Meth House Testing?

[bpaull]

I had a real estate agent ask if I did testing for any residule toxins in a home that has been a known meth house. I haven't heard of a specific test that is done for such a thing. Anyone know of such a test?

[Richard D. Miller, Jr.]

Out here in Northern Nevada there was allot of meth labs. Not so many in the past couple years. HAZMAT teams would go in the house and remove all the chemicals and paraphernalia that is use to make it.
After they cleared / OKed the home for investigation the police would go in after. There is your testing... buy the state/county. I'm not sure of any regulation or protocols on this anywhere... yet. Not sure what hazardous material you would test for, and there are many to make the drug.
Local police or DEA officers would be great info, I just might do that today myself.

If informed the property was a drug lab, I would look for chemical spill related issues. If they are that concerned I would think that anything chemically stained or has a residue they would want replaced?

Maybe test the soil from the crawlspace.

Great question, this should be a good topic.

Rick

[Randy D. Stufflebeem]

http://www.inspection-perfection.com...meth%20lab.pdf

http://searchwarp.com/swa46702.htm

This may help with knowledge. I do hope this topic stays alive on the board.

Randy

[jschulte]

I would avoid this like the plague unless I had very detailed and specific training on the subject. Can you imagine the liability if you miss something or do not test for all of the possible hazards?

[Randy D. Stufflebeem]

Good point Jeff. I wonder where this training is provided, especially in Illinois.

[bpaull]

Maybe one more thing to add to the four page inspection agreement.

[Rodney Bailey]

Expand your services and offer Meth-Screening. Forget labs and swabs. The latest technology is here. I have had great success with the machine and bottom line it is paying for itself quickly. Use it to market to home buyers, medical field, child services, jails, hotels, commercial transportation etc.... The sky is the limit.

Check out this link : www.MethInspection.com or give me a call 888-867-5995.

I also sell the scanners and of course NACHI folks get a sweet deal!


We use the ID2 METH SCANNER to provide immediate qualitative results
of testing. The ID2 Meth Scanner is a hand-held, battery-operated, scanner for detecting all forms and concentrations of methamphetamine on virtually all surfaces, including skin, clothing, plastics, wood, metals and masonry. We can detect and verify the presence of meth at trace quantities (in the low nanogram range), without touching or disturbing the surface.



Principle of Operation – Photoemission from an optically excited surface is used to detect minute quantities of methamphetamine. The Meth Scanner uses an energy source to provide optical excitation at the appropriate wavelength and senses the resulting photoemission.
__________________
Rodney Bailey
A-1 Quality Inspection
www.InspectGA.com
706-235-1372

[James H. Bushart]

Most of the law enforcement officials that I have spoken to on this subject tell me that it is not the presence of meth that poses a danger to someone who comes across a "meth house", but the presence of the various poisons used to manufacture it. They tell me that these chemicals can work their way deep into carpeting fibers and lay undiscovered for years until a toddler crawls across on his hands and knees, puts his hands in his mouth, and (croak)...whamo.

Is your device limited to detecting only the finished product? If so, wouldn't anyone declaring a house "clear" (providing for a reasonable person to conclude that the house is declared safe) after using your device be leaving themselves open to a wrongful death lawsuit?

[Rodney Bailey]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Most of the law enforcement officials that I have spoken to on this subject tell me that it is not the presence of meth that poses a danger to someone who comes across a "meth house", but the presence of the various poisons used to manufacture it. They tell me that these chemicals can work their way deep into carpeting fibers and lay undiscovered for years until a toddler crawls across on his hands and knees, puts his hands in his mouth, and (croak)...whamo.

Is your device limited to detecting only the finished product? If so, wouldn't anyone declaring a house "clear" (providing for a reasonable person to conclude that the house is declared safe) after using your device be leaving themselves open to a wrongful death lawsuit?

Being a 21 year veteran police officer and 10 year veteran home inspector, I feel that meth screening and testing is an important service to offer clients.

I agree that the precursors to manufacturing meth are hazardous to your health and can be found almost anywhere. It would be an extremely rare case to find a home grossly contaminated with only meth precursors and not have been used for manufacturing meth.

Meth-screening and testing does involve looking for evidence of existing visual precursors, but tests for meth residue only. Any home that has been used as for manufacturing methamphetamine will test positive for its presence. The residue from a meth lab has been proven and documented by the National Jewish Medical & Research Center to be toxic to health. Meth contaminated homes are a health hazard and I would definitely want to know if I was buying one.

http://www.nationaljewish.org/about/...ndcp-cert.aspx

The ID2 Meth Scanner testes down to 100 nanograms and full beam, which is within all state cleanup level requirements. After completing the 18 point Scan of a home, I would declare the home to be free of meth contamination. No one could ever declare a home to be free of any and all hazardous substances and yes, if you did make such a statement, you would be liable.

Thanks for the response.