Insulated wiring not immune from defective drywall contamination March 10, 2010

The consolidated Chinese drywall trials in the Eastern District of Louisiana are expected to produce significant results.  The first trial was aimed at determining what the proper cure for homes affected should be.

The case wrapped up recently, but more are to follow.  That initial case, which involved seven Virginia homeowners, ended with the consensus that the most effective solution should entail some form of “gutting” the drywall and all components that may have been contaminated.

The Herald Tribune reported that two crucial issues arose which are problematic for one builder that has allegedly used Chinese drywall in its homes.  That company is known as Lennar Corporation, a builder based in Miami, Florida.

• First – the focus of this article – insulated wiring was shown be prone to damage in some instances, and the practice of “snipping off” ends of exposed wiring is insufficient.

• Second – see our follow up article here – it appears as if merely vacuuming to rid a home of particles left from Chinese drywall after removal is NOT an effective solution according to some experts.

Lennar began addressing homeowner concerns quite some time ago – over a year according to the Herald Tribune. The corporation asserted that they could effectively prevent damage to insulated electrical wiring by simply cutting off ends of wiring exposed.  Scientists explained that this method has been shown to be ineffective.

At the recent proceeding, there was testimony from scientists that pointed to cases where wiring was damaged.  Perphaps even more damning at the trial, was that scientists who were NOT witnesses of the plaintiff’s attorneys even testified that insulated wiring was not safe from Chinese drywall contamination.

If you have been following the Chinese drywall crisis over the past several months (or years), you may be familiar with Lennar Corp.’s housing development.  The development was reported to be a possible Chinese drywall example about a year ago.  According to reports, a few dozen homes were constructed with Chinese drywall.