Copper and Drywall from China

[rinny_tin_tin]

This may be 'old ews' to some, but, I just learned that there is now a suspected connection between 'blackened copper' pipes (and a/c equipment) in
homes - and the drywall used in these homes. The drywall came from
China - drywall with gypsum mined in a particularly high-sulfur region
of the country. While there is insufficient sulfur outgassing to cause
an odor, it is reportedly enough to cause copper pipe failure
problems. Apparently, there is a class-action law suit over this. I
understand this drywall was imported (within the most recent few years)
into Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana (and probably other) ports, and
this legal action may be active in various areas around the country,
including in the Miami area.

 

[ironroad 9c1]

Ahh yea , isn't it great how our friend in china love screwing us over for being nice to them...

 

[BigChevy80]

When are the people in this country going to learn that just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's a deal? I hate Chinese stuff and avoid it at all costs. Granted, it's pretty much impossible to avoid it totally. I quit shopping at Wal-Mart and that cut down quite a bit on it....

 

[Mellotron]

Ahh yea , isn't it great how our friend in china love screwing us over for being nice to them...

Indeed. Guess who's funding a giant chunk of our stimulus packages? Yep you guessed it.

 

[brad d]

Drywall from china?? Wow most of out stuff in made in town here by the CertainTeed factory

 

[redsky49]

I wasn't aware that drywall was being sourced offshore. Several years ago in the DC area drywall was in very short supply. As a result, some contractors were turned away, others were on a weekly allocation. Plenty of projects were delayed as a result.

Talking to pipe fitters on a project a few years ago, I was told that the mechanics could tell the difference from domestic and imported steel from the smell. I didn't believe it until they cut some Sched. 40 steel pipe and yes, you can smell the difference. Back then the piping was being imported from India and Korea.

I don't see how that drywall can be cost effective shipped from China. The gypsum board production facilities I have seen were so automated that the labor cost didn't seem to be an issue. Go figure

 

[pipehack]

I'm a union plumber out of Chicago and all we use is cast iron and copper because P.V.C. is illegal in the city for commercial work. I have noticed that the pipe(copper tubing ) is made from Mexico. nothing from China though. Cast is still from the U.S.

 

[Burl]

I have a friend that works in a drywall plant near us, they make it as fast as they can due to the demand. They use fly ash from the nearby coal mines.

 

[Keep]

The drywall was imported after the Hurricanes took out most of the south. There was a huge shortage and it was brought in from China to help supply the rebuilding of the south.

At least that is the story they are pushing up here.

 

[ripsnortMN]

I just purchased 15 sheets of 5/8" drywall for my garage ceiling. It is USG brand which is made 25 miles from my house.

 

[krooser]

I used to haul imported French steel pipe from Charleston, SC to various cities. One pipe yard in Houston had a real scam going... the pipewent in as made in France and went out Made in USA... they had a whole crew of illegals remarking the product. I stumbled across this one day while they were loading my trailer... I was asked to leave the area...now!

 

[ironroad 9c1]

Indeed. Guess who's funding a giant chunk of our stimulus packages? Yep you guessed it.

Yea another thing we don't need.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I saw the news story on this. It involved a whole subdivision in Florida that was built with it. Anything copper, plumbing, electrical, electronics, was runied. One guy had been in the house three years and been thru several TV sets, a couple of fridges, stereos, etc. One house bit the bullet and emptied the house, and gutted it of all drywall, replaced all the wiring and plumbing and was ready to re-sheetrock when the story was filmed.

I'm sure its lots of places in the south.

Charles

 

[Stuart in MN]

It is kind of old news. After Hurricane Katrina there was a drywall shortage in the southeast US so they were importing it from China. It actually was more expensive because of the shipping costs, but the US plants were out of commission because of the hurricane and it was all they could get at the time. From what I understand, the practice went away after the US manufacturers were able to catch up with demand.

 

[shaune]

The Chinese are going to kill us all.....slowly and singly with crappy products.

 

[danski0224]

The Chinese are going to kill us all.....slowly and singly with crappy products.

It's too bad that the cure is as easy as giving up the needle and stop buying their stuff.

 

[ironroad 9c1]

yea but alot of folks nowadays live for the now and not the future...just gotta keep up with the Jone's

 

[jerk_chicken]

It's too bad that the cure is as easy as giving up the needle and stop buying their stuff.

Yep, I've been saying it for years when people complained about how they were overtaking us with poor quality goods. China has no power and we have nothng to fear of them if we don't buy their stuff. The only power they have over us is when we buy from them and put money in their pockets. Otherwise, they have no control over anything in the world.

 

[sammerdog]

... China has no power and we have nothng to fear of them if we don't buy their stuff. The only power they have over us is when we buy from them and put money in their pockets. Otherwise, they have no control over anything in the world.

Never been to China, but I did go on the "Its A Small World" ride at Disney, so I'm pretty much an expert. They're still running around pulling rick-shaws and have funny bucked teeth. Plus they're only 2 feet tall and made out of wood. So even if there is a billion of them, they ain't real big. Heck, I don't think they'll even be able to see over the dash board of a tank. We'll be okay.

They don't scare me one bit.

There were a couple of them over at Epcot. Them ones were doing contortionist type stuff.... bending in half and climbing in and out of little cardboard tubes. They were a little taller though. And the women ones - they didn't have their feet bound. Not sure what that was all about.....