Unfortunately, your chances of being impacted are higher than most people today realize. And the incidence is growing. The Utah Department of Health reports that the number of meth-contaminated properties rose 19% last year over previous years. Home inspectors estimate that approximately 10-25% of homes they inspect are contaminated. And in Utah, a contaminated property cannot be sold or rented until it has been remediated by a certified provider.

Choosing the right remediation company is crucially important in order to avoid adding more stress to an already stressful situation.

3 Keys to Avoiding Bad-Actor Remediation Services

These three keys will help eliminate unqualified companies from your list who could potentially become bad actors in your meth cleanup drama.

Key #1: Use Only a State-Certified Remediation Company

Only companies registered and certified with the State of Utah are approved to provide meth remediation services. Many others claim to know how to provide these services, but haven’t been trained and certified in this specialized, hazardous work. If you work with anyone else, not only do you risk the job not being done correctly and endangering the health and safety of occupants for many years into the future, but at the end of the work, your property won’t be cleared by the state for sale or occupancy, causing further delays and expense.

Before you hire a remediation company, check the state register and ensure they are listed as a certified provider. Click here to view the register

Key #2: Insist on Multiple Certified Tests

Reliable testing is the only way to first assess the extent and location of the meth contamination, and then certify that it has been adequately remediated upon completion of the work. Ensure the company you work with follows these protocols:

• Multiple initial tests. Some companies try to shave costs by skimping on tests, possibly missing harder-to-detect concentrations of contamination.
• Certified testing. For the highest reliability, tests should be evaluated by a certified independent laboratory. Again, cut-rate testing can be a shortcut to disaster.
• ‘Test Until Clear’ Final Testing. To ensure all hazards have been remediated, your company must conduct multiple tests at the conclusion of the clean up to certify that the contamination levels are below legal limits. These additional tests should be included in the contract at no additional cost. Get it in writing!

Key #3: ‘Work Until Clear’ Guarantee

Not only must your provider test until results are below legal limits, but they must perform additional remediation in the case of above-limit results in order to bring the levels down to acceptable levels. Get in writing in the contract that the company will perform additional remediation required at no additional cost. This is crucial to avoid ‘over-a-barrel’ drama at the end of a job when unscrupulous companies might try to stick you with additional charges.*

*Note that reputable companies will require the exposed areas of the property be locked out and not recontaminated during the remediation and final testing process. This is a reasonable request that must be respected and certified by the property owner.

Do Your Homework, Sleep Better at Night

Finding the right meth remediation company to handle a contamination issue may take a little more work up front, but you will sleep better at night knowing things will quickly get better, not progressively worse at the hands of unqualified or unethical providers.

Better to sleep through a bad late-night sequel than to be living the real-life drama of a botched meth cleanup!

Following these three keys can help, and working with an experienced, certified and professional meth remediation company like RainFire Restoration will make all the difference in the world. Their RF METHOD remediation protocol meets all state regulations and sets the standard for the qualifications outlined in the three keys. Click here for details.