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SPECIAL REPORT: Are You Living in a Former Meth House?

Updated: Wednesday, February 6 2013, 08:16 PM EST
COLUMBUS -- Ohio lawmakers are pushing for a new law to protect families from the dangers of former meth homes.

Right now, there's nothing on the books that requires a homeowner or landlord to disclose a property had been used to cook meth.

"Folks are renting homes and buying homes and they don't know this and that's a concern," said Ohio Senator Frank LaRose, who is working on legislation to not only add disclosure but to help define how to clean up a former meth home.

In Franklin county alone, there are 17 homes listed on the DEA former meth home registry including houses in the Hilltop to Westerville.

Some of the people living in those homes told ABC6/FOX28 they didn't know about the home's history before moving in.

The dangerous chemicals seep into the walls, the carpets, and flooring and stick around long after police shut down the illegal operations.

We followed one company called Crisis Cleaning as it demonstrated its process in getting rid of the harmful chemicals.

"You see the kids rooms and the kids writing on the walls you see all the kids stuff there so these kids were living in the home while the meth lab was in production and we get the results back and I see these high levels in the kids room it's kind of heartbreaking," said Crisis Cleaning's Rick Willimott.

Willimott says only proven cleaning chemicals can strip the dangerous ones out of the walls.

Senator LaRose says the legislation he's working on will be introduced by the end of the week.

Click here to see a copy of the full legislation that is being introduced the 2nd week of February.

All homeowners can test their own homes' walls to see if they are living in a former meth house.  For the test kit - click here.

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Reporter: Tara Morgan
Web Producer: Kellie HannaSPECIAL REPORT: Are You Living in a Former Meth House?