Do I need a test?
If you are a landlord you must legally provide a safe environment for your tenants. If you are a landlord for insurance cover you are required to provide proof of regular testing to approve a claim. If you are a prospective buyer having full knowledge of the state of the property you are buying makes sense. In NZ there is a high level of meth use and meth contamination can adversely affect the value of your property. Like a building report, methamphetamine testing can give you peace of mind so you know beforehand what likely costs you are up for. Also living in a meth contaminated home can have a detrimental effect on your health. See more below.
What is P or meth contamination?
The smoking or cooking of meth in houses results in airborne methamphetamine deposits on wall surfaces, carpets, counters and furniture. Solid forms of methamphetamine can be spilled and worked into carpets and upholstery.
Does it matter if ‘P’ has only been smoked not cooked in my house?
Methamphetamine testing begins with analysing houses for methamphetamine contamination. If meth is present then conclusions are drawn around whether it has been smoked or manufactured and what the recommended course of action will be. Typically the residual meth found will be higher in a home where methamphetamine has been cooked and therefore the health effects more severe and the clean up costs are likely to be more expensive.
Is methamphetamine harmful to adults and/or to children? I’ve heard methamphetamine is bad for my health. What does it do to me?
Due to the intense affect the drug has on the central nervous system of users, even small amounts are predicted to have adverse effects on both children and adults living in contaminated dwellings. The New Zealand Ministry of Health Guidelines for the Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory sites states that potential effects may include:
Will it go away over time? Does it wear out or just go away?
The short answer is no. Once a home is contaminated with meth then it will not go away over time. It will need to be professionally cleaned to be removed.
Can I paint over it?
You can paint over the residue but over time it will seep back through the paint and re-contaminate the environment.
What is better - an instant test or a laboratory test?
We prefer to use laboratory based sampling as it is far more accurate and allows a far better picture of the contamination which has occurred. Decontamination exports rely on lab sampling to ensure they are effectively decontaminating a property. An Instant test (also called
presumptive immunoassay screening) will give results in minutes however the results are open to interpretation.
But I need to know now.
We can undertake an instant test if the client requests that we do this however if a positive result is found we strongly suggest a lab test is undertaken to back up the instant test result.
How do I get rid of P contamination?
Meth can be successfully removed using decontamination techniques including applying a cleaning solution to the affected areas. In effect washing the meth of the affected surfaces. Depending on the levels of contamination this can remove the meth in 2 or 3 applications of the cleaning solution. In most cases the soft furnishings (carpets, curtains, furniture) can't be cleaned and must be removed and destroyed. In cases of severe contamination gib, wiring and doors may need to be removed and replaced (see below). In extreme cases a dwelling may need to be demolished.
Do I need to rip the gib off the house?
Not always, usually only if there is heavy contamination. We suggest that by accurate and careful testing and analysis that removal of gib is not required or can be limited to certain areas. If you have been advised by a meth tester that the house needs removal of gib, we advise that you get a second opinion by a qualified independent meth testing company. We have seen several examples where home owners have been advised their property required expensive remediation work including replacement of the gib only to find that the meth was removed using far more cost effective techniques.
If you are a landlord you must legally provide a safe environment for your tenants. If you are a landlord for insurance cover you are required to provide proof of regular testing to approve a claim. If you are a prospective buyer having full knowledge of the state of the property you are buying makes sense. In NZ there is a high level of meth use and meth contamination can adversely affect the value of your property. Like a building report, methamphetamine testing can give you peace of mind so you know beforehand what likely costs you are up for. Also living in a meth contaminated home can have a detrimental effect on your health. See more below.
What is P or meth contamination?
The smoking or cooking of meth in houses results in airborne methamphetamine deposits on wall surfaces, carpets, counters and furniture. Solid forms of methamphetamine can be spilled and worked into carpets and upholstery.
Does it matter if ‘P’ has only been smoked not cooked in my house?
Methamphetamine testing begins with analysing houses for methamphetamine contamination. If meth is present then conclusions are drawn around whether it has been smoked or manufactured and what the recommended course of action will be. Typically the residual meth found will be higher in a home where methamphetamine has been cooked and therefore the health effects more severe and the clean up costs are likely to be more expensive.
Is methamphetamine harmful to adults and/or to children? I’ve heard methamphetamine is bad for my health. What does it do to me?
Due to the intense affect the drug has on the central nervous system of users, even small amounts are predicted to have adverse effects on both children and adults living in contaminated dwellings. The New Zealand Ministry of Health Guidelines for the Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory sites states that potential effects may include:
- Shortness of breath, coughing and chest pains
- Dizziness, headaches and nausea
- Liver and kidney damage
- Neurological problems
- Increased risk of cancer
Will it go away over time? Does it wear out or just go away?
The short answer is no. Once a home is contaminated with meth then it will not go away over time. It will need to be professionally cleaned to be removed.
Can I paint over it?
You can paint over the residue but over time it will seep back through the paint and re-contaminate the environment.
What is better - an instant test or a laboratory test?
We prefer to use laboratory based sampling as it is far more accurate and allows a far better picture of the contamination which has occurred. Decontamination exports rely on lab sampling to ensure they are effectively decontaminating a property. An Instant test (also called
presumptive immunoassay screening) will give results in minutes however the results are open to interpretation.
But I need to know now.
We can undertake an instant test if the client requests that we do this however if a positive result is found we strongly suggest a lab test is undertaken to back up the instant test result.
How do I get rid of P contamination?
Meth can be successfully removed using decontamination techniques including applying a cleaning solution to the affected areas. In effect washing the meth of the affected surfaces. Depending on the levels of contamination this can remove the meth in 2 or 3 applications of the cleaning solution. In most cases the soft furnishings (carpets, curtains, furniture) can't be cleaned and must be removed and destroyed. In cases of severe contamination gib, wiring and doors may need to be removed and replaced (see below). In extreme cases a dwelling may need to be demolished.
Do I need to rip the gib off the house?
Not always, usually only if there is heavy contamination. We suggest that by accurate and careful testing and analysis that removal of gib is not required or can be limited to certain areas. If you have been advised by a meth tester that the house needs removal of gib, we advise that you get a second opinion by a qualified independent meth testing company. We have seen several examples where home owners have been advised their property required expensive remediation work including replacement of the gib only to find that the meth was removed using far more cost effective techniques.