WLOX-TV and WLOX.com - The News for South MississippiFamilies use different methods to fix Chinese drywall problem
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"Rip It Apart" drywall removal method
"Blow Dry" drywall removal methodBATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Two Baton Rouge families found out tainted Chinese drywall was used inside their homes. They have taken different approaches to fix the problem. The method used could determine whether or not the family receives a federal settlement.
One family has begun the expensive and gut-wrenching job of ripping apart their nearly-new dream home to remove the dreaded Chinese drywall inside. Many south Louisiana families have the go-ahead to fix the problem now that a federal court has set guidelines on what evidence they need to save for an eventual and only possible court settlement.
Imagine having to watch a man hammering holes into a beautiful living room wall you carefully picked the wallpaper for. Meghan Middleton, a mother expecting her third baby to come in the next six weeks, was in that exact position Wednesday. The work has also left her kitchen in shambles. The family faces a few more weeks of disruption due to the project, known as the "rip it apart" fix.
Michael Middleton made his house public last fall so others would see the dangers. He has been finding more evidence of Knauf products in his home. It is the German company accused as the most responsible for the drywall problems. He's found Knauf insulation in his walls and despite the fact nothing is wrong with it, he is ripping it out anyway. One of the most dramatic forms of evidence of the drywall's affects can be seen on the pipes inside Middleton's home. Rubbing his fingers across one reveals the copper wires are darkened with a charcoal-like film on them.
In addition to the big problems, there are also smaller irritations the family is dealing with. Middleton said wiring attached to the drywall which runs to alarms cause those alarms to go off when they should not. The homeowner urges others with drywall problems to visit the Drywall Products Liability Litigation website. There, they can obtain the information about the required evidence they must save for eventual reimbursement. The CDC has set up a Drywall Information Center website, which may assist those with concerns.
Another family only a few miles away from the Middletons may have taken care of its problem in a couple of nights. The Fergusons went with the "blow dry" method to fix the problems caused by tainted drywall. They also have Knauf drywall, but according to Buddy Ferguson, an engineer, it has been rendered safe by killing the bacteria. The chlorine dioxide emitted from the blower also took care of a pesky insect problem for the family. Brown widow spiders have gotten into a neighbor's fence, but on the Fergusons' side, the insects are all dead.
The family using the "blow dry" method has little or no chance of getting any damage settlement, which is why Anna Ferguson went back to work to pay off the $50,000 fix. The Middleton family, using the more traditional "rip it apart" fix, will likely get reimbursement, but the lawyers will get one-third of that.
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