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Tips for Colorado Home Buyers, beware of buying a meth home
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There continues to be an epidemic sweeping the Midwest that presents health and safety risks to potential home buyers. There is widespread use of homes, garages, sheds, even motor vehicles to manufacture illegal drugs, specifically methamphetamine. It’s important for potential buyers to understands the basic facts about meth labs; and for buyers to do their due diligence when buying a home
What is a meth lab?
According to the verbiage on the Colorado Spring City Government web site: “Illicit manufacture of meth involves the process of combining multiple chemicals to another substance (referred to as a “precursor”) to create methamphetamine. The most common precursor used is “pseudoephedrine,” found in many over-the-counter cold and allergy medications. The tablets containing pseudoephedrine are crushed, then the powder is dissolved and mixed with various chemicals to create the reactions that convert the pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine. The process of combining these chemicals creates hazardous conditions, including a strong risk of fire, explosion or toxic gases, as well as a substantial amount of hazardous chemical waste. This creates not only an increased threat to the safety of law enforcement and medical first-responders, but also to the public. “
The chemicals are so toxic they can penetrate the floors and walls of the building it is cooked in. The production of meth contaminates surfaces, drains, ventilation systems and furnishings with hazardous chemicals
What are some of the signs to look for in a meth house?
(1) Smells: Cat urine smell is often associated with meth. Other odors to be aware of are ammonia, vanilla, solvents or metallic smells.
(2) Large amounts of household products are a tip off. Common products are used to manufacture meth that can found in an average home, except in a meth lab large quantities of common items may be in odd places. If you see multiple packages of lye, Coleman fuel, peroxide, pseudo-ephedrine or coffee filters in odd places, like stored in a bathroom, closet or kitchen, this may be an indication that it is a meth lab.
(3) Propane bottles, or fire extinguishers, that have been altered, or have a blue stain on the connector, may indicate that anhydrous ammonia has been stored in the container.
(4) Iodine may be used in meth manufacturing and iodine stains walls and everything else. The stain may be red or yellow. It may be very noticeable if a photo hanging on a wall is removed revealing the contrast between stained and unstained.
(5) Windows blacked out
(6) Signs of chemical burns and spills on the counter tops and flooring
(7) Visible areas in the yard where chemicals have been dumped
(8) Packaging or containers from cold medicines
If you enjoyed reading this article, why not Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
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