Bio-One services all types of trauma, distressed property, and biohazard scenes in communities throughout the Triangle. We partner with local authorities, communities, emergency services personnel, victim services groups, hoarding task forces, apartment communities, insurance companies and others to provide the most efficient and superior service possible.
We are your crime scene cleaners dedicated to assisting law enforcement, public service agencies and property owners/managers in restoring property that has been contaminated as a result of crime, disaster or misuse.
Contact us for help.
With a 5-Star rating on both Google My Business and Home Adviser, our compassionate and discreet trauma cleanup crews are available 24/7/365 and can be on-scene in just a few hours.
Every company performing any sort of decontamination or cleanup services in this industry in North Carolina needs to have the correct training. Bio-One hires and trains high skilled technicians with the certifications to get the job and disposal done correctly. We also understand that this is about helping you get through an unimaginable situation. Our company motto is "help first, business second." Bio-One continues to be the most compassionate organization in the industry.
Got an awful case of off-season allergies, windowsills that appear to be growing a five o’clock shadow, or tiny-but-telltale spots of discoloration on your drywall?
If you live in a cold climate, kicking up the heater during winter months doesn’t just keep you warm—it also helps to create a perfect environment for winter mold and mildew.
Not only are fungal infestations unsightly, but they can cause allergic reactions such as sneezing, stuffy noses, and itchy eyes. And, in the case of mold, can spread relatively unnoticed, quietly compromising the integrity and strength of your very walls.
Here are six tips to help prevent mold growth in the winter.
When all the right conditions are present, moisture, ample food, and a temperature between 41 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, mold will begin growing within 24 to 48 hours.
The easiest way to beat these fungal culprits in the winter months is with prevention. Here’s how to limit moisture, remove tempting food sources, and keep an eye out for the first telltale signs of a winter mold problem.
Use fans and keep windows open as long as the weather allows. Once it becomes too cold, consider purchasing a dehumidifier to reduce the overall moisture inside your home. Look for one that offers digital readings, which can help you to keep your indoor humidity level below 40 percent.
Watch for leaks in common areas such as windows, exterior-to-interior doorways, and the surrounding areas by swamp coolers and skylights. Don’t forget to check your indoor plumbing for excess moisture. Check for hidden leaks in areas such as under bathroom and kitchen sinks.
Mold and mildew can grow at a rapid pace. The longer you leave a leak unattended, the more likely you are to experience mold and the damage that comes with it.
In short, the moment you suspect or see a leak, fix it.
Since fungi thrive on quick-to-decompose items such as books, piles of loose papers, or boxes of clothing, use strategy when storing these items.
The best areas for long-term storage are away from external walls or windows. Pick an area that enjoys circulation to prevent the possibility of built-up moisture. Also keep a close eye on the moisture in your bathroom and clean surfaces regularly as well. Bathrooms can carry the most moisture in the home.
In rooms where moisture is a problem, area rugs and other washable floor surfaces are preferred over wall-to-wall carpet. If you do have carpet up to the door and can’t do much about it (such as when renting), take care to vacuum the area regularly, inspecting for signs of any mold near the baseboards or where your carpet meets the wall.
Boiling water and taking steamy showers provide your home’s environment with plenty of moisture. Make sure not to slack when it comes to turning on exhaust fans, including the one in your oven’s hood, which can help reduce condensation formation.
It’s also helpful to leave exhaust fans on for twenty to thirty minutes after steaming up a room, along with wiping down moisture on the walls with a dry rag.
Unless the growth is very minor, research reveals that it’s probably best to hire a professional to remove it. That’s because, according to experts, natural cleaning solutions won’t do the trick. Even bleach is considered too weak to eradicate mold spores, and household cleaners will only disguise the smell while giving the mold time to grow.
Fungicidal sprays are the only solution that can kill mold spores and the amount of chemical you’d need to remove mold can be equally hazardous to your health. Bio-One technicians are certified in mold testing and remediation. We do air quality and mold testing, mold remediation and encapsulation. Give Bio-One a call today for your free, no obligation consult and estimate. Bio-One serves the Triangle and surrounding areas.
