Residents of a South Florida community with tainted Chinese drywall problems are getting full home renovations, while the majority of homeowners in other communities with the problem struggle to find ways to get it fixed.
Some claim that sulfur-tainted Chinese drywall can cause health problems and harm household appliances.
G.L. Homes has begun the long and expensive task of gutting homes it built that contain Chinese drywall. Local 10 has learned 30 homes in the Canyon Isles section of Boynton Beach are currently being worked on.
“They took out every single wall. There was no wiring, no plumbing. It was a gutted home back to preconstruction days,” said homeowner Andrea Suhajcik.
Suhajcik’s 2½-year-old house contained Chinese drywall. She, her husband and four children have been living in a rental for six weeks and plan to be back in their house sometime in August.
G.L. Homes is one of the only companies paying for renovations to homes they built which were found to have the tainted Chinses drywall. The builder is paying the Suhajciks’ rent on another house while their house is being renovated and hiring an artist to repaint murals that were once in the children’s bedrooms.
“They said, ‘No worries. We will take care of this from start to finish,” Suhajcik said.
But the owners of homes built by G.L. are in the minority. Many homeowners in the same situation are finding themselves getting no help from their builders, insurance companies or the state.
“We are in limbo right now. Our house is standing there. It is an empty house,” said Alyssa Quittner.
Quittner’s home is also in Boynton Beach but was built by Northstar. She, her husband and their newborn have moved in with her parents.
Chinese drywall emits gases which corrode copper and other metal and give off a foul odor that some claim makes people sick, Weinsier reported. It has been found in homes in 14 states.
The U.S. Congress is looking into what can be done, but it could take years to remedy the problem.
“Every day, I say thank you,” Suhajcik said.