Risk of Falling and Getting Trapped In Your House
Your house is supposed to be your safe haven but there are many risks associated with it, such as the risk of falling and getting trapped. This risk is compounded if you are a hoarder, whose house is full to the brim, leaving no room for walking.
Here are a few things that increase the risk of falling and getting trapped in your house:
Sure, rugs are pretty and they make your home look cozy but they tend to curl up at the edges or slip. This can lead to you to trip and fall. Falling is a huge cause of unintended injury-related death according to the National Safety Council. It affects all ages, though older people should be particularly careful as they are more susceptible to injury. You should ensure safety by investing in rugs and carpets which do not slip and not crowding your room too much.
You might feel like slipping on your comfy socks at home but your hardwood floors don’t go well with them. You should use non-slip adhesive strips on your stairs and always wear the right kind of footwear to improve traction and reduce the chance of falling. By wearing the right kind of footwear and ensuring safe stair coverings, you can mitigate the risk of falling on the stairs and the injuries that it can cause.
A slippery tub can also increase the risk of slipping and falling. That's why you should always have a bath mat and/or insert railings in the shower. The National Safety Council recommends the use of appliqués or non-skid mats in the tub and shower to help avoid errors. These function as a buffer between your bare feet and the floor of the slippery bath. The Council also recommends adding grab bars in the shower and tub particularly if you live with the elderly or young children.
Any of the aforementioned things can increase your risk of falling which in turn increases the risk of getting trapped in your house. This is particularly in the case with the elderly who are unable to get back up and those who hoard as their home is too full for them to find a way out.
You should contact a service to help you with hoarding cleanup so that your risk of falling does not increase. It is not possible to de-clutter all on your own. Duval County Hoarding can help you or your loved one with their hoarding problems. From clutter removal to cleaning out toxic waste, we handle all hoarding situations. We are the leading company in hoarding removal, maintaining strict principles and a genuine desire to help people get their lives back on track. We understand the difficulty hoarding poses and the risk it has for your health so we offer you with the help you need.
Dangers of Living in a Hoarding House
Hoarding is the excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard any possessions. This is an illness which is a compulsive sort of behavior and poses health risks for the individual suffering from it and those around the hoarder. Hoarding can rapidly become overwhelming and cleaning your house up on your own can be both dangerous and tedious.
Hoarding Health Risks
There are many hoarding health risks and living in a hoarding house is a dangerous for you. Here are a few hoarding problems that can be very harmful for you:
1. Poor Sanitary Conditions – The large amount of products in the houses of hoarders makes it difficult for many vital regular activities such as washing, cooking, and showering. Poor personal hygiene and the absence of healthy food affect the immune system of the hoarder and render him/her more vulnerable to disease. Dirt accumulates in large amounts and generates the ideal chance for bacteria, germs, and other damaging microorganisms to grow and thrive. Decomposing products (including rotting meat, garbage, and even animal or human waste) discharge hazardous by-products that can render the hoarder ill and generate the perfect living atmosphere for bacteria and future illness. The scenario is even worse when it comes to animal hoarding –a big amount of livestock residing together in a limited room promotes the spread of germs and illness. Animal waste can contaminate pet and human food easily, the bodies of dead animals might not be removed and this creates a very hazardous situation.
2. Poor Air Quality – Large amounts of smoke from decaying goods in hoarders ' households, along with odors and ammonia can trigger severe problems in indoor water quality and can lead to multiple breathing problems –acute coughing, shortness of breath, swelling of the lungs, etc. Clutter may even drop on air pumps and/or block other airways, leading the building to lack oxygen and increase the concentrations of carbon dioxide. The hoarder may not become aware of any difficulty breathing before it’s too late.
3. Pest Infestations – A hoarder's house is a haven for vermin and pests – the rotting wood and decomposing products provide an outstanding source of food for cockroaches, insects, rodents, insects and other criteria, and the stacks of trash provide perfect hiding and breeding grounds for the pests. Once they discover their way inside a hoarded house, pests can hide inside, below, and among the collected products, construct their nests, discover ample food, and develop in numbers, unseen, and undisturbed. The subsequent major infestation of pests introduces a range of severe health and security hazards – vermin carry multiple organisms, bringing a significant amount of dust, spreading bacteria and pathogens like E. Coli and Salmonella convey illnesses (such as mosquito-borne West Nile virus, tick-borne Lyme illness, or mouse and rats Hantavirus) and present prospective physical harm to the animals and people living in the house.
