If you have a fire or water emergency, please call us now at (800) 880-5977

To have the optimal experience while using this site, you will need to update your browser. You may want to try one of the following alternatives:

Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Hoarding

5/3/2018 (Permalink)

Hoarding disorder is a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions 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 actual value, occurs.  Many people with hoarding disorder do not find their habits to be a problem. 

Hoarded items are often things others would throw away or look 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 the outside of the home as well, to storage facilities, or even garage or yard.  SERVPRO of Greater Smithtown encounter hoarding situations several different ways.  Often, SERVPRO of Greater Smithtown is called for fire or water loss and find the hoarding situation when they arrive on-site.  SERVPRO of Greater Smithtown will communicate with insurance company regarding contents coverage, and after approval, contents can be packed out and possible cleaned, dried and stored by SERVPRO of Greater Smithtown or relocated to a storage facility so work on the fire or water loss can begin.   

Another way SERVPRO of Greater Smithtown encounter hoarding jobs 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 Greater Smithtown are here to help make "Like it never even happened." If you encounter a hoarding situation at one of your properties, or with your insureds, call SERVPRO of Greater Smithtown today.

Other News

View Recent Posts