Surface Wipe Samples: testing of up to 4 surfaces in the home. Results are available in 3 working days.
Cost: $200 in addition to basic home inspection; $250 for Meth Test only.
If you requested that Alpine Home Inspections perform a meth test in the home you are thinking of purchasing, Alpine will have performed that test by taking surface wipe samples. Up to 4 areas of the home where meth contamination is suspected or common will be tested using meth test kit wipes supplied by ALS Laboratory Group. The wipes are placed into a collection tube, labeled with the date and location and then taken to the lab for analysis.
The purpose of this test is to determine the presence or absence of methamphetamine contamination on surfaces. This test will not conclusively determine whether the dwelling is or is not an active meth lab, or if the dwelling is or is not hazardous to humans. It will only provide levels of meth presence in the home if the areas wiped were contaminated.
Please note that it is possible for areas not selected to be contaminated with methamphetamine and for the samples taken to be unaffected. ALS Laboratory Group is a state sanctioned meth testing facility. Please visit their website for further information:
http://www.alsglobal.com/environmental/laboratories/salt-lake-city-environmental-lab.aspx
Explanation of Meth Inspection Results: What to expect from the lab results:
Contamination levels depend on the activity on the property, whether it is through production and/or use. Many flammable and toxic gases, as well as significant amounts of meth residue, can result from the production of meth. Labs leave harmful, hazardous chemical residues on building structures. Once a property has been contaminated by meth production or usage, it remains that way until properly decontaminated. Often it is difficult to distinguish between a lab and a use situation because meth is now being produced in ways where typical visual signs do not occur.
Properties can become contaminated from any kind of meth activity including production, smoking or other methods of use, cutting, selling, etc. A meth lab, or clandestine drug lab, is where the drug is being actively produced. Under the current State Rule 392-600, when a property has been identified as a lab and has had police activity, decontamination is required.
The current standard for decontamination is 1.0 μg/100cm² (micrograms per 100 centimeters squared). Test results listing ND are representative of no meth being detected in any of the samples.