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Behind The Scenes Home Inspections | Methamphetamines / Meth Danger In Homes
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Performing InfraredHome Inspections In The Following Utah counties:
Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele, Summit, Weber (Limited areas in Weber County)
Performing InfraredHome Inspections In The Following Utah cities:
Alpine, American Fork, Benjamin, Bennion, Bingham Canyon, Bluffdale, Bountiful, Brigham City, Canyon Rim, Cedar City, Ceder Hills, Centerville, Clearfield, Clinton, Copperton, Cottonwood Heights, Cottonwood, Draper, Eagle Mountain, East Millcreek, Emigration, Farmington, Fruit Heights, Granger, Grantsville, Heber, Herriman, Highland, Holladay, Kaysville, Kearns, Lakeshore, Lakeview, Layton, Lehi, Lindon, Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, Mapleton, Midvale, Millcreek, Mount Olympus, Murray, North Davis, North Salt Lake, Oquirrh, Orem, Palmyra, Park City, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salem, Salt Lake City, SLC, Sandy, Santaquin, Saratoga Springs, Smithfield, South Davis, South Jordan, South Salt Lake, Spanish Fork, Springville, Syracuse, Taylorsville, Tooele, Val Verta, Washington, West Jordan, West Point, West Valley, Woods Cross
Meth Labs:
Methamphetamines (Meth) can be manufactured anywhere, in a basement, a kitchen, a vehicle, a closet, or even outdoors. The primary concern is the fact that during the "cooking" process hazardous waste is generated and can remain in a home long after the lab is dismantled or moved. For one pound of "cooked" meth, 5-6 pounds of hazardous waste is generated. Most of this waste is disposed of through the plumbing/drain system or dumped outside in the environment. Residue will remain on walls, floors, ceilings, in HVAC dusts, in the home's plumbing, etc. that will seriously affect your families health. Meth labs are dangerous, explosive, and can cause many health problems. Contaminated homes are a health risk, and very expensive and difficult to "clean up" or decontaminate.
Meth Lab Facts:
- Meth labs and meth residue are often found in middle class homes, apartments, condos, vehicles, and small businesses - not just old dumpy homes.
- Former meth labs leave behind dangerous toxic contamination for years, unless properly decontaminated.
- Sellers do not have to disclose a former meth lab if cleared as "cleaned-up" by the health dept, but clearance testing is done by the clean up contractor rather than a unbiased thrird party. (See news article on this page)
- Some meth labs can be large and complex, but most are small, basic labs made from common household containers and materials.
- Many meth labs are never "busted' and are abandoned or dismantled and relocated to a new location, leaving hidden heath risks behind.
- Meth is "cooked" using common household chemicals/materials that can easily be acquired.
- Homes that once contained meth labs are difficult and very expensive to clean up and decontaminate
- Past meth USAGE in a home can put you at risk as well, not just former meth labs.
- BE WISE - TEST FOR METH BEFORE YOU BUY A HOME!
Examples of actual meth labs
Possible Heath Effects Of Living In A Former Meth Exposed Area Or Meth Lab:
- Reproductive disorders
- Birth defects
- Cancer
- Blindness/eye damage
- Lung damage/blistering
- Leukemia
- Respiratory failure
- Thyroid damage
- Lever damage
- Kidney failure
- Pulmonary edema
- Burns
- Skin uslers
Can I tell If The Home Was Once A Meth Lab?
Former meth lab locations range in condition and cleanliness
- Some former location still have physical evidence of materials used.
- Some former locations reveal stains or burns from a former lab damage or mishap.
- Some former location have been informally cleaned to hide evidence.
- Some former locations would be the last place you would expect to test positive.
- We are professionaly trained to investigate the property, seeking out signs or clues left from a possible meth lab.
- There are several "quick" tests or procedures to test for meth that are found on the Internet: spray starch, potatoes cut in half, instant swab tests, etc. The TRUTH is, only a lab analyzed, professional administered test can guarantee 100% accuracy. These other "methods" can often produce false positives and false negatives and are a waste of money!
Possible Evidence Found At Meth Labs
Examples Of Damage From Some Meth Labs
ESA Certified Methamphetamine Inspector
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Whole-House Meth Composite Screening:
A professional procedure that will "screen" the home for meth evidence and "Red-Flags" and collect samples to determine whether harmful meth residue is present in a home even when no visible signs of meth are present:
- A complete visual inspection of the home for "Red Flag" concerns that can be signs of meth related issues, including many out-of-sight areas that can be hidden dangers.