4. Mold problems – Stale air (the clutter avoids the adequate flow of air), elevated humidity and large quantities of decaying organic substances in the households of the hoarders provide the ideal living atmosphere for mold. Spoiled food and containers of filthy meals that are held in the building for months and even years also harbor development of mildew and fungus. This inevitably leads to a serious problem with molding that can cause major health issues – mold can damage the respiratory system, trigger allergies and worsen existing health conditions.
Duval County Hoarding can help you with your hoarding. From clutter removal to when items are from floor to ceiling, we handle hoarding any situation, small or big. We are the leading company in hoarding removal, maintaining strict principles and a genuine desire to help people get their lives on track. We understand hoarding health risks and are willing to help you during this trying time.
Blunt Force Trauma Cleanup: Reclaiming Your Space
Blunt force trauma refers to an intense injury to any part of the body. Let’s find out how you can manage to clean up the affected space where someone went experienced a traumatic injury.
Understanding Blunt Force Trauma
Blunt force trauma occurs when a person is hit by a hard object with a shear amount of force. The injury is usually caused by accidents, attacks or falls.
Blunt trauma requires immediate medical attention due to its impact. The following steps will guide you on how to deal with a blunt trauma situation.
Delivering First Aid
The first step is to evaluate the degree of the injury and provide medical assistance accordingly. Secondly, it is important to ensure that the injured person is at a safe place.
First aid also includes monitoring the patient to notice any changes in breathing or consciousness. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be performed immediately if the patient is not breathing.
If the person is awake and responding, obtain information about any prior relevant illnesses or conditions. Engaging the patient in a conversation to relieve their pain may also prove to be helpful in such situations.
It is important to seek medical assistance as soon as possible. When medical help arrives, try to provide the staff accurate information of the injury to help with the assistance.
Blunt Force Trauma: What Does the Research Say?
Did you know that the impact associated with this kind of injury may cause instant death of a person? A recent HYPERLINK "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0216718"study found that blunt force trauma was the cause of death in a 30,000-year old murder case.
Further research in this discipline can help determine more methods of treatment in order to prevent deaths.
The Cleanup of a Blunt Trauma Scene
A proper cleanup of the scene is important to keep the patient and others safe from associated health hazards.
The first step is to clean any spilled blood or liquid from the affected place. This is especially important if the incident has taken place at a house or a public place.
It is also always advised to wear protective gloves and a mask during the cleanup to avoid contact with any bacteria or viruses.
If the injury is the result of a crime, then there is a chance that the cleanup will erase any marks that may lead to the attacker.
In such case, it is absolutely important to hire the services of a professional biohazard remediation company.
Hire Experienced, Trained Staff
Bio-One is a company based in Jacksonville that has trained technicians to cleanup crime scenes related with blunt force trauma.
Seeking professional assistance not only helps in managing the cleanup, it also ensures that an already difficult situation doesn’t escalate further.
So the next time you encounter a blunt force trauma situation, remember to hire the right people for the job!
Effective Suicide Cleanup
Losing a loved one to suicide can be particularly traumatic. The responsibility of cleaning up the scene of the suicide ends up falling on the family or friends who have discovered the body which is an unimaginable task for someone mourning the unexpected loss of a loved one. It’s important to hire someone for effective suicide cleanup as cleaning up will take effort, time and expertise when excessive blood if involved.
Importance of Suicide Cleanup
1. Safety:
The scene of a suicide can be horrific, with bodily components that may pose serious health risks such as hepatitis and HIV that do not necessarily show visible signs of disease. Suicide and death cleanup must be carried out by trained and experienced cleaners in order to protect your health as well as that of present and future residents of the area. The space can be fully covered with blood and body fluids after a suicide/death, and it can also be destroyed. It can also be an extremely overwhelming experience, and it might be difficult to even fathom thinking where to start the cleanup.
Professionals are actually better equipped during a suicide cleanup process to shield themselves from exposure to biohazardous materials.
Furthermore, specialists are best able to ensure a systematic and detailed suicide cleanup process. Due to the efforts of an accomplished, tenacious professional, the ultimate goal of returning a property to livability and functionality is best achieved.
Cleaning up the scene of a suicide includes, but is not limited to, disinfecting, cleaning, removing and packing all products that constitute a "bio-hazardous disease risk" and objects that have been contaminated with bodily fluids (urine, blood etc.) and unpleasant odors. People specially trained for this type of work are specialists in identifying and treating areas that might be infected.
For example, when a gun is used to commit suicide, there is a lot of material present that the naked eye cannot see. For the cleaners’ safety, as well as that of current and future residents, it is essential that all remains are properly handled.
