What do you do when your blessing turns out to be less of a blessing and more of a difficulty? A loved one has passed away and left you some inheritance.
A house that you have fond memories of being in as a child. Summer visits with cookies and lemonade out on the back porch. Even some bonfires on cooler fall nights. Never did you dream that one day, this place of cherished memories would be yours.
Through the years the house was turned into a rental after the main family moved a bit more remote with more land to allow for horses and hobbies.
With the house empty, you assess the condition of the property and work with a local remodeling company to draw up some plans. There are popcorn ceilings and some old pipe insulation that are a concern for possible asbestos. It’s determined to do some testing prior to starting any renovations.
You set up testing for asbestos, and lead-based paint, and because this home was a rental for well over a decade you also decide to test for methamphetamine.
The results reveal some asbestos, no lead-based paint, and unfortunately positive for meth at high levels, now what?
You have done your research. It is important to you to leave a legacy in this neighborhood from your family. You have listened to input from specialists, experts, and contractors. You have decided that “Opting-In” to the DEQ Clearance Process to obtain a “Certificate of Fitness” from them is the pathway forward.
The process to remediate meth and asbestos is very similar and you found a remediation company that can do both. The remodel work can be performed once the “Certificate of Fitness” has been issued by the DEQ.
The DEQ is the department in Montana that oversees the Meth Cleanup Project. Only properties that have been reported by the police to the DEQ are required to follow their standards and procedures.
You contact the DEQ and “Opt-In” to follow those same standards and procedures even though you are not obligated to. It is your desire to leave this property in better shape than you received it. You want this home to bless another family. You want no doubt in your mind that the property is not only remodeled but also safe for new memories to be made.
The remediation company takes care of removing all asbestos and meth-contaminated components from the home. The house is ready for all the remodeling to begin. Before remodeling can start the home is now ready for clearance testing.
Clearance testing can only be performed by a DEQ Certified Contractor, like Inspect Montana. Inspect Montana will work with the DEQ to have their clearance sampling plan approved. Once the approval is obtained the actual sampling will be performed. The samples are sent to an approved lab, like ALS.
A final report is sent by Inspect Montana with all the results to be reviewed by their contact at the DEQ. Assuming all the samples came back as “ND – non-detect” The DEQ will then issue the “certificate of fitness.”
For more information about meth and how to address it:
Meth Testing During a Real Estate Transaction
My Property is Contaminated by Meth Smoke – Now What?
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