Hoarding presents as a persistent struggle to let go of possessions, resulting in overwhelming clutter. Emotional ties to items, irrespective of their worth, drive this behavior. It can arise from genetic predispositions, past experiences, or underlying mental health conditions like anxiety or depression. Traumatic events or significant life changes can trigger or intensify hoarding tendencies. Ultimately, hoarding leads to unsafe living conditions, impacting well-being and relationships.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that over 1,000 fires occur annually in hoarded properties in the U.S. These fires tend to be more fatal, with a higher average death rate per incident compared to other residential fires. With a national prevalence of approximately 2-6%, it is estimated that between 5,400 and 16,200 residents in Reno, given its population of around 270,000, may be affected by hoarding disorder.
At Nevada Water & Fire Restoration, we understand the challenges individuals and families face when dealing with hoarding situations. Our dedicated team is here to provide compassionate and professional hoarding cleaning services throughout Reno, NV, and surrounding areas.
Risks Related to Hoarding
Hoarding poses various risks to both the individual who hoards and their surrounding environment. Some of the significant risks related to hoarding include:
- Physical Health Hazards: Hoarded items can create tripping and falling hazards, leading to injuries. Accumulated clutter may also obstruct pathways, making it difficult to navigate through the living space. In extreme cases, hoarding can contribute to unsanitary conditions, increasing the risk of mold, pests, and other health issues.
- Fire Hazard: A messy place with lots of flammable stuff like paper or fabric makes fires more likely. If exits are blocked or you can’t reach electrical outlets easily, it’s harder to get out safely during a fire.
- Structural Damage:The weight of accumulated items in hoarded spaces can exert pressure on floors, walls, and ceilings, potentially leading to structural damage over time. This can compromise the safety and stability of the building.
- Social Isolation: Hoarding often results in social withdrawal and isolation, as individuals may feel embarrassed or ashamed of their living conditions. This can strain relationships with family members, friends, and neighbors, leading to further isolation and loneliness.
- Declined Quality of Life: Hoarding can significantly diminish one’s quality of life, affecting daily functioning, self-esteem, and overall happiness. Living in cluttered and chaotic environments can be overwhelming and stressful, making it difficult to enjoy life to the fullest.
Professional Hoarding Cleanup in Reno, NV
Hoarding is an emotionally sensitive situation, and our professionals approach it with care and compassion. We understand the delicacy of the situation and strive to be gentle and understanding with our clients throughout the process.
Our 4 step process includes:
- Inspection & Evaluation: Since hoarding often indicates long-term challenges, our specialists take the time to assess the home thoroughly. We prioritize identifying potential health hazards that could pose risks of injury or illness. Through compassionate communication, we engage with all individuals involved in the hoarding situation to gain insight into the issues, priorities, and concerns.
- Create a Personalized Strategy: Once we grasp the hoarding situation, we work with you to create a personalized plan that fits your needs. Our approach is flexible, prioritizing thoroughness without rushing.
- Cleanup process: With the plan in place, we commence the cleanup process. This involves comprehensive property-wide cleaning, starting with clearing out cluttered spaces, disposing of trash, and reorganizing belongings. Additionally, we provide deep cleaning services to sanitize and refresh carpets, walls, furnishings, and personal items. Throughout this phase, we maintain open communication and collaboration with you, your family, and any other affected parties.
- Property Restoration: In the final stage, our team focuses on restoring the property to a safe and healthy condition. This includes conducting necessary repairs, replacing damaged materials, addressing mold and mildew issues, and any other tasks required for complete restoration.
Things we include as a part of hoarding cleaning process:
- Salvaging jewelry, money, and other valuables
- Throwing away unwanted items
- Determining what should be thrown away and what can be recycled
- Donating certain items
- Giving kept items to family members or friends
- Assisting with paperwork from attorneys, trusts, and government agencies
Why Choose Nevada Water & Fire Restoration?
When it comes to hoarding removal, choosing Nevada Water & Fire Restoration is a smart move. First off, our certification from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) ensures top-notch service following industry standards. Plus, with over a decade of experience since we started in 2006, we’ve become pros at handling various restoration projects, including hoarding removal. Our team includes experts who know their way around mold and water damage, offering thorough solutions to get your property back to its pre-hoarding condition.
For hoarding cleaning call (775) 546-2036 or fill the form on your right to get a free estimate in Reno, NV.
Related Hoarding Cleaning Services
Hoarder House Cleaning in Sparks, NV
Hoarder removal Service in Carson City, NV
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. How much does hoarding cleanup cost?
The cost of cleaning a hoarder’s house can vary based on the extent of the job, typically ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 on average.
Q. Is hoarding a mental disorder?
Hoarding is considered a mental disorder. It falls under the category of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), where it is specifically labeled as “hoarding disorder.” Individuals with hoarding disorder experience persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. This behavior leads to the accumulation of excessive clutter, which compromises living spaces and causes significant distress or impairment in various areas of functioning, such as social interactions, occupational performance, and emotional well-being.
