Chinese drywall question

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

From a phone call question.

Codeman,

I own a condo built in 2006 which has that Chinese drywall in it. The developer has agreed to remove the drywall, which is scheduled for this month, are there any other things other than the air conditioning coil we need to be aware of, it has been replaced twice and is being replaced again.

In Port St. Lucie

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi In Port St. Lucie,

Yes, there are other things to be concerned about.

There are many things which could be damaged to some extent and which may need to be replaced.

The first thing which comes to mind is the copper electrical wiring.

At each device (receptacle outlet, switch, etc.) and in each box, including the electrical panel, the copper conductors are stripped back and exposed to whatever it is that the Chinese drywall is out-gassing and causing the copper in the air conditioning coil to be eaten away and damaged.

Additionally, there is a bare uninsulated ground which runs from end-to-end inside the non-metallic outer sheath of NM cable. Whatever is out-gassing from the Chinese drywall is in the air and could be either, or both, migrating through the outer non-metallic sheath or entering in through the ends at each device and box, light fixture, smoke detector, etc., and could be damaging that bare equipment grounding conductor.

If other wiring methods were used instead of NM cable, such as MC cable, which is a wiring system consisting of conductors wrapped inside a flexible metal outer spiral-wound wrap, the same exposed portions will be found at each device and junction box. Additionally, the stuff being out-gassed by the Chinese drywall might be having a detrimental effect on the metallic outer spiral wrap.

It is possible that all of the wiring within the unit may need to be replaced, as well as the electrical panel.

Electrical wiring and equipment are not things to be ignored with something like this in the air. Additionally, all the appliances are now suspect, not only for their enclosures and cabinets, but because of the electrical components, contacts, and the electronics in them.

I will be down there to inspect those items as we discussed.

Codeman