When it comes to hoarding cleanup, especially if the hoarding has been taking place for an extended period of time, there can materials, substances, chemicals, and other hoarding-related dangers that require the professional services of trained and experienced hoarding cleanup technicians. Hoarding sites frequently contain biohazards, pests, insect infestations, and even illegal substances like narcotics, exotic plants, and animals. Even if materials at a hoarder site are not directly harmful to human and pet health, there can be situations where the structural integrity of the building is compromised. Rooms may be completely stuffed and unenterable, ventilation systems could be clogged with filth or blocked by piles of debris, and hallways and stairways choked and dangerously obstructed by haphazard stacks of hoarded materials.
Dangerous Conditions Caused by Hoarding
The two most dangerous conditions that we have remediated at hoarder sites in the past include:
Mold: Black mold (Stachybotrys) species are present in many hoarder spaces. These molds release mycotoxins that can cause health issues including allergic reactions, respiratory, cardiac, and neurological conditions, asthma, and more. Mold remediation in hoarder spaces requires proper solutions, hazmat equipment, and tools.
Animal infestations/animal abuse: Both insect and rodent infestations in hoarder spaces increase the risk of bacteria, viruses, and parasites present in a building. Animal hoarding is also a form of animal abuse that often results in a high prevalence of related biohazards, waste, and airborne pathogens.
There are millions of people in the U.S. currently affected by mental health crises and chronic mental illnesses. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience some form of mental illness, and 1 in 20 adults experience severe mental illnesses. Of the many mental health issues individuals and their families face, there are several that can cause symptoms of compulsive collecting, storing, and hoarding. Hoarding behavior is correlated to many mental illnesses including Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorders, Alcoholism and other addictions, Attention Deficit Disorders, and more. If you are facing the cleanup of a space exposed to hoarding activity, it’s likely you need the help of trained professionals with the right equipment, skills, and solutions. ServiceMaster Professional Cleaning and Restoration provides comprehensive hoarding cleanup in Malvern, PA and the surrounding areas. We offer emergency cleanup services primarily for residential buildings, but we also provide hoarder mitigation for commercial and industrial spaces.