In an earlier posting on Water Testing Blog called Smells Like Sufur… A Rotten Egg Smell we briefly discussed two reasons why a home may smell like rotten eggs:
1) Hydrogen Sulfide Gas Coming From the Water
2) Corrosive, Irritating Sulfuric Fumes Leaching Out of Defective Chinese Drywall
Note: We neglected to cite ‘actual rotten eggs’ or ‘deviled eggs’ as reasons because to our knowledge, most people know what to do if theyr find either of those items in their homes.
Today we bring news of an alarming recent trend which could end up costing some homeowners… their homes!
Many insurance companies brag in their advertisements and commercials how they will stand by a person or comapny’s side in the event of a bad situation. Granted they will more than likely raise the affected parties’ rates afterwards, but they say they will continue to stand by in case another emergency comes along.
Given recent events, as you will soon read, certain insurance companies may need to revise their public promises — or get sued for false advertising! However, thankfully, some authentic insurance companies (you can view them here), come in as a welcome relief.
Thousands of homeowners nationwide who have bought new houses made with defective building materials are finding their hopes dashed and their lives in limbo. Experts warn that cases like the Ivorys’, in which insurers drop policies or send notices of nonrenewal because of tainted Chinese drywall, will become rampant as insurance companies work their way through the hundreds of claims currently in the pipeline.
At least three insurers already have canceled or refused to renew policies after homeowners sought help replacing the bad materials. Because mortgage companies require homeowners to insure their properties, they are then at risk of foreclosure, yet no law prevents the cancellations. ( source )
Now THAT sounds like a bad set of circumstances. Imagine living in a home that desperately needed repairs, filing for help from your insurance company, having your claim denied AND then they drop your policy. Ouch.
We wish all the folks affected by the defective Chinese drywall the best of luck in their efforts to resolve their situations.
In the meantime, anyone who does NOT have defective Chinese drywall that detects a hint of rotten egg odor in their home may want to take a look at the following test kits for hydrogen sulfide in water. While the nose will tell you if you have hydrogen sulfide gas present in your water, you will still need to know how much hydrogen sulfide you have if you want to choose the correct method of water remediation.
