Meth Contamination Should Be Part of Every Home Inspection

After attending a 5-hour home inspection of a wonderful house he had under contract in Arvada, our client left with a headache and some nausea. He went home, laid down, and slept for 3 hours. Because he worried that it might have something to do with the house, he called the inspector the next morning. The inspector reported the same set of symptoms. Later that afternoon, we got the lab results from the meth screening samples we took from several rooms in the house. The house was contaminated with methamphetamines ranging from 100 times to 400 times what the Colorado Department of Health considers safe. Mystery solved. One test result came back at 60 micrograms of meth from one four square-inch testing sample areas. Colorado’s state standard is not to exceed more than 0.5 micrograms per 4 square inches. Anything above that level must be mitigated.

You Can’t See or Smell Meth Contamination

Meth contamination can be found anywhere and you cannot tell whether a house is a meth lab or has been contaminated just by looking at it:

A house can test positive for meth even if a person smokes it only a few times. We tested one home where the previous owner’s son had smoked meth a few times with friends. Though the house was otherwise immaculate, testing and remediation cost the owner over $35,000 before he could sell the home.
Meth can be found in any property, including high-priced homes and even new builds. We know from experience as one of the few real estate firms that regularly tests for meth (many don’t and would rather ignore the problem). While we more often find meth in homes priced around $200-$300K, we have found methamphetamines in homes selling for $500K—even in new builds.
So, even if a home looks nice and is located in an above average neighborhood, all it takes to contaminate a house is for a visitor or a handyman to smoke meth there. Many times, the homeowner is completely unaware.
Historically, we have found meth contamination in about 10-15% of homes. Colorado’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program has found meth in about 7% of single-family homes and 13% of multi-family homes.
Agents for Home Buyers is one of the few real estate firms along the Front Range who tests nearly every home after going under contract.

Homes where actual meth cooking has been done can test over 1000 micrograms in a 4 square inch space and you may never know it.

Cleaning Up Meth Contamination Can Be Expensive and Time-Consuming

As a result of testing, and the loss of the sale, the Arvada home owner spent 6 months and nearly $100,000 getting the house cleaned to meet state standards. The work required installing a new furnace and ducting, and new kitchen cabinets and appliances. He had to replace the drywall, install new carpeting, and refinish the wood flooring.

Yes, Home Buyers Should Test for Meth!

Since 2013, we’ve encouraged all clients to screen for meth contamination when they get a house under contract. 96% of our clients completed a screening, partly because we cover 1/2 of the $500 cost. Of the 201 properties we have tested, 28 homes, or 14.6% of the total, had some meth contamination. In roughly 5% of the homes, we found meth at or above what is considered safe by state standards. In 2%, meth levels were more than 10 times the Colorado standard.

Costs of Home Meth Contamination Testing

A methamphetamine contamination screening will cost you $350 to $600, but buying a home with low to modest levels of meth contamination from smoking could cost you $15,000 to $50,000 to have cleaned. And you could also lose all of your personal property, which must be discarded if contaminated.

With high levels of contamination, there are substantial health risks as well. For some houses, like the one our client decided not to buy in Arvada, the health risks are obvious and substantial. Neurological, lung, skin and other damage is a real risk.

The Meth Contamination Risks Are Real

Very few real estate agents understand how common meth contamination in homes really is.

Someone simply smoking meth in a home a few times can put the meth contamination levels over the Colorado state standard. If that happens, owners can be on the hook for $5,000 to $50,000 in cleaning costs.

While we’re in no position to judge the health risks of owning a home at or near the state limit, we can say with confidence that the financial risks are huge.

We recommend that you advise your friends and family to test any home they’re buying for meth contamination.

At Agents for Home Buyers, we are committed to protecting our buyers from hazards. Contact us for more information.