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.
