The #1 blog post I get emailed about is buying a house that tested positive for meth. So, I wanted to do a follow-up post to tell you how our family has been doing after moving in last year. And I’ll also answer some of the common questions I’ve been getting. So let’s dive in!
Follow-up Q&A for My House Testing Positive for Meth
Well, it’s been about a year and a half since we moved into our beloved Fairview Cottage. While we were closing on it, the house tested positive for meth.
So, we got the house thoroughly cleaned and tested. Our test results came back at 0.025 and 0.033 µg/100cm². In Utah, anything under a 1 µg/100cm² is considered safe by the board of health. Since we started at a 5.2 µg/100cm² in one room, those numbers looked great to me based on the research I did!
Once we got the green light, we moved in the summer of 2018. And I’m happy to report, we’re happy and healthy!
If this is something you’re currently going through, I wrote a detailed blog post that summarizes my research and experience here.
Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of questions about this. So, I’m going to answer some of them, as well as share some of the emails I’ve gotten. My main goal by showing you this that if you’re going through this, you’re definitely not alone!
Top Questions I’ve Been Asked
Are you still glad you made the decision to move in?
Yes! It was definitely the right decision for our family. I respect if your decision is or would be different- everyone has to do what’s right for them.
Are you experiencing any health side effects?
Not at all. We’ve had zero health side effects! And this was super important to me especially since I have a 4-year-old son and he plays on the floor all the time.
Are you embarrassed to talk about living in a “meth house”?
Not really. While it’s not the most exciting topic to discuss, I do believe it’s important to de-stigmatize it. Especially since there are a lot of meth houses in the US. (information via)
Email from a Reader:
Hi! I just stumbled across your blog post about your house that was contaminated with meth. I live in SLC and we just got our house decontaminated. I am still super nervous about it though. After the decontamination process of your home, did you feel worried or anxious about your son being in the home? I have two kids and I can’t stop thinking about it. I LOVE the home and funny enough its an old historic home as well. But yeah, I wanted to reach out because I just wanted to know if what I am feeling is normal! Any advice is appreciated!
After the decontamination process of your home, did you feel worried or anxious about your son being in the home?
Honestly, no. Since it was cleaned by a licensed professional and then tested in 15 places by the health inspector, I trust that it’s completely gone. But again, everyone has to make the best decision for themselves.
Another Email from a Reader:
Hi, me and my husband are looking intobuying a home with the issue yours had. We were told it was only smoked, not made inthe home. Did your seller come down on the price? I’m a little scared. I want to have anatural home using only natural products but I’m scared this will effect that. Do you use an air purifier?
Once your house tested positive for meth, did your seller come down on the price?
No, they didn’t. But they did pay for the meth clean-up, which is something the state of Utah requires sellers to do. It cost them $5,000 and I am grateful that they were in charge of that instead of us.
Can I still use natural home products in a house that tested positive for meth?
I don’t see why not! I actually use some natural home products.
If your house has been decontaminated and properly tested, technically all the meth should be gone. That means you wouldn’t need to use chemical-based cleaners. However, I’m not an expert, so I would check with your health inspector just to be sure.
Do you use an air purifier?
I don’t personally use one, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t! It’s could be a good idea. 😉
Here’s another email from a reader.
You are the only blog I could find on a mom with a kid having meth in the house so I’m happy I’m not the only one! Are you still living in the house? Have you met any other people who have gotten their house decontaminated? I’m in a bit of a meth worm hole right now. Haha! But really I just don’t want to feel alone. So thank you for writing back! I really do feel a lot better!
Have you met any other people who have gotten their house decontaminated?
Actually, no. I haven’t met anyone in person who has, but I’ve emailed with some who have.
Conclusion
To wrap up, I know that getting the call about meth is never fun. For my family and I, cleaning it up, getting it tested, then moving in was the right decision for us. We’re totally happy and healthy, even a year and a half later.
However you need to do what feels right for your family. If you think this will be too concerning for you, I’m sure there’s another house out there for you!
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