U.S Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, expressed frustration yesterday that preliminary results from Chinese drywall testing have failed to answer some pressing questions. According to The Miami Herald, Sen. Nelson was angered not only by the lack of answers, but by the slow pace of the Consumer Products Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Chinese drywall investigation.

The CPSC has received about 1,897 reports from residents in 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico concerning Chinese drywall. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. » More: Slow Pace of Chinese Drywall Probe Frustrates Senator

Preliminary results from the first round of Chinese drywall tests conducted by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) have revealed that the wallboard emits volatile sulfur compounds at a higher rate, and contains higher levels of sulfur and strontium, than domestically-made drywall samples.

But according to The Wall Street Journal, CPSC officials say they will need to conduct more studies before they can determine whether or not these differences are contributing to health problems or metal corrosion reported by Chinese drywall homeowners. The testing results are to be discussed at a news conference later today, and according to the Journal, officials are expected to caution that the results are early stage and could change. » More: First Chinese Drywall Test Results Released, But CPSC Says More Study is Needed

A building inspections expert claims Chinese drywall is infested with bacteria, fungus and even fecal matter. According to a report on the Broward-Palm Beach New Times Web site, Spiderman S. Mulholland, owner of U.S. Building Consultants Inc. in Gainesville, Florida, says such contaminants are likely causing health problems for people living in homes built with the defective Chinese drywall.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received over 1,700 complaints regarding Chinese drywall from homeowners across the country. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. » More: Chinese Drywall Tests Revealed Bacteria, Fungus, Expert Says

A top U.S. regulator has called on the Chinese to do “what is fair and just” in its response to the crisis over Chinese drywall. According to The Wall Street Journal, the head of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) made the appeal while attending the U.S.-China product safety summit that was held in Beijing beginning Thursday.

The CPSC has received over 1,700 complaints regarding Chinese drywall from homeowners across the country. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. » More: Chinese Asked for “Fair and Just” Response to Drywall Crisis

A plan to help Chinese drywall homeowners in Louisiana is a step closer to becoming a reality, but it could be some time before funds start flowing to drywall victims. While The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) approved a $5 million compensation program mandated by the Louisiana legislature, it will not be launched until federal officials agree to spend funds allocated for hurricane recovery on the Chinese drywall program.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received over 1,500 complaints regarding Chinese drywall from homeowners across the country. According to the Commission’s Web site, 249 such complaints have come from homeowners in Louisiana, making it the second hardest hit state after Florida. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. » More: Louisiana Chinese Drywall Compensation Program Approved, But Launch Delayed

Florida’s largest insurer says it has received at least two dozen claims over damage caused by defective Chinese drywall. However, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has not paid on any claims, and says it is unclear whether Chinese drywall damage will be covered by its policies.

According to HeraldTribune.com, an executive with Citizens said that because of the scope and complexity of the Chinese drywall problem, its attitude is that “as a state and as a nation is that we need to figure out what the cure is for this malady.” » More: Florida Insurer Says its Unclear If Policies Cover Chinese Drywall Damage

Chinese drywall will be a major topic of discussion at the U.S.-China product safety summit set to begin in Beijing tomorrow. But according to a report on News-Press.com, one U.S. Senator says he does not expect much to result from the talks.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received over 1,500 complaints regarding Chinese drywall from homeowners across the country. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. » More: Chinese Drywall To Be Addressed At Product Safety Summit

The U.S. will be asking China to help pay for the mess created by defective drywall imported from that country. According to The Wall Street Journal, Inez Tenenbaum, head of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), said she will bring up Chinese drywall during her visit there next week for the biennial U.S.-China consumer product safety summit.

The CPSC has received over 1,500 complaints regarding Chinese drywall from homeowners across the country. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. » More: China Will Be Asked to Help Pay For Drywall Damage, CPSC Head Says

Millions of dollars will be needed to fix the Chinese drywall problem, a Virginia builder told the head of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) during her visit to the state yesterday. According to The Virginian-Pilot, CPSC Commissioner Inez Tenenbaum heard from the builder as she joined Sen. Mark Warner, R-Virginia and other lawmakers from the state on a tour of affected homes.

