Hoarding and How to Manage the Cleeanup
PHILADELPHIA, PA, September 26, 2019 /Neptune100/ — Damage to a home is bad enough. But when a home becomes damaged and the homeowner is a hoarder, the problem becomes even worse. Though hoarding can pose its own dangers in a home.
Hazards of Hoarding
1. Fire – When the clutter and mass amount of personal property within a home include a lot of flammable objects fires can start relatively quickly. If any of the flammable objects in the home are covering heating vents, then they can catch fire quickly. Also, when homeowners have enormous piles of clothing, garbage, and other objects emergency responders would have a difficult time to get to get to the homeowner.
2. Injuries – Homeowners and residents of a home with a hoarder can often trip, fall, and become injured by all of the hoarded objects. The enormous piles of hoarded material can also collapse and fall on top of residents of the home. If the piles collapse and fall on anyone the person may become trapped.
3. Pests and Diseases – Rats and bugs are more likely to infest the home of a hoarder. With this higher chance of being infested, there is also a higher risk of disease transferals from the pests to residents of the home.
4. Mold – The environment in a house with hoarded goods is perfect for mold growth. The mixture of water and organic matter are what makes mold grow. In a house with hoarded good there is an abundance of this type of environment. Mold can also grow on food that the residents have not thrown away. The growth of mold can cause respiratory problems and aggravate allergies.
5. Air Quality – With clutter comes dust, musty and/or bad odors, and chemicals from the breakdown of organic matter. All of these can affect the air quality within the home of a hoarder. These can also cause respiratory problems in humans and pets.
6. Structural Integrity – When hoarding takes place for years the hoarded goods may become too heavy and affect the structural integrity of the home. Ultimately this can lead to collapse of structural elements within the home such as floors, ceilings, walls, and stairs.
7. Building Maintenance – All of the clutter within the home can prevent routine maintenance from being performed I the home. If work would need to be done to the HVAC system or electrical components of the home, a technician may not be able to access what they need within the home.
Cleaning Up After Hoarders
Many homeowners dread doing a deep clean of their home every season. However, most homeowners would probably gladly deep clean there house instead of facing the daunting task of cleaning a hoarder house. Though someone, eventually, must clean out the house of a hoarder.
1. Safety – When cleaning out the home of a hoarder, all participants in the cleaning process should wear protective gear such as dust masks, disposable gloves, and shoes that fully encase the foot. People cleaning should equip themselves with a fire extinguisher, bug repellent, a flashlight, and a first aid kit.
2. Supplies – Supplies such as trash bags, buckets, boxes, disinfectants, and cleaning agents should be used as people go from one area to the next when cleaning.
3. Dumpsters and Staging Areas – An open space like a yard should be used to place a dumpster for debris and as a staging area to temporarily place contents being moved from the home.
4. Removing Clutter – People working on removing clutter and debris from the home should start at the nearest exit of the home. Debris and other items in the home should be removed from the home from the top of piles to the bottom. This will prevent piles from collapsing and workers from becoming injured.
5. Sorting Objects – Contents taken from the home should be carefully sorted through. Any items like paint, chemicals, explosives, etc. should be thrown out through the proper measures. Trash should be thrown in the dumpster and salvageable contents should be set aside.
6. Repairing the Home – After the entire home has been decluttered and is in a manageable state, the home should be inspected for any damages that need to be fixed. Any required repairs should be completed. Once repairs are finished all of the salvageable contents should be disinfected and placed back into the home. Professionals should be brought in the dry out the home and spray for mold.
If you have experienced damage at your property call AAA Public Adjusters. You can reach us 24/7 at 800-410-5054.
About AAA Public Adjusters
AAA Public Adjusters, LLC, is a property loss consulting firm headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. Additional offices are located throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina. AAA Public Adjusters have been fighting insurance companies for over 25 years. AAA Public Adjusters, Maximizing Your Claim!
