A hoarder house is where the homeowner has filled their home with excessive items. These items may be personal items or items that are necessities for every home. Some hoarder houses are filled with excessive amounts of toilet paper, paper towels, or canned goods. Other hoarder houses are filled with excessive amounts of collectibles such as dolls, toys, or other personal items. A hoarder house doesn’t necessarily have to be a house; it can also be an apartment, townhouse, or condo. Hoarding is a mental and severe disorder that causes homeowners to collect excessive junk. The owner of a hoarder house does not always see their excessive items as “junk”, making it harder to part with them. See below for more on what makes a hoarder house and the serious dangers a hoarder house can cause.
The Dangers Of A Hoarder House
Living in a hoarder house can be extremely dangerous to your mental health, physical health, and home hazards. Hoarding is a severe disorder and makes it hard to overcome even with hoarding cleanup. This takes a severe toll on our mental health and well-being. Many hoarders suffer from poor health from their hoarding habits because their home is not correctly cleaned, garbage is overflowing, and mold and mildew start to form around the house. This dampens our physical health and well-being because it makes it hard to get around our home, and it cannot be cleaned to its best or even cleaned.
Aside from a hoarder house being extremely unhealthy, it significantly increases the chances of a fire or other home hazards. Collecting excessive amounts of paper items or contaminating the air with harmful chemicals puts your home at risk for a fire or other costly expenses. There is also a higher risk of animals, such as rats entering your home, chewing on your wires, and making their way through your garbage. A hoarder’s house is exceptionally unsanitary and unsafe for anyone. A home filled with these items is hazardous for the homeowner and their pets, family members, and visitors who may enter.
The 5 Hoarder House Levels
According to the Institute of Challenging Disorganization, a hoarder house can be split into the five levels below.
Level 1 Hoarder House
A level 1 hoarder house includes small amounts of excessive items and has minimal (little to no) odor.
Level 2 Hoarder House
A level 2 hoarder has accumulated more clutter and excessive items in their home, most likely in the living room area. There are small amounts of odor that are noticeable to guests. If they own pets, their odor and feces are visible. There may also be signs of rodents or other animal invasions.
Level 3 Hoarder House
A level 3 hoarder house has accumulated many excessive items that have taken up a bathroom, bedroom, or other room, making it completely unusable. Trash and other things have accumulated, taking up spots on the floor and countertops. Trash cans are also filled to the brim and spilling out.
Level 4 Hoarder House
A level 4 hoarder house comprises excessive pests, rotting food, mold, mildew, and other unsanitary conditions. All of this is added along with the conditions of level 3, with strong, sickening odors. Animal hoarding can also be a part of a level 4 hoarder house.
Level 5 Hoarder House
A level 5 hoarder house is the worst hoarder house to have. It is comprised of all the above levels to the highest extreme. A level 5 hoarder house has awful, pungent odors, blocked doorways, making it extremely difficult to exit in an emergency and excessive amounts of clutter that create hazardous conditions. These homes make it highly possible for dangerous health conditions to occur in the homeowner.
Hoarding Cleanup in Salem, Lynn, & Peabody, MA
Hoarding is a serious problem; don’t wait to get the help you need! At Flannery’s Handymen, our team is experienced in hoarding cleanup and home cleanouts. Call us at 781-775-9943 or fill out a contact form to get on your way to a cleaner, happier home!
