The 5 Levels of Hoarding

And How Bio-One Helps Hoarders Clean Their Homes

Hoarding Is Extremely Common - And Helping Hoarders Is Our Passion

Hoarding disorder is an ongoing difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because you believe that you need to save them. You may experience distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. You gradually keep or gather a huge number of items, regardless of their actual value.  Hoarding often creates extremely cramped living conditions with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter. Countertops, sinks, stoves, desks, stairways and all other surfaces are usually piled with stuff. You may not be able to use some areas for their intended purpose. When there's no more room inside your home, the clutter may spread to the garage, vehicles, yard and other storage areas.  Hoarding ranges from mild to severe. In some cases, hoarding may not have much impact on your life, while in other cases it seriously affects your daily functioning. People with hoarding disorder may not see it as a problem, so getting them to take part in treatment can be challenging.   THE 5 LEVELS OF HOARDING  LEVEL 1 - Minor Clutter  LEVEL 2 - Clutter blocking one exit, pet feces in one area, some minor electrical/plumbing problems, overflowing trash cans, dirty dishes piling up, minor mold growth.  LEVEL 3 - Extreme disorganization throughout home, insect infestation, piles of objects in key living areas, multiple broken appliances, spills not cleaned for days/weeks, one room not being used anymore for its intended purpose LEVEL 4 - Structural damage to home, plumbing not operating properly, excessive amount of pets and pet waste, clutter preventing most exits and stairs, rotting food, odors, sewage backups. LEVEL 5 - Severe unsanitary conditions, entire living space unusable, no ventilation, irreparable damage to home’s structure, no utilities working, pervasive mold, animals in home are danger to humans, larger pest infestation (rodents, snakes, insects), dead animals in home.  Bio-One can help at any stage, and can help in any capacity. From helping families meticulously go through item by item to locate valuables, to helping getting ready for an estate sale, and emptying an entire house, performing demolition and deep cleaning sanitization - Bio-One is here to help. Bio-One also specializes in biohazard cleanup, mold remediation, sewage backup cleanup, rodent droppings cleanup, odor removal and more.  Bio-One Huntsville:         256-677-6111 Bio-One Birmingham:     205-937-1708 Bio-One Montgomery:    334-523-9191

Not all Biohazard Cleanup companies in Alabama are the same - and Bio-One of Alabama is clearly the right choice.

Bio-One of Alabama is a unique, family-owned company that specializes in the cleanup of biohazards, such as:

• Suicide Cleanup
• Homicide Cleanup
• Unattended Death & Decomposition Cleanup
• Hoarding Cleanup
• Sewage Backup Cleanup
• Feces & Urine Cleanup
• Rodent & Animal Droppings Cleanup
• Mold Remediation
• Odor Removal

Unlike water restoration companies whose main focus is water and fire restoration, Bio-One's specialty is Biohazard (in fact, Bio-One does not even offer water or fire restoration). Bio-One helps families in the aftermath of tragedies.

Also, unlike other Biohazard cleanup companies who advertise in Alabama - Bio-One is the only true, local and family-owned company located in Alabama.

Who you hire for this type of cleanup matters because not all Biohazard cleanup companies are built the same. At Bio-One, you will expect:

• Affordable pricing - not a giant bill. Believe it or not, many companies will charge upwards of $10,000 for a two-hour job. Not Bio-One.
• Our services are covered by homeowners insurance - and Bio-One will take care of the claim for you.
• No ridiculous fees
• No ridiculous wait times - when you need our service, we come to you on the same day
• Compassion - we care about our customers and their families - and we can be a shoulder to cry on should you need that

Local, Family-Owned, Prompt and Professional - Bio-One has your back when you need us the most.

Bio-One is the expert in bio-clean. Bio-One has three local offices in Alabama - one in Birmingham, one in Huntsville and one in Montgomery. Bio-One serves all of these metro areas, plus Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Auburn, Columbus, GA, Cullman, Scottsboro, Fort Payne, The Shoals and all of Alabama.

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The roots of crime- and trauma-scene cleaning companies can be traced to the 1990s, and at that time only a dozen or so companies existed. The industry was widely unregulated and awareness of contamination risks were relatively non-existant.

"I was young and dumb and saw something you only see in movies, so I quickly shut the door, took a deep breath, sat on the couch with the widow and told everyone else to get her out of here and take her to lunch, and we’ll clean this up for her," said Nick-Anthony Zamucen, Founder of Bio-One Inc. "We were just trying to help a lady in her greatest time of need, and that’s for me how I got into the crime scene and cleaning business."  Read Nick's story in Franchise Times. 

Today, there are hundreds of companies that advertise crime and trauma scene cleaning, and a simple Google search may prove overwhelming when you're experiencing one of the most traumatic moments in your life. To help, we've listed pre-qualifying questions to ask before choosing a crime and trauma scene company. 

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Crime and Trauma Scene Cleaner

There are a number of key questions to ask crime and trauma scene cleaning technicians or business owners to properly root out which one is best for your goals and circumstances. 

• Are you local? When there's a blood spill, response time is key to prevent biohazards from spreading and to ensure quick remediation. Several businesses may pay for online advertising in your city, but their technicians could be 3 or more hours away. Furthermore, avoid calling toll free numbers. "These numbers often lead to call centers. We're local. They're not," said Ginger Akemon, owner of Bio-One in Jacksonville, FL. 
• Is your business certified and insured? Professional crime and trauma scene cleaning companies should have bloodborne pathogen certifications, they should follow OSHA personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines and remediation processes, and they should have insurance for their business. 
• What is your process for disposing biohazardous waste? Once the remediation is complete, the accumulated waste will need to be disposed in accordance to local state guidelines. Make sure the business owner or technician is aware of these guidelines and has an appropriate plan for disposal.  
• What happens to valuable or personal items that are impacted? At Bio-One, we are trained to be mindful of valuable and perceived valuable items, such as pictures, wallets, or a baseball card collection. Professional crime and trauma scene cleaners should ask if there are valuable items to keep an eye out for, and they will keep the family informed if these items are found. 
• How will you charge for your services? In most cases, home insurance will cover the cost of biohazard remediation - less your deductible. Ask if they can open a claim on your behalf, taking this burden off your shoulders. If you don't have homeowners insurance, it's OK to ask for a free estimate so you can compare costs between other local companies. 
• Will you be discrete during and after the job? Michele Amoranto, Bio-One owner in Oceanside, CA, always assures her clients that discretion is top of mind while her team is onsite. Bio-One vehicles are unmarked and technicians will designate work areas to don and doff PPE out of view from neighbors. 
• Do you have a list of resources that can help after the cleanup? You may need flooring replaced or fresh drywall installed, which will also be covered under your home insurance claim, and a recommendation could help speed up the reconstruction process. Additionally, many crime and trauma scene cleaners have connections with local counselors and victim's advocates. In west Texas, Bio-One owner, Garrett Spooner, always offers a list of free mental health resources and states that, "Being volunteers of our local Crisis Intervention Unit, we consider our job incomplete without making sure our clients' mental health, grief process, and other issues our clients may have, are addressed."

Last but certainly most important, make sure the business you speak with shows care and compassion for your situation. They should want to do everything possible to support you and your loved ones.

If you are searching for a crime and trauma scene cleaner, Bio-One is here for you. All of our offices adhere to our business motto Help First, Business Second and are available 24/7. Click here to search for a Bio-One team near you.