Ultimately, there is overwhelming sadness and other emotions facing a person or family who loses a loved one to suicide. The feelings associated with a loved one's suicide can be extremely deep and pervasive. Taking on the role of personally cleaning up a suicide scene can magnify the psychological and emotional response to this form of death manifold. Hiring a professional service is also helps lessen the emotional trauma you are already experiencing.
This is where Bio-one Duval County comes in. We are committed to returning your property to a safe and livable state. We offer comprehensive and thorough services, which include trauma and biohazard scenes, including but not limited to blood spill cleanup, suicide cleanup, and decomposition cleanup. We realize all the various risks so we provide professional and safe services. Let a professional take care of the cleanup so you can through your grief.
Importance of Sewage and Odor Removal Services
Sewage backups can lead to odor buildup and the spread of harmful diseases. A water spill can also cause unpleasant odors. Odor removal is typically done by removing as much of the source as possible. This step tends to work generally and the odor dissipates. However, there are other tough to solve odor issues where the source may be hard to detect. These instances require a thorough inspection of the site where the odor may be coming from.
Why Professional Services Are Necessary
There are a number of reasons why handling such issues should be left to a professional. We cover those here.
Remedying your property using local technicians and pumping facilities is generally a fast process. Subsequently, cleaning solutions based on chemicals can be applied to guarantee that your property does not experience secondary damage such as mold or mildew. These chemicals, however, may only be masking odors that reappear once the house returns to its ordinary state. Dealing with odors and spills requires professional experience and you need qualified restoration experts to help you with these problems.
Experienced technicians know that the key to odor removal is tackling it at the source. That source may be evident as raw sewage, or less apparent such as pet litter, hidden mold, or bacterial water. Finding the source of an odor is not always feasible, so the only secure way is to address it in various ways to ensure that the atmosphere of your home is clean and healthy.
Naturally, one of the biggest benefits of hiring a service for such a task is the increased levels of safety. Attempting to remove sewage and odor on your own can be a dangerous for you. You need the right kind of equipment to avoid contamination. The service you hire will have this and will ensure your property is cleaned up properly, leaving you with a secure environment.
Reiterating that each method of odor removal differs from one to the other is essential. In some instances, soon after certain techniques are performed, an odor will dissipate. In others, the odor may persist and involve further measures to efficiently remove the odor. Our sense of smell is the only thing we can use to detect an odor and the most efficient method is to remove the cause.
Bio-one Duval County can help you when it comes to sewage and odor removal. We begin with simple techniques and move on to special techniques if the odor persists. We offer comprehensive services, which include trauma and biohazard scenes such as suicide cleanup, blood spill cleanup, decomposition cleanup, and sewage and odor removal services. All these circumstances can lead to serious health problems if not dealt with properly. We realize the extent of the harm they can cause so we provide professional, safe, and thorough services.
How Ammonia from Cat Urine and Feces Can Affect Your Health
Exposure to cat urine and feces are some of the most dangerous bio-hazard situations that a homeowner can face. Cleaning these liquids can be as essential and hard as cleaning blood. A broad range of health hazards occur when homeowners ignore pet urine and feces cleanup. The general health of the inhabitants of a home may worsen causing infections, illnesses, and mortality in serious instances.
Hazards Associated with Cat Urine and Feces
Cat urine and feces are definitely dangerous for you. Cat feces can trigger a severe human disease called toxoplasmosis. In the first several weeks, exposure to the parasite referred as Toxoplasma gondii can trigger flu-like signs. Once the parasite grows, a range of other neurological diseases, damaging consequences such as brain inflammation, and effects on the heart, liver, eyes and ears may also occur.
Another disease that you can suffer from after exposure to cat urine or feces is called cryptosporidiosis. This causes diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and a host of other problems. Like toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis can influence both cats and humans. Cryptosporidiosis, like most zoonotic diseases, has the greatest effect on those with poor immune health.
Urine of all species includes unhealthy quantities of ammonia. While ammonia is discovered in different cleaning agents and industrial products, the emission is generally of a regulated type. For several days, litter boxes that are open and soiled with cat urine may generate a mild health concern. Exposure to large quantities of extremely focused quantities of ammonia in urine, particularly in cat urine, may trigger respiratory diseases as well as inflammation of the skin and eyes.
As the urine evaporates in its gaseous state, water is dispelled. As a result, the air can be contaminated by toxic fumes which can cause a number of problems to one’s airways.
Of course, if you already have pre-existing respiratory issues or a weakened immune system, you are more likely to develop health issues caused by cat feces and urine.