Several factors lead to increased concerns about mold during the winter months. Moisture conditions indoors can lead to the growth of molds and mildews. While it's true that forced heating systems make indoor air drier overall during the winter months, certain areas of the home may experience intensified levels of humidity because of a lack of ventilation. Bathrooms and kitchens are particularly susceptible to this problem. Steamy showers in small bathrooms spell trouble, as does the accumulation of steam from washing dishes and cooking in the kitchen. Because of cold weather, windows aren't usually open, and condensation collects on indoor surfaces such as cold walls or windows and their frames, often creating ideal conditions for mold allergies in winter.
Obviously, if you notice visible mold or mildew growing in a certain area of your home, it is clear that you have a mold problem. You will need to identify the source of the moisture and remedy the problem at the source. For instance, if you discover mold growing under your bathroom sink, look to see if there are leaky pipes that may be dripping water and repair them.
However, though you may not notice mold growth in certain area, this does not mean that mold isn't present or that it won't grow if you don't take action. Indications such as condensation forming on window panes or peeling paint on window sills suggest moisture buildup that makes the area susceptible to mold growth. Water stains likewise indicate a moisture problem and a potential hotspot for mold growth. Any area where water sits or steam collects, such as in shower stalls or bathtub rims, (particularly the area around toiletry bottles and the like) is also a place to keep an eye on.
The most important thing to remember when cleaning up a mold or mildew problem is to protect yourself from exposure. Be sure to wear an allergy mask such as the AllergyZone N95 Filter Mask when cleaning mold. If you are sensitive to mold, you should also protect yourself from exposure by wearing goggles and gloves. Make sure to discard or thoroughly clean any equipment when you are finished with the job.
Now for how to actually clean the mold: Many people believe that the best thing for cleaning mold and mildew is bleach or a bleach solution. However, there are two basic problems with using bleach to solve a mold problem, especially for allergy sufferers. One problem is that fumes and residue from bleach are toxic and can cause additional respiratory problems for sensitive individuals. Another problem is that bleach does not necessarily kill the mold, but can trick you into thinking that the mold is dead because the mold seems to disappear; however, it may actually just be whitened, but still there, propagating itself further. While bleach may be used on hard, non-porous surfaces (although we do not recommend it), using bleach on porous surfaces such as wood is simply not effective because mold's roots can penetrate deep into the surface.
Bio-One technicians are mold certified experts. Whether you require air quality testing, mold testing or remediation, we use the very latest techniques and procedures to identify and remediate the mold. For mold remediation services near you, call us today for your free, no obligation mold inspection and estimate. Bio-One serves the Triangle and surrounding areas.
Logistics is a big part of Brendan Keany’s job. As the general manager of Penn South, a sprawling co-op complex with 2,820 apartments in Chelsea, Mr. Keany is used to coordinating the schedules of his crew, contractors and residents when any repair work is required.
He was taken aback, however, by the psychological complexity involved in a $145 million project a few years ago — one that necessitated replacing all the old heating, ventilating and cooling pipes in every apartment.
Getting access to someone’s home is always an issue, Mr. Keany said. Over the years, there have been more than 100 residents who regularly refuse to let his staff conduct the co-op’s annual fan coil unit inspection. But after compiling a list of residents who were unresponsive to an initial request for a home inspection, before the pipe project even started, Mr. Keany learned that many were embarrassed to open their doors because of what lay inside: homes that were overfurnished, cluttered and in disarray. He eventually discovered that about 50 of those apartments housed compulsive hoarders.
The American Psychiatric Association estimates that 2 to 5 percent of the population could be classified as compulsive hoarders, people who suffer from a disorder that impedes their ability to discard things, regardless of value. (Once a subcategory of obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding received its own designation in the 2013 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the go-to reference book for mental health professionals published by the American Psychiatric Association.) But “it’s likely there are more people with hoarding tendencies than the often-cited figure,” said Randy O. Frost, a professor of psychology at Smith College in Massachusetts.
