At first glance the simple brick duplex on Eau Claire's northside looks like any other. But the city-owned home once housed a meth lab in the back garage.

"I had no idea. None whatsoever," says Jennifer Cowart. Cowart and her three kids moved into the house in august.

Cowhart was shocked to hear dangerous chemicals were once stored where her kids now play.

"They play out there a lot," says Cowart.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has created a new national lab registry hoping to better inform renters like Cowart. The link aims to eventually list all the reported meth labs in the state by county.

"Some of these are nasty chemicals," says Eau Claire City County Health Environmental Health Director Darryll Farmer.

Farmer says cleaning up meth labs is an extensive and expensive process. But when complete the risk is relatively small.

"It's what you're comfortable with," explains Farmer. "I think trying to check out and see what was done to eliminate that as a potential problem in your home so you can make some informed choices."

And that's exactly what Cowhart plans to do the next time she looks to rent.

"I'll definitely be asking around," says Cowart.