If you’re not careful enough, animal waste can easily be accumulated. This is extremely hazardous and should be dealt with immediately especially if you have more cats than you can count. You should contact a service to help with this hoarding cleanup as it won’t be possible to do on your own. Duval County Hoarding can help you or your loved one with their hoarding problems. From clutter removal to cleaning out toxic waste, we handle all hoarding situations, small or big. We are the leading company in hoarding removal, maintaining strict principles and a genuine desire to help people get their lives back on track. We understand the difficulty hoarding poses and the risk it has for your health which is why we offer as much help as possible.
How Professionals Help With Hoarding
Hoarding can be a serious problem for many. It is the condition of excessively collecting items and inability to discard anything. It can pose health risks for the hoarder and those around him or her.
Even though everyone realizes that it is a problem, helping a hoarder is not a simple task. It requires dedication and hard work. Hoarding can easily become very difficult to manage and looking for professional help with hoarding is a good idea.
How Professionals Can Help with Hoarding
When a person is ready to de-clutter, they need help cleaning their house. This would normally involve hiring a professional as sifting through a hoarder’s mess is no easy task. The cleaning process can involve several stages:
1. Gather equipment: containers like trash bags or shipping crates will be needed by the cleaning team to take out items. Goggles, plastic gloves, and masks of paper can safeguard individuals against dust and bacteria
2. Empty the rooms: The crew may want to create a vacant staging region for the subsequent placement of retrieved products. If all the rooms are full, a driveway or a yard can suffice. It may be useful for the cleaning team to first wash the bathroom or kitchen. For subsequent washing, they can then access water faucets.
3. Sort the items: The items can be sorted into three classes by the cleaning team: garbage, keepers, and donations. If an item has been unused for more than a year or is broken, it is probably in the category of trash. When arranging documents, the group may need added caution, as some may have sensitive data.
4. Disposal of items: Many municipal hygiene facilities lease dumpsters and retrieve the garbage for a charge. Charities are often free to collect donations. The cleaning team may want to disinfect the property before returning the "keeper" products.
Professional help can also be needed in other ways. For instance, homes can require significant repair and disinfection in the wake of clearing a hoarder’s mess. People who are hoarding livestock may need to dispose of toxic waste. This can be a difficult task to do on one’s own. Experts suggest recruiting a dedicated cleaning company if a building has a mold or pest problem.
Duval County Hoarding can help you or your loved one with their hoarding. From clutter removal to when items are stocked from floor to ceiling, we handle any hoarding condition, small or big. We are the leading company in hoarding removal, maintaining strict principles and a genuine desire to help people get their lives back on track. We understand how difficult hoarding can be and are going to offer you as much help as possible. Don’t hesitate to contact us to get professional help with hoarding.
Body Fluids Disposal
Body fluids include any of the following:
· Blood
· Urine
· Semen
· Vaginal discharge
· Vomit
· Respiratory secretions such as nasal discharge
· Saliva
Proper disposal of all of these body fluids is very important. Direct contact with these fluids should be avoided.
Hazards
Body fluids are a source of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria and fungi) that are contagious.
· The major risk is of infection through hand-to-mouth /nose/eye contact.
· There is also a chance of infection due to broken skin (scratches or cuts).
· Cleaning products can cause health effects such as dermatitis, irritation, and breathing problems.
Precautions
All body fluids are considered potentially infectious and some contact precautions should be observed to prevent the spread of infections and disease. The following are a few precautions anyone should take when it comes to body fluids disposal.
· It is necessary to wear protective gloves if direct contact with body wastes and fluids is expected, such as treating a bloody nose, handling incontinently soiled clothes, and cleaning small spills.
· Do not dispose of body fluids in regular trash as they can be infectious and contribute to the spread of disease to anyone handling the garbage.
· Thorough cleaning of any surface or area where body fluids have been spilt is important for infection control.
· Gloves that are soiled by contact with body fluids or by washing soiled objects and surfaces should be removed immediately and put in a plastic bag or lined trash can, sealed, and disposed of.
· Any products that can be disposed of (such as paper towels and tissues) should be put in a lined trash can or a plastic bag, sealed, and disposed of.
· Wash yourself before drinking or eating, and after touching any object or surface that could be contaminated.
· Use mild skin cleansers and warm water for cleaning and soft paper, nailbrushes, fabric towels or hot air for drying. Avoid rough cleansers.
You should take heed of all of the above and be extremely careful when handling body fluids as improper handling can lead to seriously harmful diseases. It’s also possible that these body fluids (if not disposed of properly) can end up in your water system and infect you in worse ways.
