Defective Chinese Drywall
This consortium…There are the only five known inspectors, in the greater Houston area and 8 surrounding counties, which are competent to guide an owner thru this process. No other group has spent sufficient research time and sufficient "hands on" experience to develop this help. This research continues because Chinese Drywall continues to be an evolving problem where answers are being found everyday.

"Help"

FTC

The Federal Interagency Task Force has performed significant testing of drywall and homes, and found a strong association between the problem drywall, the hydrogen sulfide levels in homes with that drywall, and corrosion in those homes.

The FTC says homeowners should be on the alert for anyone trying to sell test kits, inspections, and quick fixes for tainted drywall. The Federal Interagency Task Force is studying testing and remediation protocols for affected homes, but no federally-approved testing kits or remediation methods currently exist.
Source Federal Trade Commission

Consumer Drywall Complaint Report

" By filling out the form below and then submitting it, you can report a complaint involving drywall to us. We may contact you by mail, phone or Internet email for further details. In addition, you will be contacted to confirm the information you sent. info@cpsc.gov "

" Please be advised that you may be contacted by one of CPSC's field Investigators if we wish to obtain additional information
about your report. "

IRS

IRS Provides Relief for Homeowners with Corrosive Drywall

IRS-2010-102, Sept. 30, 2010
WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service today issued guidance providing relief to homeowners who have suffered property losses due to the effects of certain imported drywall installed in homes between 2001 and 2009.

Revenue Procedure 2010-36 enables affected taxpayers to treat damages from corrosive drywall as a casualty loss and provides a "safe harbor" formula for determining the amount of the loss.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-2010-36.pdf

In numerous instances, homeowners with certain imported drywall have reported blackening or corrosion of copper electrical wiring and copper components of household appliances, as well as the presence of sulfur gas odors. In November 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that an indoor air study of a sample of 51 homes found a strong association between the problem drywall, levels of hydrogen sulfide in those homes and corrosion of metals in those homes.

Revenue Procedure 2010-36 provides the following relief: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-2010-36.pdf
Individuals who pay to repair damage to their personal residences or household appliances resulting from corrosive drywall may treat the amount paid as a casualty loss in the year of payment.
Taxpayers who have already filed their income tax return for the year of payment generally have three years to file an amended return and claim the deduction. The amount of a loss that may be claimed depends on whether the taxpayer has a pending claim for reimbursement (or intends to pursue reimbursement) of the loss through property insurance, litigation or otherwise.
In cases where a taxpayer does not have a pending claim for reimbursement, the taxpayer may claim as a loss all unreimbursed amounts paid during the taxable year to repair damage to the taxpayer's personal residence and household appliances resulting from corrosive drywall.
If a taxpayer does have a pending claim (or intends to pursue reimbursement), a taxpayer may claim a loss for 75 percent of the unreimbursed amount paid during the taxable year to repair damage to the taxpayer's personal residence and household appliances that resulted from corrosive drywall.

A taxpayer who has been fully reimbursed before filing a return for the year the loss was sustained may not claim a loss. A taxpayer who has a pending claim for reimbursement (or intends to pursue reimbursement) may have income or an additional deduction in subsequent taxable years depending on the actual amount of reimbursement received.

For purposes of this revenue procedure, the term "corrosive drywall" means drywall that is identified as problem drywall under the two step identification method http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/InterimIDGuidance012810.pdf published by the CPSC and the Department of Housing and Urban Development in their interim guidance http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/InterimIDGuidance012810.pdf dated January 28, 2010.

Further details and limitations can be found in Revenue Procedure 2010-36 on IRS.gov. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-2010-36.pdf
Source IRS.gov

Subscribe to email alerts at CPSC.org
http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/signup.aspx
Report drywall incidents

Court Cases

Chinese Drywall Manufacturer Knauf agrees to remediate 300 homes.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-chinese-drywall-miami-20100520,0,6547924.story

CPSC

More information, on going investigations and reporting.
http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/index.html