Buying or selling a home is stressful to say the least. These days, you can add to that list of worries when looking for a new home is whether or not the property was used as a clandestine meth lab. If you are considering buying a home that is in or is neighboring a drug abuse area, then adding meth testing should be high on the priority list of things that you need to do.
According to a survey conducted in 2021 among the group of people aged 12 years and older, nearly 2.5 million persons have at least tried methamphetamine. Those people using or trying the drug have to get it someplace, and that means that it has to be manufactured someplace as well, and these days, unfortunately, that means that someone’s house is destined to become a clandestine meth lab.
According to law enforcement records, 32% of all law enforcement agencies polled state that methamphetamine if the number two contributor to violent crime, following behind cocaine which is at 50% in most jurisdictions.
One of the primary environmental tests offered by Riverside Home Inspection is clandestine Meth Lab testing.
Methamphetamine Manufacturing
Methamphetamine is made in improvised laboratories that are generally illegal and most of which, are unfortunately set up in the home or the garage of a home. The ingredients are incredibly easy to get, though law enforcement has taken steps to make the purchase of the necessary ingredients harder than it once was.
OTC medications that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine and other materials are “cooked” to manufacture the drug. According to the office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), methamphetamine production and trafficking have changed significantly over the last 10 years. In fact, in 2001, according to the National Clandestine Laboratory Database, there were more than 8,290 meth lab seizures. There was a decline in the overall number of seizures, however, there was a significant increase in the midwestern states.
Chemical Hazards During Synthesis
There are a number of different formulas that “meth cooks” use to synthesize methamphetamine. Most of these processes are dependent on the availability of a number of different chemicals. Due to the structure of ephedrine and methamphetamine being similar, many of the recipes are designed to remove a bound oxygen and hydrogen atom from the ephedrine and replace it with hydrogen.
Was this a Meth House?
There are several signs that indicate the possibility of a clandestine meth lab being located on the property in question. Visible signs include:
- Bad patches in the yard where chemicals have possibly been dumped
- Burn piles in the yard with signs of methamphetamine lab ingredients
- Dark stains in toilets, sinks and bathtubs indicating chemicals were being dumped
- Empty containers from chemicals and cold medicines
- Signs of chemical spills or burns
- Strong chemical odors such as ammonia or solvents.
If you walk into the home and smell a strong odor of ammonia, this could be an indicator that a meth lab was present at some point in time. The truth is however, you’ll never really know until you have the meth lab testing done. Other signs may be present that indicate there was an illegal meth lab including a bootleg power supply, such as extension cords from another location into the house, and exhaust fans that are out of place. Just because there is no significant smell present, other signs might include stains on the walls, drains, sinks and showers. Smoke detectors may have been removed, batteries missing, or perhaps the sensors have been taped off.
With the meth lab testing service provided by Riverside Home Inspection, We test two areas of the house where the clandestine meth lab was most likely located and this includes the kitchen area and garage. Even if the seller or homeowner says that remediation has been completed to clean up the illegal meth lab, you should still conduct testing to be sure the place has been cleaned properly. There are State specific guidelines that dictate how a clandestine meth lab should be cleaned and if these guidelines are not met, the house will still present as a health and safety issue to those who enter.
CONTACT US TODAY clicking this link or by phone at 951-892-3229 to schedule your meth lab testing NOW. Riverside Home Inspection will provide you with a complete report as to the presence of meth residue within the house or property in question.
Riverside Home Inspection provides a wide range of building inspections and environmental testing to meet all of your needs including:
- Home Inspection
- Commercial property inspection
- Radon Testing
- Meth Lab Testing
- Pool & Spa inspection
- Four Point insurance inspection
- Annual home maintenance inspections and more.
Riverside Home Inspection follows the InterNACHI standards when conducting their inspections.