Hoarding: A Serious Condition

5/15/2022 (Permalink)

A technician wears a white Tyvek suit, gloves, mask and goggles

According to The Mayo Clinic, "Hoarding disorder is a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. A person with hoarding disorder experiences distress at the thought of getting rid of the items, regardless of actual value, occurs." Many people with hoarding disorder do not find their habits to be a problem.

Hoarded items are often things other would throw away or look at as junk or garbage such as old newspapers, junk mail, or packaging.

Hoarding can lead to homes filled with extreme clutter to full capacity from years of accumulation, making living conditions unsanitary and crowded. Bugs, fleas, rats, and other vermin may be present, at which point an exterminator would need to be called. At times, hoarding may spread to outside the home as well, to storage facilities, or even the garage or yard.

SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch encounters hoarding situations several different ways. Often we are called for a fire or water loss and find the hoarding situation when we arrive on site. Web will communicate with the insurance company regarding their contents coverage, and after approval, contents can be packed out and possibly cleaned, dried, and stored so that the work can begin on the fire or water loss.

SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch also encounters hoarding jobs through calls from landlords, case workers, real estate agents, or family members, often after the death of a loved one. In these situations, the crew will see if they should look for any items of importance while they clean the job. Sometimes family members will come and try to help the hoarder sort through their contents as well.

Each case is very different, and hoarding jobs are often sensitive situations. If you encounter a hording situation and are looking to make it "Like it never even happened." Call SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch at 210-670-9591.

Source: Restoration Newsline Volume 30, Issue 6