According to the CPSC, it has received about 1,501 reports from residents in 27 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of metal components in their homes are related to the presence of Chinese drywall. Many homes with Chinese drywall are unlivable, and some homeowners have been driven to the point of bankruptcy. About 51 complaints have come from Virginia, making it the third hardest hit state behind Florida, which has over 1,100 complaints, and Louisiana, which has 249. » More: CPSC Head Goes on Virginia Chinese Drywall Tour

The Chinese drywall crisis has prompted a group of U.S. Senators to call on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help homeowners. The group wants FEMA to provide rental assistance to people who have had to leave their homes because of tainted Chinese drywall.

According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), it has received about 1,501 reports from residents in 27 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of metal components in their homes are related to the presence of Chinese drywall. Many homes with Chinese drywall are unlivable, and some homeowners have been driven to the point of bankruptcy. » More: Chinese Drywall Victims Need FEMA Help, Senators Say

Thousands of homeowners across the country are blaming fumes from defective Chinese drywall for making them sick. According to a report in The New York Times, the Chinese drywall debacle has pushed many people out of their homes and to the brink of bankruptcy, but solutions to the problem have not been easy to find.

This blog has been reporting on the Chinese drywall issue for months. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), it has received about 1,501 reports from residents in 27 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of metal components in their homes are related to the presence of Chinese drywall. Chinese drywall poured into the U.S. between 1999 and 2007 because of the high demand created by the housing boom. Imports accelerated when the rebuilding that followed Hurricane Charley in Florida in 2004, and Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast in 2005, created a drywall shortage. According to The Wall Street Journal, some 500 million pounds of Chinese drywall was imported to the U.S. during the housing boom. That means as many as 100,000 homes throughout the country could have been built with the material. » More: Chinese Drywall Mess Has No Easy Fix

The Florida legislature is finally addressing the Chinese drywall problem. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the Florida Senate’s Community Affairs Committee held their first hearing on the issue in Tallahassee yesterday.

Florida has been the state hardest hit by the Chinese drywall debacle. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), just over 1100 Florida homeowners have reported problems with Chinese-made wallboard. It is estimated that thousands of Florida homes were built with the defective materials. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. » More:

The Chinese drywall debacle has highlighted some serious problems in the U.S. legal system. According to a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, those flaws make it likely that many Chinese drywall manufacturers will ignore the product liability litigation now underway in New Orleans.

According to the Time-Picayune article, international trade agreements treat health and safety regulations as barriers to commerce. This makes it possible for foreign firms to import products to the U.S. that don’t meet safety standards. That can be a problem when products like drywall are coming from China, a country that has imposed few health and safety regulations on its manufacturers. » More: Hard to Hold Chinese Drywall Makers Accountable, Thanks to Legal Barriers

A Florida home built in 2002 has raised concerns that at least one home builder was using Chinese drywall earlier than first thought.

General consensus says that builders began using Chinese drywall in the construction of new homes sometime around 2004. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) Chinese drywall website, consumers making complaints about Chinese drywall largely report that their homes were built in 2006 to 2007. Experts have said that the housing boom, coupled with the massive rebuilding efforts that followed devastating hurricanes in 2004 and 2005, were the catalyst for a drywall shortage that prompted home builders to turn to Chinese-made wallboard. » More: Chinese Drywall Timeline Questioned

The Chinese drywall epidemic has hit a milestone. Complaints to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) about the defective wallboard have now surpassed 1,500.

According to the CPSC, it has received about 1,501 reports from residents in 27 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of metal components in their homes are related to the presence of Chinese drywall. The majority of reports -1,103 – have come from Florida. Other states affected include Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. » More: Chinese Drywall Complaints Top 1,500