Bio-one Duval County can help you when it comes to body fluids disposal. We are committed to returning your property to a safe and livable state. We offer comprehensive services, which include trauma and biohazard scenes such as suicide cleanup, blood spill cleanup, and decomposition cleanup. All these circumstances can lead to serious health problems if not dealt with properly. We realize the risks they pose so we provide professional, safe, and thorough services.
Understanding the Mind of a Hoarder
Hoarding is a destructive and addictive habit. This article uncovers how the mind of a hoarder works, and gives useful tips to fix the problem.
Understanding a Hoarder’s Thought Process
Hoarding refers to a continued behavior of accumulating things and the failure to discard them in time. This behavior is self destructive and affects the life of a hoarder and those around them.
A hoarder simply delays disposing off unwanted items or leaves waste unattended. With the passage of time, such items turn into biological hazards that cause diseases.
Contrary to a healthy behavior, a hoarder feels distressed even at the thought of disposing the items. Hoarding may also be associated with other conditions, such as obsessive compulsive disorder and depression.
The Severity of the Issue
The problem causes extreme embarrassment for a hoarder, leading to social isolation. This is because a hoarder’s friends may tend to avoid visiting such person’s house or meeting them.
The problem sometimes becomes so severe that it results in separation between life partners and families. As this situation threatens personal relations and quality of life, it causes anxiety and other mental illnesses.
When items are left unattended for long periods of time, these generate rust or liquids as they change their form, and cause biological hazards.
Dealing with the Problem
The first step in dealing with this issue is to differentiate between hoarding and cluttering.
Cluttering may refer to a collection of things that are lying at a place in an untidy state. However, hoarding is a stock of items in a large quantity.
While both cluttering and hoarding may seem similar, only the latter reflects a psychological disorder.
Severity of the issue can be determined with the help of a mental health professional.
Resolving the Issue:
The easiest way to prevent accumulation is to break the habit of hoarding.
A person who likes to hoard can even maintain a small box to keep unwanted items and discard them as soon as they are generated.
Setting up an alarm and maintaining a schedule can also help dispose of the stuff on a regular basis. Donating the items that can be reused is also a smart way to avoid hoarding.
Getting Help for Cleanup
Hoarding cleanup may require professional expertise as there is always a risk of getting in contact with germs or bacteria. Are you looking for a professional cleanup company to get in touch with?
Duval County Hoarding is a Jacksonville based company that provides expert hoarding cleanup services. If you feel there are any biohazards in the home, now is the time to act!
Hoarding Cleanup Companies: How Can They Help?
Having the assistance of a hoarding cleanup company at your doorstep brings great relief. They offer a variety of services that you can benefit from.
But what causes hoarding?
Hoarding-A Problematic Habit:
The primary cause of hoarding is to delay disposal of unwanted items. These objects may occupy large areas of a house and cause biohazards for the residents.
A continued behavior of delaying waste disposal results in a hoarding disorder. You don’t want to part with the items because you feel that the hoarded items are going to be reused one day.
This problematic habit affects cleanliness and results in various health conditions in the long run. Hoarding also affects those in the neighborhood, especially when the items are accumulated in the backyard or near the street.
Smart Ways to Avoid Hoarding
Adapting to a few smart methods ensures that no unwanted items are accumulated. The first step here is to classify and dispose items as soon as they are generated.
Designating a small box or a place to keep such items can also limit them to a great extent. These should then be disposed at a particular time of the day regularly. As a smart tactic you can clean a room with the least amount of items, first.
It is also always advised to wear safety gloves or masks in order to avoid contact with any bacteria at an affected place.
Hoarding can also be prevented by donating the items that can be reused, and making this a regular practice.
Don’t wait for the items to accumulate before you begin tidying the place or reach out to the professionals. Instead, maintain a regular routine.
Get Professional Help
Removing the hoarded items on your own may worsen the situation due to the related health risks. Many places require deep cleaning with the help of special tools and equipment.
Choose a company that’s experienced in biohazard remediation, as they have more expertise than ordinary cleaning personnel.
Duval County Hoarding offers hoarding cleanup services through trained technicians at your doorstep. The company evaluates the situation, decides the right course of action and does the cleanup.
The company is also experienced in animal hoarding clean up and disinfecting following a cleanup.
Conclusion
Hoarding can turn into a big problem. Not only does it take up so much space but it can also cause health hazards. Asking for professional assistance becomes mandatory when the situation gets too way out of hand.
Setting a regular schedule and maintaining a checklist can help you achieve your objectives in a timely and efficient manner.
Remember, the solution does not lie in only cleaning up, but in breaking the habit of hoarding altogether. Good luck!
