CDW Remediation CDW Remediation The The Cost Debate Cost Debate - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CDW Remediation CDW Remediation The The Cost Debate Cost Debate Rages On Rages On g by Gary Rosen, Ph.D. by Gary Rosen, Ph.D. Unnecessarily complex protocols with unsubstantiated Unnecessarily complex protocols with unsubstantiated procedures drive up costs and hurt the many home owners that have to pay out of pocket.  We find that fixing CDW homes by following the We find that fixing CDW homes by following the new Drywall Task Force Guidelines new Drywall Task Force Guidelines is similar in is similar in complexity to 2 complexity to 2- -3 mold jobs or one small fire. 3 mold jobs or one small fire.  Remove the problem material. Remove the problem material.  Carefully clean. Carefully clean.  Rebuild. Rebuild.  Perform post Perform post- -remediation clearance testing remediation clearance testing. . Page 1

Federal Drywall Task Federal Drywall Task Force Remediation Force Remediation Recommendations: Not Expensive Recommendations: Not Expensive Recommendations: Not Expensive Recommendations: Not Expensive  According to the impartial Federal Chinese Drywall According to the impartial Federal Chinese Drywall Task Force, based on the latest science: Task Force, based on the latest science:  Homes do Homes do not not need to be gutted down to block walls need to be gutted down to block walls in o de to p o ide in order to provide safe, healthy living environments. in order to provide safe, healthy living environments. in o de to p o ide fe he lth fe he lth li ing en i onment li ing en i onment  The Task Force found no health or safety reasons to The Task Force found no health or safety reasons to remove non problem drywall, AC units, insulation, remove non remove non-problem drywall, AC units, insulation, remove non problem drywall, AC units, insulation, problem drywall, AC units, insulation, plumbing, or ducting. plumbing, or ducting. Home owners find that remediation focused on Task Force recommendations cost as low as $12- $17/ sq ft* (S. Florida homes.) $ / q ( ) * See case study in CDW Remediation 101 at www.Chinese-Drywall.org Page 2

Builders Often Do More Builders Often Do More  Some builders do more Some builders do more than recommended by the than recommended by the Federal Task Force Federal Task Force. More . More th than the science dictates. th than the science dictates. th th i i di t t di t t  These These builder protocols builder protocols were were often were were often often developed often developed developed developed before before the the new Task new Task Force Force recommendations recommendations came out recommendations recommendations came out came out came out. Once started along this path it now becomes Once started along this path, it now becomes difficult to change. Page 3

Builders Often Replace Builders Often Replace More More  …. than …. than needed for a needed for a multiplicity of reasons multiplicity of reasons not not necessarily dictated by the current science: necessarily dictated by the current science:  In order to placate home owners so they do not In order to placate home owners so they do not  sue. sue.  Brand protection; improved customer satisfaction; Brand protection; improved customer satisfaction; Brand protection; improved customer satisfaction; Brand protection; improved customer satisfaction;  satisfying builder satisfying builder warranties; etc. warranties; etc. For homeowners paying out of pocket to remediate their own homes … they should pay more for remediation because builder protocols have to satisfy builder warranties? Clearly One Size DOES NOT NECESSARI LY Fit All Clearly One Size DOES NOT NECESSARI LY Fit All remediation situations. Page 4

Remove All Drywall or Not? Remove All Drywall or Not? Is a Is a Major Major Cost Factor j Cost Factor  Removing Removing all drywall even all drywall even when when not corrosive not corrosive − − is an is an example of a builder procedure example of a builder procedure with p p p p with no scientific basis − an example of going no scientific basis − an example of going beyond Task Force recommendations. beyond Task Force recommendations.  Costs can be significantly reduced by saving C C Costs can be significantly reduced by saving t t b b i i ifi ifi tl tl d d d b d b i i good drywall when good drywall when adequately identified adequately identified. . Good drywall, in ceilings under attics, usually can easily be distinguished from corrosive Chinese easily be distinguished from corrosive Chinese drywall by simply reading the name on the back of the drywall. Page 5

Ceiling Drywall Ceiling Drywall  Why make such a big deal about Why make such a big deal about ceiling drywall? ceiling drywall?  In In Florida, I Fl Fl Florida, the vast majority of id id the vast majority of th th t t j j it it f f newer CDW homes have easy to newer CDW homes have easy to distinguish distinguish good drywall distinguish good drywall distinguish good drywall in good drywall in in in ceilings under ceilings under attics, attics, due to due to recent building code changes. recent building code changes.  When the ceiling drywall is good, When the ceiling drywall is good When the ceiling drywall is good When the ceiling drywall is good, you then do not need to replace you then do not need to replace ceiling duct work ceiling duct work or g or insulation. insulation. The savings involved in not replacing ceiling drywall and not replacing attic insulation and drywall and not replacing attic insulation and duct work can be considerable. Page 6

Plenty of Plenty of Agreement Agreement Saving Ceiling Saving Ceiling Drywall, Insulation & Ducting g g g g Drywall, Insulation & Ducting y y , , g g  THE THE FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL COALITION FOR FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL COALITION FOR CHINESE (REACTIVE) DRYWALL agrees: CHINESE (REACTIVE) DRYWALL agrees: CHINESE (REACTIVE) DRYWALL agrees: CHINESE (REACTIVE) DRYWALL agrees: So long as drywall can be adequately identified, S l d ll b d l id ifi d non-corrosive, ceiling drywall does not have to be replaced. As well, neither fiberglass ceiling insulation nor AC flex duct have to be replaced. A great deal of money can be saved by not A great deal of money can be saved by not discarding these building components. See their protocol at: ChineseDrywallProtocol.org Page 7

Also Plenty of Also Plenty of Disagreement Disagreement Example: Hernandez Ruling Example: Hernandez p Ruling g  The The Hernandez ruling Hernandez ruling concludes concludes that everything that everything (including not y y g g ( (including not ( g g only good drywall but the entire only good drywall but the entire the list on the list on the right) must be the right) must be replaced even though: replaced even though: replaced even though: replaced even though:  Their expert’s protocol Their expert’s protocol from which this table was taken from which this table was taken from which this table was taken from which this table was taken recommends recommends otherwise otherwise. .  Why Why? ? That’s a good question. That’s a good question. The ruling is certainly The ruling is certainly not based not based on the available science. on the available science. See their protocol at: ChineseDrywall Protocol.org Page 8

No Basis in Fact No Basis in Fact For Much Found in the Hernandez For Much Found in the Hernandez Ruling Ruling g  Page 20 of the ruling discusses cleaning or Page 20 of the ruling discusses cleaning or clipping electrical wiring clipping electrical wiring vs pp g pp g g g vs replacement: replacement: p “complete removal and replacement of the “complete removal and replacement of the electrical system is the electrical system is the most practical, economical most practical, economical, , and efficient approach to remediation. and efficient approach to remediation. and efficient approach to remediation ” and efficient approach to remediation ”  On On page 39 of the ruling the cost to replace page 39 of the ruling the cost to replace the electrical wiring is $15,192, which is 10x the electrical wiring is $15,192, which is 10x g g $ $ , , , , the cost to clip. the cost to clip. Such facts that drive up costs hurt home owners Such facts that drive up costs hurt home owners coming out of pocket to pay for remediation. This ruling is based on many, many false assumptions that serve to drive up costs that serve to drive up costs… all of which need to be all of which need to be challenged. Page 9