Q. Can you be evicted for hoarding?
A dirty apartment that poses hazards or nuisances may violate the lease, potentially giving the landlord the right to evict. However, simply having clutter or a disorganized space would not typically be grounds for termination and eviction.
More Information on Hoarding
How are hoarding claims handled by Insurance Companies?
Hoarding, usually hidden from view, creates challenges for insurance assessments. Hoarders may not outwardly display their tendencies, but when they file claims, complications arise. They collect excessive items, making spaces unusable and hazardous. Piles of belongings make it hard and unsafe to enter rooms, hindering assessors’ evaluations. The clutter also creates trip and fire hazards, making inspections more difficult. Overall, hoarding complicates insurance assessments, requiring specialized approaches to manage risks effectively.
Different Types of Hoarding Disorders
The blog explores different types of hoarding disorders, like collectors, researchers, and animal hoarders. It discusses how excessive accumulation can lead to clutter and emotional distress. It also suggests ways to help people with hoarding tendencies. Overall, it emphasizes the need for understanding and support for those dealing with hoarding disorders.
Recent Reviews
"They are friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great customer service. When I had a pipe break in my crawlspace they came out cleaned it all up."
"Nevada water and fire were extremely professional and extremely kind in the tough time we had with the flood under our house. They worked quickly so we could get our water turned back on and make the underneath of our house safe. Definitely will recommend them to anyone looking for restoration"
"What a life saver this company is. I was out of town and arrived home at 10:00 PM to find a water connection in the master bathroom had been pouring out water like a garden hose for quite some time. I called them at that late hour and within 45 minutes 2 gentlemen showed up and started vacuuming up the water in my home plus putting furniture on waterproof supports to get them up off the soggy carpet and assisted in emptying out my china hutch to put the hutch on dry supports too. The next day Nevada WATER & FIRE had 2 adjusters come out, they arrived at the time specified, to give me the details of what would be happening in my home for the next few days and answered all my questions. For the next several days the restoration crew showed up, was very respectful, removed the damaged carpet, drywall, under the house insulation and duct work. They also assisted in moving the furniture into the dry parts of the house and garage and handled the items with care. The men moved boxes as we packed them, as well. All the extensive amount of damaged material was removed within 3 days. Then heavy duty fans, de-humidifies, wall heating machines were brought in to dry out my home, plus someone came out every day to check the progress of this drying process. When all was dry, a cleaning crew came in to wipe down the walls, ceilings and vacuum up the debris left behind in the removal process. The crew took the time to continue to answer my questions and to let me know what the next steps would be. I highly recommend Nevada WATER & FIRE for their professionalism, courtesy, care of my furniture, and the crew worked diligently in the severe heat. You can be sure, when you call them to assist you, that they will give 100% to your problem and resolve the issue quickly."
"I had a water leak in my crawl space, which needed drying out and a new moisture barrier. They came out the next day with an estimate and the following day to start the drying out process. When they completed it and left, I saw something on the moisture barrier I felt needed additional work. I called and they said they would be out the following week which was fine as it wasn't crucial."
"I have to thank everyone that came out to my home! I called on a Sunday and Garrett was there on Monday. He was professional and informative. He talked me through what needed to be done and worked directly with my insurance company. I would like to personally thank Will, Sean and Alexander for their hard work. They were like having family in my home. They are exceptional young men! Also, thank you to Floyd, he comes everyday to follow up and keeps me updated. I have to say, I was so overwhelmed with the water and mold situation but from the first visit I was taken care of with professionalism, compassion and a job well done."
"Nick and his crew are extremely professional and worked very hard to get our home cleaned up and ready to get put back together. I can’t thank these guys enough for taking the time to explain the process and answer all of my questions. Even if they were small questions, they showed they cared and helped me understand what it would take to safely clean our home. Do not hesitate hiring these guys, they’re honey bee clean experts up now! Jake and Johnathan - thank you guys as well for walking me through the process and making recommendations along the way. The Honey Bee mess is all gone!"
"Was very impressed by how fast the response was and the priority given to us in light of many other simultaneous jobs ongoing. The team on the ground (literally - in our crawl space) was very diligent, courteous, and professional. Garrett and Joey did a great job keeping commitments, even when there were extenuating circumstances and I felt like this was a company staffed by a team that not only cared, but was willing to go the extra mile when necessary. And most importantly, the remediation work was done with high quality and passed an independent industrial hygienist inspection the first time. From the time we called until the inspector's "all clear" cert was issued was only about 10 days for a 1700 sq ft house and knowing that a team was in here all day every day for 5 straight days helped reinforce that they were giving our project a level of extra urgency and attention that was really appreciated. This was grueling work in a very confined, unpleasant space and I couldn't be happier with the end result or the way the team made a very challenging process as palatable as possible in keeping our house clean and relatively undisrupted."
