Chinese Drywall Investigation

July 31, 2009 - Seattle, WA

We are investigating consumer complaints concerning drywall manufactured in China, primarily for Knauf International GmbH. Drywall, which is also called gypsum board, usually consists of flat sheets of gypsum (calcium sulfate) mixed with fiber and certain additives, and sandwiched between two layers of paper. It is used throughout the United States for interior walls. It has come to light that certain drywall sold by Knauf was manufactured in China using fly ash, a residue from burning coal, instead of pure gypsum. The particular fly ash used in Chinese drywall appears to contain high quantities of sulfur, which outgases from the drywall and forms compounds with the ambient air and water vapor. Signs that such drywall may have been used include: the name "Knauf" stamped on the back of each board; a rotten-egg or sulfur smell in the building; and corrosion of metal materials, particularly copper. For example, catastrophic failure of air conditioning units has been linked to Chinese drywall due to corrosion of the copper wiring, as well as failure of electrical systems.

If you are experiencing such problems or have reason to believe your home may contain Chinese drywall, you are invited to send us an email at contact@tousley.com or call (206) 682-5600. If you are outside the 206 area code, you may call toll free (877) 747-9016.