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Do you have Chinese drywall?

WAVY.com explains what to look out for

Updated: Tuesday, 20 Oct 2009, 6:26 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 26 Mar 2009, 6:02 PM EDT

NORFOLK, Va. - We showed you 60-thousand sheets of drywall Sam Porter still has in his warehouse - drywall that homeowners claim is making their homes smell like rotten eggs.

The only local distributor in Hampton Roads claims he had no idea there were any problems with the drywall he imported from China, and then sold.

After watching our report, the Dunaways pulled back the insulation in their home and there it was, the Venture Supply logo.

"We pulled it back and saw the Venture Supply and made in China stamp, and that's when we got in touch with you," Lisa said.

Lisa Dunaway told WAVY.com she and her husband just looked at each other, baffled, not knowing what to do.

That drywall was put up in 2006 by the Porter Blaine Company, owned by Venture Supply's Sam Porter.

Porter says he has no idea how many homes have his china drywall in it.

Here's how you can find out if your drywall is bad:

  • Do you have an unexplained "rotten egg" smell in your home?
  • Pull back the insulation. If you see Venture Supply and China, and your home was built in 2006 or 2007 then your drywall may need to be replaced.
  • Call your home builder.
  • Ask where did you get my drywall, and who put it up?
  • If it's Venture Supply you will be referred to Sam Porter's Insurance Company.

"My lawyers and insurance are getting together their staffs and talking to address each situation as it comes across our desk," Porter told WAVY.com.

Class action lawsuits in Florida claim the Chinese Drywall's airborne sulfur compounds actually corrode air-conditioning coils, and that's exactly what happened to Lisa Dunaway.

"We had to replace the air conditioning three times. They replaced the coils and unit...we couldn't believe it," Dunaway explained.

The Dunaways have contacted Porter and credit WAVY.com for getting them on the right track.

"You let us know that Venture Supply was what we needed to look for on the drywall, and had we not known that we wouldn't know what to do, and probably wouldn't have checked," said Dunaway.

The Chesapeake Health Department reports no short or long term affects from the drywall.

Lisa Dunaway complains of daily headaches and some bloody noses, and her children have been sick too. There's no confirmation, however, from anyone that the drywall causes health problems.

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