Many residents in the new Richneck neighborhood have complained the possibility that their homes were built with a tainted Chinese-made drywall, and now the homes will be inspected according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Residents have experienced problems with electrical appliances, such has replacing an air conditioner three times in two years. The tainted Chinese-made drywall has been known to cause corrison in other homes with electical appliances and to cause respiratory illness.

Residents are hopeful that the builder will resolve the problem if the inspection proves that the tainted drywall was used. In situations like this it is important for homeowners to document all complaints and communication with the builder.

"A Newport News builder plans to investigate complaints that some homes in a 68-unit subdivision in the Richneck neighborhood might have been constructed using tainted Chinese-made drywall.

Atlantic Homes LLC, which began work on Hollymeade Village in 2004, sent letters to home-owners recently acknowledging that some of the homes built there might have drywall imported from China, said Ken Allen, president of the company.

The company plans to inspect homes in the community to determine which, if any, have the wallboard. Home-owners across the region have blamed the drywall for corroding household electrical systems and possibly causing respiratory illness.

'At this point, we're just in the fact-finding stage,' Allen said.

In its letter to home-owners, Atlantic Homes said the company had hired installation firm Porter-Blaine Corp. to hang drywall. That firm is an affiliate of Norfolk-based construction materials supplier Venture Supply Inc., which imported 150,000 sheets of Chinese-made drywall and two months ago shut its doors.

Allen said several home-owners in the community near Denbigh Boulevard and Woodside Lane recently contacted the builder, expressing fears that their homes contained the drywall."

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