Interim Guidance Identification of Homes with Corrosion from Problem Drywall
February 4th, 2010
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued a "preliminary identification summary" that "represents what the Federal Interagency Task Force on Problem Drywall believes is the best approach based on the limited information available today.
Interim Guidance – Identification of Homes with Corrosion from Problem Drywall
by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Identification Method
The identification process is two steps: (1) an initial or threshold inspection to find visual signs of metal
corrosion and evidence of drywall installation during the relevant time period, and (2) the identification of
corroborating evidence or characteristics.
Step 1: Threshold Inspection
Visual inspection must show:
(a) Blackening of copper electrical wiring and/or air conditioning evaporator coils; and
(b) The installation of new drywall (for new construction or renovations) between 2001 and 2008.
A positive result for this step (including both criteria) is a prerequisite to any further consideration.
Step 2: Corroborating Evidence
Because it is possible that corrosion of metal in homes can occur for other reasons, it is important to
obtain additional corroborating evidence of problem drywall. Homes with the characteristic metal
corrosion problems must also have at least 2 of these corroborating conditions if the new drywall was
installed between 2005 and 2008. For installations between 2001 and 2004, at least 4 of the following
conditions must be met. Collecting evidence of these corroborating conditions will in some cases require
professional assessors and/or testing by analytical laboratories.
(a) Corrosive conditions in the home, demonstrated by the formation of copper sulfide on copper
coupons (test strips of metal) placed in the home for a period of 2 weeks to 30 days or confirmation of the
presence of sulfur in the blackening of the grounding wires and/or air conditioning coils;
(b) Confirmed markings of Chinese origin for drywall in the home;
(c) Strontium levels in samples of drywall core found in the home (i.e. excluding the exterior paper
surfaces) exceeding 1200 parts per million (ppm);
(d) Elemental sulfur levels in samples of drywall core found in the home exceeding 10 ppm;
(e) Elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide and/or carbon disulfide emitted from
samples of drywall from the home when placed in test chambers using ASTM Standard Test Method
D5504-08 or similar chamber or headspace testing;
(f) Corrosion of copper metal to form copper sulfide when copper is placed in test chambers with
drywall samples taken from the home.
To view the summary in its entirety, please click here
About Safeguard
Safeguard Properties is the largest privately held field services company in the country. Located in Cleveland, Ohio and founded in 1990 by Robert Klein, Safeguard has grown from a regional preservation company with a few employees and a handful of contractors performing services in the Midwest, to a national company with over 700 employees. Safeguard is supported by a nationwide network of subcontractors able to perform any requested superintendence, preservation, and maintenance functions, as well as numerous ancillary services in the U.S., the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.