Hoarding creates an unhealthy living environment in your home. However, that isn’t the only problem it causes. In recent years, hoarding has become a popular topic. Professionals in the health and safety industries continue to study the dangerous effects associated with hoarding scenarios. Many states even provide classes and seminars to educate those who work in the social services industry. If you, or someone you know, has a home that is too cluttered with contents, it’s imperative you act to make a change. Talk to a restoration services expert to find the best way to handle your hoarding problem before health and fire departments work against you. Seek help before it leads to a dangerous outcome for all those involved. 

Hoarding Causes Health Hazards

Naturally, one of the problems associated with hoarding is the potential for health hazards. Too much stuff cluttering your home makes it difficult to keep it properly cleaned. Add pets to your residence, and it increases the chance that your home is less than clean. For instance, pets sometimes find their way into small places and leave a mess that you might not see.

Additionally, items that break over time create sharp edges. If these are unseen due to clutter, you leave yourself vulnerable to injury. Until the clutter is cleared away, there is no way to really know what type of problems lie beneath the piles that have built up in your home.

Mold is another health hazard commonly seen among hoarders. As clutter is cleared away, you might find water damage and mold infestation that you didn’t even know was there. Since mold often causes sickness, it is essential to clean up the problem professionally.

Hoarding is a Public Safety Concern

You might feel that it is your home and your business to do what you want inside your house. But, hoarding is a problem that can affect your safety and the safety of the public. For starters, the more contents that build up in your home, the more likely you are to have a falling hazard. If you fall and need medical assistance, you also put those who respond to your call at risk.

The most significant concern when it comes to hoarding is the fire hazard it creates. Fire hazards risk the lives of those who live in the house, the neighbors, and the first responders who come to the call. It poses severe challenges for any firefighters who navigate a home engulfed in flames. Mostly, the house lacks clear access. Contents that are piled up can cause flames to spread more quickly. Some first responders have been severely injured and even killed in homes that are over cluttered and catch fire.

Collapse hazards cover two different scenarios when it comes to hoarding. The more contents you have piled up in your home, the more likely the piles will collapse. When an extensive collection of stacked belongings collapses, residents can become trapped. The buildup of clutter can also affect the structural integrity of your home. The weight of clutter buildup can cause structural damage to your house. Buildings are only designed to withstand a certain amount of weight. By exceeding that weight, you compromise the structure of your building.

Hoarding is a serious problem that creates many different hazards. Professional restoration services are appropriately trained to address the safety and health hazards associated with hoarding. They carry the expertise needed to address the problem, clean up, and deliver a solution that keeps you safe.