I Bought a Hoarder’s House, Now What?

Studies show that as many as 1 out of every 300 people suffer from obsessive hoarding. While it’s a topic that we’re much more aware about, thanks to TV and the news, it doesn’t mean you’ll know what to fully expect. For anyone that has been assigned to cleaning a hoarder’s house or has recently bought a home previously owned by a hoarder, there are various hazards that you can be opened up to. Flannery’s Handymen has outlined a few below:

Falling Debris

Hoarders are inclined to constantly gather items, sometimes, piling them as high as the home’s rooms will permit. When it comes time to clean the home, these towers of items can present as a danger since there is a good chance of debris falling. To avoid any harmful danger, create a plan to remove any items that will be easiest to eliminate. Once you’re finished with the easier items, you should have enough room to move out some of the more difficult items.

Rodents

Homes with hoarded items will usually attract rodents like rats and mice. This makes cleaning a dangerous situation because they can be the carriers of dangerous diseases. Hantavirus is a respiratory illness that rodents have been known to carry, which can be fatal. A hoarded home with rodents can also turn into a bio-hazard job because of the buildup of waste. If you see signs of an infestation, contact the professionals to remove it.

Structural Damage

If there is any structural damage to your home, hoarding items can hide it. The weight of the stacks of items can weaken your home’s floors over time. These stacks can also hide or disguise mold or water damage, which may result in the need for remediation or reconstruction services. Not only can mold be dangerous to your home, but it always poses a threat to the occupant’s health.

Emergency Access

In the event of an emergency, you put yourself in danger trying to exit your home. Since hoarders have the habit of filling every room, this makes it difficult and dangerous for emergency workers to reach you in a crisis. To most, a hoarding cleanup sounds like you just need to go through each room and throw things away, but they can be much more complicated than this. To keep yourself and family members safe, it’s best to leave these types of jobs to the professionals. If you are in need of hoarding cleanup professionals, contact Flannery’s Handymen today. We will provide you a free estimate by calling us at 781-775-9943 or by filling out our online contact form.