The Dangers OF Hoarding

The life of a bio-hazard cleaner involves constantly assessing risks and how to minimise them. We enter hoarded properties on a frequent basis that possess a multitude of dangers to the individual and sometimes surrounding neighbors.
In this article we will look into what the dangers of hoarding are and how we can prevent them.

What Are The Dangers Of Hoarding And How Can We Prevent Them?

So, what are the dangers of hoarding?
We put the dangers into five different categories, these being:

• Health Risks.

• Physical Injury.

• Fire Hazards.

• Structural Damage.

• Financial Dangers.
  

  Let’s have a look more in depth at these categories.

Health Risks In A Hoarders Property

A hoarder's house can carry a large array of health risks to an individual, these include mold growth due to the blocking of areas which are prone to moisture.  It is also a breeding ground for a large number of pests, such as mice, rats and insects which will leave their fecal matter and urea around the property, even on food items which can be toxic.
In some cases human feces or the animal feces of pets can also be left in the property which is also a bio hazard that can cause someone to become very ill. If someone also forgets to discard food, it will become another bio hazard which can lead to illness.
Along with this, if there is a large amount of clutter in a property it can lead to poor airflow which can greatly affect someone with any lung diseases or illnesses.
In short, a large amount of clutter be it general or bio can be a breeding ground for bacteria which is hazardous for an individuals health.

Physical Injury In A Hoarders Property

Due to extreme amounts of clutter in a property, the risk of physical injury is heightened astronomically. The lack of walkways and having various trip hazards could cause a large amount of trips and slips. And when areas such as stairs become cluttered, it will go from someone looking at a couple of bruises from a fall, to a broken bone or even death.

Fire Hazards In A Hoarders Property

The amount of fire hazards that are present in a hoarder's property is very large.
If there are overloaded extensions in a property, this presents a fire risk, or if a hoarder is using a gas burner with a naked flame, the chances of clutter igniting are very high.
If someone hoards and is also a smoker, a stray piece of hot ash could cause a fire that would grow very quickly due to the large amount of kindling in a property. A house fire on average will take 5 minutes to reach its max burn and that’s without a large amount of kindling. So when a fire starts in a hoarder's property, it can reach its peak in potentially seconds.
Also, with hoarding, exit routes out of the property can be blocked. This is a perfect storm, an can lead to the death of any individuals inside.

Structural Damage In A Hoarders Property

The structural damage in a hoarders property can be vast, from vermin such as cockroaches, rats, mice and flies creating a multitude of problems in the property by creating staining on carpets, their urea and feces creating bacteria and mould growth, or they can even cause major structural damage by creating holes in walls, beams and furniture and they can even bite through electrical cabling.

Clogged drains from a large amount of waste and tissues / wet wipes being put down toilets, or even food waste in sinks can cause sewer backups that will leak onto floors, which one will create a massive bio hazard, but can also ruin floorboards and carpets.

If an individual hoards animals, it can again lead to a large amount of staining and furniture damage due to our beloved pets behaviours.

And lastly, the most simple problem that comes with hoarding with structural damage, is the weight of items going above what the flooring of a property can hold. This will cause collapsing of flooring.

Financial Dangers In A Hoarders Property

Lastly, the financial dangers of hoarding.
When someone hoards a large amount of items, they are usually paying for them. The sheer amount of items will put a large dent in anyone's funds.
This can lead an individual to rack up large debts due to not having the ability to stop spending. And when they do not want to part ways with any of these items, there is no light at the end of the tunnel when trying to get out of this monetary hole. 

This could lead to not being able to afford mortgage, rent or amenity bills and once that starts happening the quality of life of a hoarder lowers even more.

So How Can I Prevent Or Fix My Problem?

Here at Emergency Clean UK, we can give you the tools to clear your property of all waste and have it cleaned back to a liveable standard.
We offer a discreet and understanding service that will ensure that after the job is finished, the weight of hoarding is no longer present and you have a safe and clean home.

But the question you may ask, is ‘What stops me from hoarding again?’. This is where we recommend talking to friends, family and professionals to get the route of your hoarding issue. There are many great charities available which can help you in taking the first step in getting out of the habit of hoarding items.

In some cases, they may even pay a part of the bill when it comes to removing the items and cleaning your home. 

These charities can be found with a simple Google search such as ‘Charities for Hoarding’, however here are a couple we recommend:

Age UK (England)
0800 678 1602
ageuk.org.uk

Age Cymru (Wales)
0300 303 44 98
ageuk.org.uk/cymru

HoardingUK

020 3239 1600
Hoardinguk.org

Hoarding Disorders UK
0330 133 2310
Hoardingdisordersuk.org

NHS UK
Nhs.uk

OCD Action
0300 636 5478
Ocdaction.org.uk

If you would like us to help you or your loved one with a  hoarding situation, please click the button below to view our service. We understand it is hard and you may feel helpless, but our teams will ensure that you are left satisfied and with peace of mind.