Methamphetamine is increasingly becoming more common in Australia with many people using and manufacturing the illegal substance in their homes. This poses a significant problem to homeowners, renters, and property managers who want to keep their families and tenants safe and protected. It is estimated that approximately 1 home in every 50 will be affected by methamphetamine contamination. Due to the nature of the residue being colourless and or odorless, most people wouldn’t know that their home has been contaminated. That’s why it’s essential before you purchase a new home or sign a lease, that you get your home methamphetamine tested as part of your standard building and pest inspection. It provides your family with valuable peace of mind that their health and wellbeing is not being compromised by unknown contaminants.
As meth is odorless and residue is not visible to the naked eye, there is no way to know if your home has been contaminated without a certified meth inspection from a licensed building and pest inspector. There are signs that you can look out for which may indicate that meth has been used but these are not definitive or specific to methamphetamine use:
· Unusual stains on the walls
· Discolouration of paint and surfaces
· Strange smells (acidic, sour)
· Empty containers left behind
If you suspect that there has been meth usage in your home, it is essential that you get a licensed and qualified inspector to perform a methamphetamine test.
Exposure to meth substances poses a significant risk to your health and the health of your family and visitors to your home. The effects can include:
· Breathing difficulties
· Skin and eye irritation
· Headaches
· Nausea and vomiting
· Dizziness and lethargy
It is particularly important to test your home for meth exposure if you have children as they are more likely to be exposed due to their more consistent contact with surfaces such as walls and floors. The health risk to children is also significantly increased as their bodies are not equipped to deal with the effects of methamphetamine exposure.
At Elite Building and Pest Services, we are qualified and insured to perform methamphetamine testing within your home. Our meth testing services include:
· Limited rapid field test – Elite inspectors will take swabs from limited selected rooms, as per our recommendation or your customer choice. Rapid tests deliver results on site. On testing, the result will either be positive, negative. If a positive result is indicated, Elite will advise that further lab testing is conducted to determine the level of contamination and likely cleaning costs required to decontaminate.
Elite Building and Pest Services have conducted extensive training on how to perform methamphetamine testing accurately within the home and office. We are experienced, qualified and can provide advice on the best areas within the home to test. Our testing results are performed in line with the Australian Government Clandestine Drug Remediation Guidelines. Reach out to our team for peace of mind to protect your family from methamphetamine exposure.
We are currently based in Newcastle and serve the surrounding areas including Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, and the Hunter Valley. If you need your next pre-purchase building and/or pest inspection completed or need assistance with controlling the pest problem in your home or office, the team at Elite are ready to help you!
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