As the illness often manifests behind closed doors, it’s difficult to get an accurate count. But out of the 4,071 evaluations conducted by Adult Protective Services in the 2016 fiscal year, about 7.7 percent, or 308 people, were diagnosed with a hoarding disorder, said a spokeswoman for the New York City Human Resources Administration.
“Some are collectors and compulsive buyers,” said Dr. Frost, who has studied the illness for about 20 years and is the co-author of the book “Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things.” “Some are perfectionists and environmentalists.”
To Read The Full Article - New York Time by Kaya Laterman
Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh 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.
Bio-One and Raleigh Hoarding are proud to service the Triangle and surrounding areas.
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 letting go of items and cleaning their house. This would normally involve hiring a professional as sifting through the accumulated items is no easy task. The cleaning process can involve several stages:
Gather equipment: containers like trash bags or shipping crates will be needed by the cleaning team to take out items. Goggles, plastic gloves, masks and, at times, protective suits safeguard individuals against dust and bacteria
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.
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.
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 the items. 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.
Bio-One and Raleigh Hoarding can help you or your loved one with their hoarding. From clutter removal, items stocked from floor to ceiling, gross filth cleanup to animal feces, 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 reclaim their surrounding. 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.
Karen & Rick Jacobs are the owners of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.
Bio-One Inc. is the world's first crime scene cleaning franchise. Nationally respected and locally owned, Bio-One has earned its reputation through being trusted to handle the Mandalay Bay mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016, and consulted on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. In 2019, Bio-One was once again included in the best and most comprehensive franchise ranking list – Entrepreneur Magazine.
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by SNG Hock Lin, Monday, November 11, 2019
The tragic case of a 68-year-old man who was found dead among piles of rubbish in his flat recently has once again cast a spotlight on a familiar but often tricky-to-solve problem: Hoarding.
An Institute of Mental Health study in 2010 found that one in 50 people will display hoarding behavior in their lifetime.
According to psychologists, hoarding becomes a behavioral disorder when a person has great difficulty in discarding objects with seemingly little value, such as stacks of yellowed newspapers and plastic bags full of old clothes.
The ever-growing pile of the mainly useless items subsequently leads to a cluttered home, giving rise to safety concerns since clutter may create fire and tripping hazards.
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The excessive clutter could also become a source of great distress and frustration for the hoarder’s family members, leading to strained relations or even rejection of the hoarder, studies have shown.
So, how does someone end up as a hoarder?
For more, go to todayonline.com.
If you or someone you love need help, please contact us for a free, no obligation consultation. We have numerous resources and gladly offer our assistance.
Karen & Rick Jacobs are the owners of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.
We proudly serve North Carolina’s Triangle and surrounding areas including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, Clayton, Carrboro, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Hillsborough, Mebane, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and Wendell; as well as the following counties; Wake County, Durham County, Cumberland County, Guilford County, Orange County, Chatham County, Harnett County, Johnston County, Nash County, Franklin County and Pill County. We also provide services to Greensboro and other areas throughout North Carolina.
Bio-One Inc. is the world's first crime scene cleaning franchise. Nationally respected and locally owned, Bio-One has earned its reputation through being trusted to handle the Mandalay Bay mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016, and consulted on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. In 2019, Bio-One was once again included in the best and most comprehensive franchise ranking list – Entrepreneur Magazine.
We’ve all seen images of hoarded homes on TV or heard stories of city officials evicting residents from their property because they’ve allowed too much junk to accumulate. It may be easy to dismiss hoarding behavior as pure laziness; people should know better than to allow their lives to be taken over by possessions, much of which is no more than junk. Yet to do so dismisses the possibility that such behavior may be beyond a person’s ability to control.
For the longest time, those who hoarded were classified as people who chose to live on the fringes of society, using their overgrown collections to keep people away. What wasn’t understood was the possible psychological cause behind such behavior. Now, it has been discovered that many of those who hoard also display the classic symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
What is OCD?
