PuroClean provides you the hoarding help that you have a need for without being ashamed or embarrassed. Homes that may seem daunting and overwhelming due to the amount of clutter, trash, and abundance of personal belongings is one of our many areas of specialty.
Hoarding is a condition that, if left unaddressed, may lead to extremely dire results for those involved. It’s not at all abnormal for hoarders to close themselves off, stay home indefinitely, and turn away friends, family, and even those who genuinely want to lend a hand. PuroClean can not only help with the actual cleanup, but also can be of assistance in helping hoarders deal with the shame and guilt that often comes with hoarding.
According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of hoarding may include:
Excessive acquiring and refusing to discard items result in:
For many individuals, hoarding can easily grow over time into an inconceivable environment. Most likely, cleaning up and restoring a hoarder’s home and/or premises is a hazardous job. It’s very difficult for hoarders to let go of their possessions – especially while also coping with family members or other caring materially interested individuals. Mainly because it causes disagreements that may unfortunately last for years to come.
Hoarding presents a high level of danger and risk to property and more importantly life.
Excessive contents can hide serious problems such as:
Statistics show that hoarding affects “as many as 1 in every 20” individuals and is more common in older age groups, increasing with age. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), up to 5 percent of the world’s population display traits of clinically diagnosable hoarding. The National Study Group on Compulsive Disorganization guideline for comprehending the level of hoarding and its impact on a house:
Hoarding Level 1: Light clutter, all doors, and stairways accessible, no more than three locations with animal waste throughout the house, no smells, and the house is considered safe and sanitary.
Hoarding Level 2: At least one blocked exit, the presence of malfunctioning heating, cooling, or ventilation system for at least half a year, clutter inhabits 2 or more rooms, light smells, light mildew in kitchens and bathrooms, overflowing garbage bins, visible pet waste on the floor, and dirty food prep surfaces.
Hoarding Level 3: At hoarding level 3 rooms become completely impossible to use. Also, there exists various major structural problems and damage along with clutter becoming a problem inside and outside of the property.
Hoarding Level 4: During hoarding level 4 social problems become markedly more apparent. There will be extreme problems like sewer backup, kitchens and bathrooms becoming nearly impossible to use, animal waste all over the floor, and much more. Everywhere you look mold and mildew are easily visible, and it is nearly impossible to live in multiple rooms.
Hoarding Level 5: This is the most extreme level of hoarding. There is a severe amount of structural damage around the property and smells run rampant. Basic necessities such as electricity and running water are gone, and the property needs severe restoration to become livable again. There are pests around, and garbage can make it very challenging to access certain parts of the house.
The approach to cleaning up a hoarder’s home or building can be daunting for many reasons. Calling PuroClean is a good start. Our professional teams will work with compassion and empathy in developing a plan and executing the plan with you, family members, or caregivers as well as any other materially interested parties that want to provide the best care. As part of our services, PuroClean will ensure that no clutter is left behind for sentimental reasons, that everything is cleared, bagged properly, transported, and disposed of in a specialized manner, befitting the hazardous material it may be. PuroClean’s top priority is to ensure that their highly trained employees, the occupants, other materially interested parties, and the environment are properly protected.
Hoarding cleanup is another division of PuroClean’s biohazard remediation services, and involves a high level of forensic restoration and cleaning services in which our PuroClean franchises* have been specifically trained in. We know how to bring back a house and make it appear as great as before, even after hoarding problems.
Forensic cleaning is defined as the removal of biological contaminants to prepare surfaces, both vertical and horizontal, for professional disinfecting. There are two phases to the forensic cleaning process. First, all surfaces are dry cleaned with disposable microfiber pads to reduce both the bio load and the soil load to prepare them for wet cleaning.
Next, wet cleaning process involves the application of an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant/cleaner dispensed through a foaming unit and manipulated via mechanical action using disposable microfiber pads.
As we are not cleaning for appearance but for health, all surfaces may be clean to the eye, however, testing the surfaces is an essential step to ensuring we have accomplished our goal, that we have cleaned for health.
Homes that are in poor condition after hoarding problems can be susceptible to insurance coverage issues due to lack of maintenance and degradation that occurs in these environments. Some insurance carriers, brokers, and agents will provide a list of concerns and issues detailing what safety and maintenance fixes to retain policy coverage. Failure to address these issues can lead to a loss in insurance coverage.
While calling in professionals like PuroClean and their expert crews to assist in sorting through a house and providing cleanup services may not be easy, it may be required to help with the daunting tasks related to the cleanup and remediation.
PuroClean’s biohazard remediation services are available near you and around the clock 24/7. Call PuroClean anytime at (503) 820-5200.
The goal with any new project that PuroClean is hired for, is to make sure that everything is addressed according to the needs of the client and return the property over in a healthy and safe manner. Our technicians are careful, empathic, and compassionate for all those involved with the project, while helping all who are coming to terms with this problem. PuroClean wants to ensure open communication and while showing concern and empathy for all materially interested individuals dealing with these sensitive and concerning scenarios.
Initial inspection – Every job starts with a first inspection and assessment to establish Health and Safety as the top priority. Next, PuroClean will make a plan of remediation, restoration, and cleanup according to the project details. Because every hoarding situation is unique and different, so too is the need for building a strong working schedule that helps move things along expeditiously.
Safety – Concern about protection is very important when working on a cleanup and remediation project. PuroClean makes it part of our responsibility to implement first aid kits, insect repellants or control solutions, flashlights, and fire extinguishers so that they are easily ready and accessible. We will also use the proper personal protective equipment for all of our employees.
Giving all the cleaning supplies – Many unique cleaning supplies and equipment are used throughout the entire project. All PuroClean response vehicles are fully equipped with the necessary materials, equipment, cleaning supplies, PPE, and other tools necessary to complete each and every step of the project.
Staging a dumpster – When working on a hoarding cleanup project, dumpsters are a necessity. PuroClean will coordinate with the responsible party and agree upon an open area location for a dumpster to be placed. This location should be in as safe a position as possible to minimize any damage from placement and removal. Our technicians will work in a timely manner, placing all contents into the dumpsters that are to be discarded.
Decluttering – The removal of clutter from each area can be easy once all parties are on the same page and communication is open. Slowly but surely individuals will notice the ongoing progress and normally become inspired to keep moving forward. However, it takes time to complete the decluttering procedure for every part of the home.
Sorting the contents – Items that require special handling may need to be checked against local laws and regulations. Local laws and guidance are followed with all trash and debris that is bagged up and discarded. Items that are deemed salvageable are separated into two piles – one pile is for “keep” and one pile is for “donation”.
Repairing and cleaning the house – When the entire house is clutter-free, remediation and repairs are started if needed. These can include:
Hiring PuroClean brings the best highly trained team and cleaning services focusing on top-quality care for all. We have the highest quality of services, and our speed and compassion during the remediation and cleaning are unrivaled. No matter how challenging a cleanup might appear, we are willing to put in the work to keep our customers happy.
*It is crucial to know that not all PuroClean offices offer biohazard restoration solutions. If there is a need for a cleanup for a hoarding problem, take time to contact the main office at 1-800-775-7876 to connect with the closest PuroClean Franchise near you.
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