Wondering if someone used your home to make meth is a valid concern. This is especially true during the buying and selling process, or if you’ve noticed symptoms of meth exposure. Of course, the only way to confirm contamination is to test. And depending on your situation, you may need to start there.

But what if you already know the status of a house but not its history? For instance, you may know the house tested above state standards, but wonder how it happened. You may also have purchased a new home and want to know if it ever underwent decontamination.

Unfortunately, there’s no comprehensive method for tracking or listing meth labs. And sometimes, users aren’t as obvious as you think.  That means you may never know who brought meth onto your property. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do a bit of research. And, if you’re lucky, you may even uncover more about your home’s individual history.

 

Who Keeps Records on Meth Houses?

 

Local law enforcement is a good place to turn for this type of information. They can usually tell owners whether they seized any chemicals from the property. That may include disclosing the name of the hazardous materials contractor who performed the removal for them. These contractors keep detailed records and are usually at liberty to share them. (However, be aware that depending on the situation, law enforcement may not be able to share some details).

If that doesn’t supply the information you want, you can turn to your local county health department. They may have protocols in place for requesting this type of information. If you’re in Utah, you can also submit a GRAMA request. This guarantees each person the right to request records from a government entity. That includes whether a Certified Decontamination Specialist completed decontamination on your property. 

Finally, you can always check the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). It’s a database that contains loads of information, including the comments from agents and realtors. Moreover, if an agent ever stated ‘decontaminated for meth’ in the comments, that notation is there to stay.

 

How Common Are Meth Labs?

 

Utah was once notorious for the amount of meth produced here. That means many homes were contaminated before their current owners purchased them. And, smoking once is enough to contaminate a home. Meth is still a severe problem for Utah, but meth labs themselves are much rarer now, at least within the state. (In fact, most ‘cookers’ don’t even use full-scale labs these days).

Whether from a lab or smoking, meth in your home is dangerous. If you’re concerned about your property, call a Certified Decontamination Specialist today. Or if you’re in Utah and you’d like to learn more about our services, please feel free to call us at 801-888-6698.