OCD is an anxiety disorder that is estimated to affect 1 in 40 adults, and 1 in 100 children have this condition. As the name implies, those who suffer from OCD have issues in dealing with both obsession and compulsions, which are defined as follows:
• Obsessions: Thoughts, images, or impulses that can cause anxiety or stress.
• Compulsions: Deliberate behaviors aimed at controlling one’s anxieties.
Many who suffer from OCD will repeat tasks over and over long after the objective is done. The repetition, which should be a comfort as a comfort to them, in many cases, has the opposite effect: it serves to convince them of the futility of their pursuit, causing them to experience depression. They then feel as though the only way to solve that depression is to keep repeating the task to excess.
Why OCD Can Cause Hoarding
In the case of hoarding, the hoarder feels as though their depression can only be solved through the accumulation of more “stuff.” That “stuff” can include:
• Clothing
• Collectibles
• Books
Or any number of items that many would term trash – newspapers,boxes, milk cartons, even recycling.
Yet, the more “stuff” a hoarder collects, the further away he or she feels from receiving comfort. Thus, the collecting goes into overdrive, reaching a point where the “stuff” fills all corners of their homes and lives, making it almost impossible to function.
In other cases, hoarders obsess over losing items, needing them in the future or have plans to use the item for another purpose, and thus choose to never discard them. In such cases, these people are often found to be living in trash piles. In these cases, hoarders may fight to keep their treasures from being thrown out.
How to Help a Hoarder
Hoarding is no laughing matter, and hoarders should not be subjected to mocking and ridicule. In many of the hoarding cleanup cases we’ve assisted with, a gentle hand extended in caring and friendship is all that’s needed to help hoarders move on with their lives and begin recovery. Bio-One even has clients that we help on a regular basis to help maintain their reclaimed homes.
Learn more about how Bio-One and Raleigh Hoarding can assist you or a family member who is struggling with hoarding by visiting our Hoarding Services webpage.
Karen & Rick Jacobs are the owners of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.
We proudly serve North Carolina’s Triangle and surrounding areas including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, Clayton, Carrboro, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Hillsborough, Mebane, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and Wendell; as well as the following counties; Wake County, Durham County, Cumberland County, Guilford County, Orange County, Chatham County, Harnett County, Johnston County, Nash County, Franklin County and Pill County. We also provide services to Greensboro and other areas throughout North Carolina.
Bio-One Inc. is the world's first crime scene cleaning franchise. Nationally respected and locally owned, Bio-One has earned its reputation through being trusted to handle the Mandalay Bay mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016, and consulted on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. In 2019, Bio-One was once again included in the best and most comprehensive franchise ranking list – Entrepreneur Magazine
When violence or an unattended casualty occurs, recovery is the first and only thing family and friends should be concentrating on. The grieving process will take a lot out of a person and will affect a person’s judgment when attempting to handle other matters.
Unfortunately, when there’s a death in a home there are other matters that need to be addressed, such as the crime scene cleanup, the insurance coverage, what payments needs to be made and, in many cases, how those payments are going to be made.
Bio-One has worked with a number of families to get them the support they need, not only financially but emotionally as well.
Recently Bio-One was called to an unattended death cleanup in the Raleigh/Durham area. Not unlike every situation that involves a death, it was an emotional time for the family.
The Bio-One team moved quickly and was able to remediate and disinfect the area, but as the grieving process began for the family there were still issues that needed to be dealt with including insurance and payments. The family contacted their home insurance but unfortunately it wasn’t going to cover the entire cost of the unattended death cleanup. However, Bio-One helped the family contact area victim advocacy groups to offset the financial impact.
There are a number of victim advocacy groups in North Carolina that offer victim services, not only financial support but emotional support, such as counseling, support groups and case workers. Families need someone helping, supporting and offering guidance during this time.
Bio-One maintains close relationships with these groups and has contacted the advocacy groups on behalf of the victim’s family.
In the above case, Bio-One was able to contact a victim’s advocacy group who helped the family by paying a portion of what was owed for the cleanup.
