Labelle. This home was located in the Cascades section of the development. Remember earlier I was asked to inspect on of the model homes now owned by Bank of America. All inquires should be sent to them as they have taken over the responsibility of River Hall when Levitt and Sons went bankrupt.

Bulk drywall testing is available through my company Jacob Mermin Inspections. I use Assured Bio in Oakridge Tn. a nationally certified laboratory with extended experience. You can referr to an earlier post that has a message from the laboratory manager Lyn Pope. I have been instructed by Lyn Pope to take my drywall samples for testing from a wall that has an electrical outlet that has that blackened copper wire. She has told me to take a sample from every wall that has that effected electrical outlet. That many tests may prove to be too costly for the average homeowner. Beware there are inspectors who are not qualified to perform this testing. I recommend that my clients have as many samples done as they can afford. My policy is to give my clients the most for their money and if neccasary spread fewer tests out around the home.

Do not take the builders word for testing. Many builders have claimed that they performed testing in their homes and no Chinese Drywall was used. Ask for the test results. Ask for the visual inspection report. In many cases these builders were taking samples of drywall no where near any evidence of Chinese Drywall. For example, I take drywall samples next to electrical outlets where I found blackened copper ground wires. They do not. They take samples on walls where the electrical outlets showed no evidence of the blackening of copper ground wires. I do not mean that all builders are not being honest about their inspections and testing. I have not heard of very many builders bragging about independent visual inspections and testing. I would count DSD Homes of Lehigh Acres, Fl., Desoto Holdings of Ft. Myers, Fl., and the folks out at the models in the RiverHall development as those companies who want independent inspections and testing.

Final thought. You must find an inspector you can trust. Those concerned will not take your word for anything. You need a Certified Inspector to visually inspect your concerns and produce a report. Also get your Certified Inspector to get your testing done. Don’t take the builder’s word for it. Every attorney that I have talked to wants this report and testing for any type of litigation or class action lawsuit. I would advise you have all your eggs in a basket for them ahead of time. This way you are in control of it and not the lawyers. Remember your homeowner insurance company is also going to want this information. You definitely don’t want to use their inspections and testing.

From the inspector

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

From Lynn Pope Assured Bio Laboratory Manager.

AssuredBio uses advanced infrared imaging analysis to detect contaminated Chinese drywall.  The technology is Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, or FT-IR.  By measuring the way the molecules in a drywall sample are excited across a spectrum of light, a fingerprint of the sample is created.  Like humans, every fingerprint is unique, but there are distinguishing characteristics that types of drywall have in common.  The contaminated drywall samples have a peak that is not present in uncontaminated samples.  That peak has been traced to sulfide and disulfide compounds and can be seen in the image below. 

This technology is not unique to the Chinese drywall issue.  In fact, is has been used in crime labs and court rooms for over 70 years to detect everything from illicit drugs to counterfeit currency.  The same technology is used to check the purity of all raw materials imported into the EU that will be used in pharmaceuticals. 

Many people wonder why this type of analysis is less expensive than other laboratory analyses available.  This analysis provides superior results while the time, labor, and materials that go into the analysis are far less than other analysis methods.  This allows us to provide a more cost-effective analysis than others on the market with better information. 

Currently, no analysis that can be conducted in-home to determine if there is contaminated Chinese drywall – only a visual inspection to find marked Chinese drywall.  Beware of quick and cheap tests, as they can provide false positives and false negatives.

AssuredBio (http://assuredbio.com) is a premier Indoor Air Quality Lab, specializing in DNA-based mold and bacteria analysis and contaminated Chinese drywall testing.  AssuredBio recommends Jacob Mermin Inspections for all mold and Chinese drywall inspections as a reliable, ethical, and valuable inspector.

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

Copper ground wire has turned black

I have been promising everyone who would listen that a fellow Inspector and I have been developing an affordable laboratory test for Chinese Drywall. I wasn’t lying, it just seemed like it. Jacob Mermin Inspections has this testing available for those who qualify. My fellow inspector and I have decided that the right thing to do is require a visual inspection first, before people just start spending money because they are desperate for help. I will come to your home and do a visual inspection to see if there is evidence of the effects of Chinese drywall. Believe it or not, not every home has Chinese Drywall. I did five inspection in Lehigh Acres, Fl. last week and all five house were negative for the effects of Chinese Drywall. I have an extensive checklist that I go by to determine if there is any visual evidence of the effects of Chinese Drywall. My visual inspection checklist will be filled out and left with the homeowner.

Tarnished silver bowl

I will also take digital pictures and put them in a report to explain this visual inspection. This report will then be e-mailed to the client in a day or so. With this checklist, digital pictures, and a written report the homeowner can make a intelligent decision on whether to go ahead with lab testing.  The good news, is that the air testing available will determine if your home contains the four gasses that are causing these effects. The four gases are Carbon Disulphide, Carbonyl Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide and finally Hydrogen Sulfide. There is also a bulk drywall lab test available. The great thing about the air testing is that we can give you the results right then and there in your home. The bulk drywall testing requires us to cut a piece of drywall out and send it to the lab. This test takes approximately 10 days.

