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 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

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

Along with being a InterNachi certified home inspector  your guy on the corner is also an EPA certified type ll air conditioning technician. This means I am allowed to open up your air conditioner to check if your coil has acquired that very distinctive flat black color. I think it is a good idea to move slowly. Remember knowledge is power. It’s best to collect information and make an informed decision. I am not one to tell people what to do. I do tell people do not buy an home without a home and mold inspection. Just to recap, my home inspection also comes with a mold, air quality, air conditioning, and now a Chinese Drywall inspection. Because I am certified in all these specialties you don’t have to go anywhere else. I do everything. One stop shop. I don’t like to tell people what to do, but I would never buy a house that someone showed me copper evaporator coils and copper wiring that has turned black.

Black evaporator coil (disregard date)

I think we all know what copper looks like. Air conditioning coils have that new penny copper look. Once they start to get older there will be some corrosion and some greening of the coils.  As you can see from the picture there is some copper shinning through on one of the upper loops of the tubing. The reason that this is a problem is that this corrosion causes leaks in the copper tubing and freon is escaping thus no cooling in that SW. Florida home. This is an actual evaporator coil that I came accross in a community in Estero Florida  in March. If you are considering purchasing a home in SW. Florida that was built from 2004 through 2007 call me for a Chinese Drywall Inspection.

The Inspector says: “All my real estate freinds tell me and I agree, the SW. Florida real estate market is awsome.” There are plenty of homes and great prices why buy one that may have a Chinese Drywall problem.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections. com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322