For those areas that don’t have an area advocacy group available, there are national advocacy groups including the National Organization for Victim Assistance and the National Center for Victims of Crime.
If you need help, contact Bio-One today. We will assist you every step of the way. To discuss resources or our services, call today, 919.800.9435.
Jason Widen is the owner of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.
We proudly serve North Carolina’s Triangle and surrounding areas including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, Clayton, Carrboro, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Hillsborough, Mebane, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and Wendell; as well as the following counties; Wake County, Durham County, Cumberland County, Guilford County, Orange County, Chatham County, Harnett County, Johnston County, Nash County, Franklin County and Pill County. We also provide services to Greensboro and other areas throughout North Carolina.
Bio-One Inc. is the world's first crime scene cleaning franchise. Nationally respected and locally owned, Bio-One has earned its reputation through being trusted to handle the Mandalay Bay mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016, and consulted on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. In 2019, Bio-One was once again included in the best and most comprehensive franchise ranking list – Entrepreneur Magazine
Blood Cleanups - we aren't talking about a child's scraped knee or a bloody noise, but situations where there is a crime scene, such as a homicide or assault, undiscovered death or suicide. Once you have taken care of the victim and impacted family, it is time to turn to securely clean your property and remove any reminders left behind.
There are very specific and highly regulated laws for blood cleanup and the disposal of impacted items.
Blood Transmits Disease
You may not know a completed medical history and, for this reason, you might not know if someone has hepatitis or HIV. These and other viruses can remain active and present on surfaces long after visible blood or bio is gone. For instance, certain strains of E coli can survive, under certain conditions, anywhere from four days to four months. MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant virus can live outside the body for weeks. Norovirus can be transmitted by simply touching a contaminated surface.
Also, remember that rubber gloves and bleach might not fully protect you during cleanup. Our Bio-One Raleigh technicians use hospital-grade chemicals.
Not wearing proper protective gear or following protocols puts you at risk, as well as anyone who enters the space.
Maid And Housekeeping Service Can't Help
These services are a great option for getting out tough stains and general cleaning, however, cleaning up blood is not safe for anyone without proper training. In addition, sometimes cleaning blood out of carpet or other materials is not possible. And a wood floor may appear clean on the surface but if you don't test to see if blood has seeped through the wood to the sub floor, the disinfecting and odor remediation is not complete. Attempts to improperly clean may just spread pathogens to other areas of the property.
Still Think You Want To Give Blood Cleanup A Try
You can throw out a bloody bandage or tissue without a problem, however, a large blood cleanup project will require specialized disposal. You have to have the specific training and knowledge, plus the right equipment and permission, to safely dispose of biohazards such as blood and bodily fluids. Biohazard companies such as Bio-One Raleigh maintain the proper licenses and our process reflect the highest standards in rules and regulations.
Many serious health hazards are invisible to the naked eye. An area may be free of stains and other signs, but this doesn't mean that all biohazards have been removed. Hire a professional trauma cleaning company to be completely confident the area is clean and disinfectd. Companies like Bio-One Raleigh utilize specialized testing techniques to ensure the highest standards.
Contact us for more information or to schedule a free consultation. Call Bio-One Raleigh today, 24/7/365, and you will speak with one of the owners directly.
Karen & Rick Jacobs are the owners of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.
We proudly serve North Carolina’s Triangle and surrounding areas including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, Clayton, Carrboro, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Hillsborough, Mebane, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and Wendell; as well as the following counties; Wake County, Durham County, Cumberland County, Guilford County, Orange County, Chatham County, Harnett County, Johnston County, Nash County, Franklin County and Pill County. We also provide services to Greensboro and other areas throughout North Carolina.
Bio-One Inc. is the world's first crime scene cleaning franchise. Nationally respected and locally owned, Bio-One has earned its reputation through being trusted to handle the Mandalay Bay mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016, and consulted on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. In 2019, Bio-One was once again included in the best and most comprehensive franchise ranking list – Entrepreneur Magazine.