- Collect random wipe samples from industry recommended or suspected areas inside the home for lab analysis of meth to determine if contamination is present that can put YOU or your FAMILY at risk.
- Additional wipe samples may be taken for lab analysis to test more areas if desired (additional fees apply).
- All meth testing fees include all associated lab fees and shipping of samples. These samples are quickly handled and processed by our inspector and our professional lab partners.
- Our professional meth inspector will discuss with you a the condition of the property in respect to possible meth "Red-Flag" conditions or concerns.
- A professional lab meth analysis report will be emailed to you following the lab's analysis of the samples we collected, and provide you with detailed information on the presence of meth, and the contamination levels found (if present).
- Our inspector and the lab are always available for follow-up consultation to help you determine the course of action if harmful molds are found in the home.
Limited Discrete/Composite Meth Sampling:
A professional procedure involving the collection of meth wipe sample collection in the home for detection of meth presence in the home:
- Discrete wipe sampling involves collecting one sample per wipe to determine exact locations in a home that contain meth residue. This procedure will inform you if the exact area tested has meth residue, but will cost considerably more to test multiple areas of a home (as recommended)
- Composite wipe sampling involves collecting four samples per wipe to determine if a home contains meth residue. This procedure will NOT pinpoint the exact location of meth (if present), but is more cost efficient to test for general evidence of meth existence.
- Additional surface samples may be taken for lab analysis to test areas of possible meth if desired (additional fees apply).
- All meth testing fees include all associated lab fees and shipping of samples. These samples quickly handled and processed by our inspector and our professional lab partners.
- A professional lab meth analysis report will be emailed to you following the lab's analysis of the samples we collected, and provide you with detailed information on the presence of meth, and the contamination levels found (if present).
- Our inspector and the lab are always available for follow-up consultation to help you determine the course of action if harmful molds are found in the home.
Our Meth Inspection/Testing Services
Additional Services Available As Well:
- Post Clean-up Meth Screening/Testing
(Note: Meth clean up companies are required to test for remaining meth after clean up, but I highly recommend a unbiased 3rd party perform an additional test)- Vehicle/RV Meth Screening/Testing
IN THE NEWS:
(KSL 05/10/07): Former Meth Houses Declared "Safe" May Not Be:
"We discovered there are now more than 250 homes in the Salt Lake area that were once meth labs..."
"...Once a contaminated home's been certified as clean, no one has to say a thing about it. But then we discovered that in some of those so-called clean homes, residents were complaining about headaches, coughs, and other symptoms..."
"...A letter from Salt Lake County dated more than a year before they moved in declared their home successfully decontaminated. We tested the shed where police found the lab, and the upstairs bedroom where baby Mac sleeps. Both places tested positive for meth. In baby Mac's room, there were levels 14 times above what the state considers safe."
Source:
IN THE NEWS:
(KSL 06/30/08): I-Team investigates abandoned meth houses:
"It can happen in any Utah neighborhood. Amongst the neat-looking homes and well-kept yards, there's a warning for a meth house.
In six years, more than 600 contaminated houses were reported in Salt Lake County. Half of them were so bad, health inspectors shut them down.
We found it doesn't matter where you live in Salt Lake County. They are all over.
...people who own the contaminated property don't always have the money for cleanup, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
... we noticed (condemned) signs missing from several homes the county lists as contaminated."
Source:
(KSL 08/1/08):
Court: Family can't sue health department over meth house:
"A Salt Lake County family is devastated after a judge ruled they can't sue the health department for negligence. The family unknowingly purchased a home that was once a meth lab, but the Salt Lake Valley Health Department (SLVHD) later told them inspectors had declared it was safe to live in. Our investigative team tested the home last year and discovered it was still contaminated with meth..."
Source:
Though Meth Labs seem to be on the decline in Utah, in 1999 Utah had one of the highest "Meth Lab Busts" per capita in the entire nation...and those homes are still out there...somewhere!
Utah Infrared Home Inspections - Salt Lake, Utah, Wasatch, Davis County
Specializing in certified standard and infrared home inspections in Northern Utah near the following major cities: Salt Lake, Draper, Lehi, Murray, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Sandy, Saratoga Springs, South Jordan, West Jordan, Alpine, Park City, etc.