Dryer plug starting to turn black

I have been able to help people with my certified home inspections, mold inspections, indoor air quality inspections, and air conditioning inspections, but when I came across the effects of Chinese Drywall I couldn’t answer those final questions. “What do we do now, and where do we go from here”. I hated hearing that, mostly because I had to say, ” Very expensive testing “. I am very happy that I have all these new answers and I am able to talk to these folks about very affordable lab testing. There are dishonest people out there who are taking advantage of the fear that so many homeowners have about the possibility of having Chinese Drywall. I am not going to allow this. I am not going to let people spend their hard earned money on even affordable lab testing with out first having a visual inspection. If after we do this visual inspection together we decide it would be a good idea to have the testing done, we will do it.  My clients are going to be in control. Go to my website at www.mermininspections.com and take advantage of my Chinese Drywall Visual Inspection Special. Or you can call me directly at 239-243-7322. Together we can get the honest answers everyone deserves.

Call someone you can trust.

I tell everyone to use a qualified inspector who is also certified to open your air conditioner. It makes sense to call Jacob Mermin Inspections. Your one stop shop.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

jacob@mermininspections.com

As you can see in this picture we have the air conditioners copper line sets. These copper lines connect the inside air handler with the outside condenser. It is very obvious that the effects of Chinese drywall are at work in this home. There is black rubber armor flex insulation covering the larger line. This is the way it should be as it is insulating the copper pipe because it carriers the cold freon. The smaller pipe carriers the hot Freon after it has absorbed the heat from your house. The smaller copper tubing is under high pressure and the corrosion caused by the effects of the Chinese drywall could cause the copper line set to leak and lose Freon.

This is the air handler in question. It is located in a condo in Moody River in North Ft. Myers, Fl. You can see where I tore the black armor flex insulation to take the picture of the copper line sets that were effected by the Chinese drywall in this condo.

It is my opinon that the manufacturers of these air conditioners are not going to continue to honor warranties on these evaporator coils. This is not a manufacturers defect. This is an outside influence on these units. Those out there that have had there evaporator coils replaced under warranty should feel lucky because I do not believe it will be honored in the near future. This unit is made by Lennox, thanks Dave but the new one will just turn black and eventually fail again. My family doctor in Cape Coral, Fl. has had 9 new coils installed in the last 2 years. The warranty doesn’t cover labor, so the home owner is responsible for the $400 to $800 dollars the average company charges to replace these coils under warranty. Labor is usually only for the first year after install unless a extended labor warranty is purchased. There are companies out there that are misleading customers about warranties. You may have been told that you have a 10 year warranty on the coils and parts. Unless you have paper work from the manufacturer that says you have a ten year warranty you may not. It may be one of those as long as I am in business warranties that is provided by the air conditioning contractor. Basically it may be worthless.

If you are purchasing a home that was manufactured between 2004 and 2007 you should get a Chinese drywall visual inspection. I charge $99.00. If you are buying a home you should get a home inspection. My home inspections includes a InterNachi certified home inspection, MICRO certified mold inspection, AIRE certified air quality inspection, EPA certified type ll air conditioning technician’s inspection, and now it also includes a Chinese Drywall visual inspection. Call and ask for detail on what I look for and inspect for the effects of Chinese drywall. Every time I see with my own eyes the effects of Chinese Drywall I am going to report it to all my potential clients. I am going to take pictures of it and put it in this blog. I will keep doing this until there is no more to report on. I will post another Chinese Drywall Update in the Inspector’s Corner as soon as I can take the pictures.

The Inspector

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

So back to the Chinese Drywall Report. There was no evidence of any Chinese Drywall in the 5 homes I inspected for DSD homes earlier this week. I inspected 3 Town Homes in the Meadows in Estero, Fl. which is near Pelican Sound off of U.S. 41 in south Lee County. All three had evidence of Chinese Drywall. They all had black copper evaporator coils in the air handlers. The picture in my $99.00 Chinese Drywall inspection is from that developement. I also found evidence of the effects of Chinese Drywall in the Rookery in Estero, Fl. The evaporator coil had been replaced in November and did not show any evidence. I found that most of the copper ground wire in the electrical outlets and light switches had turned black.

Today April first I was in the Hamton Park Neigborhood of Gateway in East Ft. Myers. I inspected two homes in that developement and I found that both had black evaporator coils and black copper ground wires in the electrical outlets and light switches. I also found several mirrors corroded along with plumbing fixtures. One of my clients has a silver plated bowl that has completley turned black. Now I did not want to find these examples of the possible effects of Chinese Drywall and I recommended that they have some lab testing done.

These inspections that I do are strickley visual in nature and the only way to be 100% shure is to have lab testing done. A coleague and I are developing a more affordable test for the average homeowner. This is coming and we should have more information on this in the blog in the next couple of weeks. As soon as we have the particulars especially the pricing I will post it to this blog. In the mean time if you feel you may have the effects of possible Chinese Drywall the first step is to have a visual inspection by a qualified inspector. I am a InterNachi certfiied home inspector, MICRO certfiied mold inspector,and  a AIRE certified indoor air quality inspector. But most of all I am a EPA certified Type ll air conditioning technician and inspector. This means I can open up the air conditioner and inspect the evaporator coil for signs of the effects of Chinese Drywall. Feel free to call me at 239=243-7322 for a free phone consultation or to make an appoitment for a Chinese Drywall Inspection.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

Jacob Mermin Inspections

www.mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

jacob@mermininspections.com