When building products defects are as widespread as the Chinese drywall issue CUSTOM HOME reported on in April the news spreads fast and far, and their effects on the construction industry can be just as wide-ranging. We’ve rounded up a few news items from around the Web about recent materials defects and failures.
Chinese drywall: Popular Mechanics reports on the latest findings of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and government research laboratories concerning the potential health threats posed by imported Chinese drywall. Read the article. Also, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has developed an online “Drywall Information Center” to update consumers on its investigation into the issue. The site offers answers to frequently asked questions, resources for reporting suspected defective drywall installations, and a sign-up page to receive drywall-related news alerts from CPSC via e-mail. Similarly, the Florida Department of Health’s Division of Environmental Health has launched a resource page to provide the latest news on its investigation into Chinese drywall, as well as helpful resources for state residents.
And the Simi Valley, Calif., laboratory of environmental analytics firm Columbia Analytical Services recently announced that it has established a reliable test protocol for identifying odor and corrosion problems in drywall. The protocol can be used to confirm visual home inspections and demonstrate that corrosion issues are due to drywall.
Plumbing defect class-action suit: A jury has awarded 40 homeowners in a North Las Vegas, Nev., housing development $475,000 in a class-action lawsuit involving about a dozen local plumbing contractors and 40 home builders who used Kitec water pipe fittings that allegedly failed in application. Read the article in the Las Vegas Sun.
Fire-fueled failures of engineered roof and floor systems: Fire Engineering recently published an editorial on what the writers claim is a risk to firefighters posed by engineered roof and floor systems that fail quickly during house fires. The piece also addressed the possibility of code changes, solutions that will allow builders to continue using engineered wood trusses, and the potential for manufacturer product liability and negligence claims against builders. Read the article.
