Hoarding: A Serious Situation

9/5/2018 (Permalink)

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

Hoarding items are often things others 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 Patchogue encounters hoarding situations in several different ways. Often we are called in for a fire or water loss and find the hording situation when we arrive on-site. We will communicate with the insurance company regarding their contents coverage, and after approval, contents can be packed out and possibly cleaned, dried, and stored by SERVPRO of Patchogue, or relocate to a storage facility so work on the fire or water loss can begin. 

Another way SERVPRO of Patchogue encounters hoarding situations is 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, but SERVPRO of Patchogue I here to help make it "Like it never even happened." If you encounter a hoarding situation at one of your properties, or with your insureds, call SERVPRO of Patchogue today!

(631) 924-1801