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As a retired home inspector, I will tell you that testing for past meth in a home would be way outside the scope of a home inspection. I'm pretty sure my E&O insurance provider would not cover me if I was to offer the testing (way too much liability).
I did have a client bring some home meth tests to a house I was inspecting, and they did the tests themselves. If I remember right, they were not cheap.
A professional that specializes in testing for meth would cost quite a bit more, and take much more time.
I was doing an inspection on a foreclosed property when I found a very large bag of dope in the attic. I called the local Sheriff and they sent a car out. The first thing the officer said was "This used to be a huge drug house". As we were walking around with him, he told us about several busts, and even a murder in the house. "See that stain on the wall? Thats where a guy got shot during a drug deal". "Oh yeah, it was also a meth house!".
At that point I picked up my stuff and said that I was done, and the buyer said he was done.
There wasn't any real clues that it was a meth house.
States vary a bit in the definition of 'contaminated' when it comes to former meth houses but the most common measure using airborne VOCs is 1 ppm or greater.
Manufacturing meth generally leaves a higher residual signature in the house but homes that were used for multiple meth smokers can also have a great deal of contamination.
In the small town I work in, it is unfortunately somewhat common to find houses that are meth contaminated.
High amounts of meth contamination can cause physical symptoms such as irritation of the eyes & mucous membranes, dizziness, sore throat, cognitive difficulties/confusion, and nausea. It is also toxic to pets and they might experience agitation, new aggression, drooling, panting, and an elevated heart rate.
Meth labs leave behind smells like ammonia, paint thinner, hot/burning plastic. A place where meth was smoked in great quantities typically smells like strong chemicals or sulfur.
If you have any suspicions, get the test and double check that your insurance policy covers the cost of remediation.The cost of decontaminating a meth house can be very expensive depending on the level of contamination. I had a friend find that out the hard way.
Our resource officer in Phoenix mentioned a cat pee smell as a sign.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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A friend in a rural part of the state had a neighbor that they suspected was running a meth lab. They called the police several times, and the landlord who turned out to be elderly and not responsive. Eventually the police did manage to obtain a search warrant and arrested the occupants, who went to prison. When the owner's adult children went to clean it up to rent they found a "condemned" notice on the doors, so contaminated that it had to be demolished.
Is this a trend? What is the situation in your area? Apparently, if someone smokes it, that can do a ton of damage to a home..they are finding traces in people's homes they would never expect. Scary times for landlords.
I know a few Inspectors that test the quality of their own meth stashes before inspections. Or at least their work product seems to demonstrate that.
I know a few Inspectors that test the quality of their own meth stashes before inspections. Or at least their work product seems to demonstrate that.
Yeah, after the buyer's agent gave it to them to not blow the deal. Three layers of shingles? Sniff, sniff..well, uh, that roof is in satisfactory condition.
Yeah, after the buyer's agent gave it to them to not blow the deal. Three layers of shingles? Sniff, sniff..well, uh, that roof is in satisfactory condition.
I once had an agent ask me not to blow the deal because he wanted to buy a boat. I told him I wasn't the one that makes or breaks a deal. I'm just reporting on what's there. Its HIS job to do the negotiations. If he didn't steer his clients toward $hit holes, he might not have to worry about the deal. Last I ever saw him, good riddence.
How serious is residue from simple use, as opposed to manufacture? I do understand that a former LAB is something of a superfund site and requires special remediation.
I feel like it's something that would largely be abated by painting, mopping, maybe changing carpets, which if a house was routinely lived in by meth users, would be SOP anyway given that it wasn't in the nicest condition.
I know a few Inspectors that test the quality of their own meth stashes before inspections. Or at least their work product seems to demonstrate that.
The best way to bang out those 4 inspections a day!
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