CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Homeowners in Cape Coral are filing a class action lawsuit against Engle homes, alleging it used Chinese drywall to build homes in Cape Coral.

Joyce and Sonny Dowdy thought they'd never leave their home in Coral Lakes.

"We have a wonderful house, we're just scared to even stay here," said Sonny Dowdy.

"I still love the house. I just don't love what it's doing to us at this point," said Joyce Dowdy.

They say the Chinese drywall that Engle Homes used to build their house is ruining the coils in their air conditioner. They worry the drywall is also to blame for mysterious health ailments.

"I've never had nose bleeds in my life, and my nose is bleeding a lot, insomnia, skin itching," she said.

Their neighbor Richard Laudermilk thinks the drywall in his home caused a rash on his arm. "My doctor has no idea," said Laudermilk.

There hasn't been a link between the drywall and health problems, but
the drywall has been linked to corrode copper.

Attorney David Durkee is handling the lawsuit against Engle Homes. "The lawsuit has been filed on behalf of anyone in this community that has defective drywall within their homes," said Durkee.

Tom Martin of America's Watchdog, a consumer group out of Washington D.C., was also at the announcement.

"This is definitely the most complicated construction defect problem ever in history," said Martin.

His consumer group has been researching the defective drywall, what went wrong during production in china and how it made it into the United States.

Engle homes released this statement to WINK News:
"TOUSA, Inc. and the Engle Homes brand take health and safety issues very seriously. Upon learning about this issue we took immediate action to investigate and continue to do so. Our initial findings tell us that this seems to be an isolated incident that has affected a small number of Engle homes in the Fort Myers, Florida area and we are currently developing a plan to assist our affected homeowners. Homeowners who believe they may be affected by this issue may call 239-936-8094 to set up an inspection. Keeping our commitment to our customers is one of our top priorities."