When you slap that sold sign up on the property of your dreams, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is a meth test. However, because methamphetamine contamination is a growing problem nationwide, it should be something you at least consider.

You can’t tell by looking at a property that it’s contaminated with meth. More often than not, homeowners and homeowners-to-be are only alerted to such information when police have been involved, or a previous positive test has been reported to the local council for inclusion in the property’s LIM report.

But just because the information might be lacking doesn’t mean meth contamination isn’t a reality. Whether you suspect meth use in your home, or you want peace of mind, it might be time to bring in the experts. They can offer you the answers – be it good or bad.

Get a Meth Report

When you get in touch with a specialist meth testing and meth cleanup team, the first thing they will do is carry out a meth report. This shows the contamination levels in each room and gives the team an idea of the work they have to do and the equipment they have to use to make sure those rooms are habitable once more. 

The NZS8510 Meth Standard states that high-use rooms, such as the main living areas of the home, are safe up to 1.5µg per 100cm2. Limited use areas, such as those that would be difficult for children to access, are safe up to 3.8µg per 100cm.

Once a meth cleanup team know what they are working with, they can put a plan in place to make sure your home is safe once more. The best part is, they will keep you up to date with the process every step of the way. 

While creating this meth report and plan, they will focus on the contamination levels in each room, protective equipment they need to wear, cleaning equipment they need to use, cleaning and waste disposal, and any concerns around structural integrity.

They may even provide a detailed plan for each room, depending on the level of decontamination and the number of porous and non-porous materials within them. Experienced meth cleanup teams leave no stone unturned in making sure a home can be safely inhabited once more.

Low-Level Meth Cleanup

Expert meth cleanup experts use a range of meth cleanup equipment, like foamers and foaming machines, foggers, and fogging machines, with high-level meth cleanup tasks. Low-level meth cleanups may not require the same approach.

Meth contamination businesses will decide on the best cleaning techniques on a case-by-case basis. Typically, low-level contamination requires a less invasive cleaning process, abiding by meth standards, to bring your home up to a habitable level.

High-Level Meth Cleanup

If a meth testing report comes back and shows high levels of meth contamination, then meth cleaning experts bring out the big guns. They use specialised cleaning chemicals in fogging machines to clean the property as thoroughly as possible.

However, this process can also involve the stripping of building materials. Meth cleanup experts can clean non-porous items such as ceilings, plasterboard, hard surface flooring, countertops, cabinets, doors, and metal ductwork.

The likes of carpet and underlay, wallpaper, curtains, drop ceiling tiles, exposed insulation, and some furniture may need to be removed and disposed of appropriately. 

The best meth cleaning teams follow a set of strict decontamination steps to ensure they are decontaminating meth-contaminated homes to the highest of standards.

This can involve ventilating all areas with doors, windows, air scrubbers, and negative pressure units. They will also disconnect the power to work safely, remove ceiling ducting, and make sure everything non-restorable is removed and disposed of safely.

Why is Meth Contamination Such a Big Problem?

You may be wondering why you need to throw away such a large number of possessions when one simple substance has been smoked or created in your home.

Meth is not only a highly addictive drug, but it’s one that features toxic chemicals and substances. What these are can vary, but some of the main ones include acetone, phosphine, and pseudoephedrine. These can cause short-term and long-term health problems.

Sometimes, meth exposure symptoms can show themselves as allergies or cold and flu. You may experience headaches, nausea, burning skin, watery eyes, weakness, cold, shortness of breath, diaphragm pain, vertigo, confusion, coughing, and choking.

However, long-term side effects of living in a meth-contaminated home can be as severe as congenital disabilities, reproductive issues, kidney and liver damage, nervous disorders, cancer, and even death.

Clean up the Meth

Whether you suspect meth contamination or you know there’s meth contamination, it’s time to act. Fortunately, the process is simple. Contact a licenced and trained meth testing and cleanup expert, and let them take care of the rest.