EFT donates Crystal Clean to decontaminate home used as meth lab
EFT's Kevin Irvine responds to the plight of a family whose dream home turned into a nightmare when they learned it had previously been used as a meth lab. EFT donated Crystal Clean to decontaminate this family home. (Click here for more about the Holt family's story.)
Rhonda Holt: It was the perfect house.
Rhonda and Jason Holt bought this home in 2004. A perfect house to start their family in the small town of Winchester, Tennessee. On the outside, it looks normal; but on the inside, residual methamphetamine left by the previous owners was hidden in the walls and carpet. However, this family had no idea.
Rhonda Holt: To us it was just a house that needed a good cleaning, it needed remodeling.
Their first son, Ethan, started having respiratory problems at six months old. Then Anna, their five-month old, quit breathing; one morning when Rhonda went to pick her up she says she was white as a ghost.
Rhonda Holt: It's one of those memories and pictures that you can't get out of your head; no matter how bad you want to forget it or how hard you try, you can't.
But it didn't stop there. Three weeks after their third child Mackenzie was born, she had to be taken to Vanderbilt [Hospital] and spent four days on oxygen.
Rhonda Holt: It never hit me, the house. I never dreamed that our house would be sentencing our children to this type of life. I couldn't figure out, we wondered, why is this happening.
None of the doctors picked up on the recurring problems these children kept having; even Rhonda and Jason had health problems. Rhonda suffered from severe migraines.
Rhonda Holt: I couldn't function. It had gotten so bad that a lot of times I couldn't get out of bed.
It wasn't until a neighbor mentioned to Rhonda that a man sentenced to federal prison for manufacturing meth lived here with his mother — that's when Rhonda immediately called police to see if that was true.
Rhonda Holt: They knew that meth had been cooked in our house. We cried and got out. We threw some stuff together, and his parents were a blessing to take us.
The family has been out of the house eight months now, and has been in the process of ripping out everything: cabinets, carpet, and has even replaced the sheetrock. Since they've moved out, the children's health has already improved.
Rhonda Holt: We thank God every day for every minute that we've had, and all the blessings, and the true blessing now is that we're out of the house and our children are better. Anna runs and sings and plays, she dances.
Only twenty-one states have meth lab decontamination regulations. Alabama is not one of them. However, Tennessee does have laws now, but when the Holts bought their house, there were no disclosure laws. Tennessee's law came just a year too late for them. But they want this to be a warning to others to do your research, especially after all they've been through.
Rhonda Holt: It's been a nightmare. Just a complete nightmare. You have someone who is convicted of meth charges, it's not just them they're hurting, it's everyone that follows in behind them. Every person who moves in to that rental home, or that apartment, or purchases that home, it's affecting everyone.
This is the magic spray that could be the key to saving the Holt's home. It's called Crystal Clean, and the vice president of the Huntsville-based company, Kevin Irvine, saw the Holt's story and wanted to help.
Rhonda Holt: Basically what Kevin has offered us is a huge blessing because we're going to be able to bring our children home to a completely sterile environment; there's nothing that could be lurking in the shadows or anything else there.
Rhonda and Jason Holt's story is nothing short of a nightmare. They purchased this home in 2004. They thought it would be the perfect place to raise their family. But, after their third child was born, they got suspicious because all three of their children suffered unexplained respiratory problems.
Rhonda Holt: It never hit me, the house. I never dreamed that our house would be sentencing our children to this type of life. I couldn't figure out, we wondered, why is this happening.
Rhonda connected the dots after learning that the former homeowner's son was arrested multiple times for manufacturing meth.
Rhonda Holt: It's been a nightmare. Just a complete nightmare.
But Irvine's product could be the answer to this family moving back into their home sooner than they'd expected; by simply spraying down the floor, walls, and ceilings, and wiping it down with water.
Kevin Irvine: Our sole goal was to help. This is not costing this family anything; the time, the equipment, the solution is all donated.
Irvine runs Envirofoam Technologies based out of Huntsville. The company's first product was used globally in military operations but now they've added Crystal Clean to their arsenal of decontaminants; and it's proven to be successful every time.
Kevin Irvine: All of us here are fathers; and we understand the ramifications of it; and this family, they needed it, they just needed this handout.
The Holt family has thrown away just about all of their possessions for fear that they were all contaminated with meth residue. The only possession that's left that has any meaning to this family is this bassinet. They thought it was going to end up in the dumpster too. But thanks to Crystal Clean, Kevin Irvine and his crew were able to decontaminate it as well.
Rhonda Holt: I'm so excited about that, because that's priceless. Every one of our babies, all three of our babies, have slept in that bassinet. That's something that you can't replace.
HISCO, a company out of South Carolina that is certified to go in and clean up meth homes also volunteered their time and drove over three hundred miles to help.
HISCO: It's very fulfilling to know that when we walk away they will be able to enjoy this home and not have to have any worries.
Peace of mind is something this family hasn't had in a long time.
Jason Holt: Knowing that we replaced the sheet rock, and them coming behind us to make sure everything's sterile, that gives you a little bit more peace of mind, where you can relax.
Rhonda Holt: I can say thank you all day long, but what it means inside my heart, what it means to us and what it means to our children, and there's no way to ever say thank you.
The total cost for this project was nearly $10,000, but of course all time and chemicals were donated to the Holt family. An industrial hygienist has conducted a post-test of the house, to see if any meth residue exists; those results should be back in 10 days. As far as remodeling, the Holt family is left to pay for those expenses out of pocket.
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