Six percent of Americans suffer from compulsive hoarding. That means 19 million people are incapable of controlling the clutter that they compile in their homes, and face distress when their valuables—often trash and rotting food—are thrown out. This figure is a conservative estimate. Although the problem is referenced repeatedly throughout history, hoarding is underdiagnosed and misunderstood. Indeed, famed poet Dante Alighieri described hoarding as a sin in his Divine Comedy during the 14th century. In 1947, wealthy New Yorkers Homer and Langley Collyer gained national attention when they were found dead beneath mounds of trash in their Harlem apartment. After years of studying the problem as a type of obsessive compulsion disorder, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders finally classified hoarding as a distinct mental illness in 2013. Research on treating hoarders is still in development, but experts agree that cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective solution. But despite growing awareness, many Americans still think hoarding is a symptom of laziness. If hoarders would just take the initiative to clean up after themselves, the argument goes, they wouldn’t run into problems in the first place. These assumptions neglect the fact that hoarding is a cognitive impairment. Because hoarders resist outside efforts to assist them, finding a solution is extremely challenging. This situation should not be taken lightly. The prevalence of the disorder across the country poses a serious public health hazard. Hoarders threaten both themselves and the neighborhoods they live in because of the dangerous conditions that arise when their homes are overflowing with trash—and in some cases—live animals. Sadly, they are often unaware of the precariousness of their lifestyle. Though researchers have yet to comprehensively study the frequency of hoarding-related deaths, the potential for a tragic outcome is clear.
Fire hazards are perhaps the most immediate threats to life and the surrounding community. Combustible items like books, clothes and newspapers are often stacked in enormous piles throughout the home, making it difficult for people to move around. When space becomes limited, hoarders convert heating appliances like stoves, microwaves and fireplaces into storage vessels, increasing the likelihood of an outbreak significantly. If a fire ignites, whether from a cigarette end or an electrical malfunction, it will spread rapidly, feeding off the copious amounts of clutter scattered throughout the home. Hoarders caught in the crisis will not be able to reach an exit without navigating the mounds of trash that line their walls and floors. If unsuccessful, first responders will need to find them in the blaze—a task that may be impossible. Exits and entrances are often blocked off, slowing the efforts of firefighters trying to enter the building. When they make it inside, they will have to navigate heaps of trash amid flames and smoke to rescue the homeowner. The odds of reaching them in time are low.
Because these homes are nearly impossible to maneuver, hoarders create narrow trails, known as “goat paths,” to help them cross into other rooms . In addition to slowing down movement during a fire, these paths are susceptible to deadly tripping hazards—especially for the elderly, who disproportionately suffer from compulsive hoarding. Objects stacked on mounds of garbage are unstable. If something drops to the floor and obstructs the walking path, an unsuspecting homeowner may fall and hurt themselves. Older individuals are more likely to become trapped in these passageways. But because hoarding is associated with loneliness and depression, they’re likely to be by themselves and unable to call for help. Heavy objects can also fall from these heaps of garbage and strike someone on the head, causing serious injuries.
Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding helps prevent hoarding tragedies before they happen. Please contact us if you know a loved one suffering from hoarding and we can connect you with the resources to assist them. We are on standby day and night, every day of the year
Karen & Rick Jacobs are the owners of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.
We proudly serve North Carolina’s Triangle and surrounding areas including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, Clayton, Carrboro, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Hillsborough, Mebane, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and Wendell; as well as the following counties; Wake County, Durham County, Cumberland County, Guilford County, Orange County, Chatham County, Harnett County, Johnston County, Nash County, Franklin County and Pill County. We also provide services to Greensboro and other areas throughout North Carolina.
Bio-One Inc. is the world's first crime scene cleaning franchise. Nationally respected and locally owned, Bio-One has earned its reputation through being trusted to handle the Mandalay Bay mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016, and consulted on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. In 2019, Bio-One was once again included in the best and most comprehensive franchise ranking list – Entrepreneur Magazine
