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A property management company with operations in California and Washington contacted Eco Bear regarding an apartment in which a tenant had been evicted. The court issued an eviction order in the case and even then, the tenant did not depart voluntarily. Law enforcement came to the scene to remove the tenant from the premises. Upon…
While there are benefits to living in an apartment community, there are also negative aspects. One of the primary downsides of apartment living is that what happens in another unit has the potential for having a more significant impact on your residency than when living in something like a single-family home. The perils faced by…
No precise count exists on the number of community gardens in operation in the swath of territory around the greater Bay Area communities. Indeed, there is no reliable estimate of the number of active communities throughout California. It is estimated that there are over 29,000 community gardens in the 100 largest cities in the United…
One of the most tragic and emotionally challenging occurrences during a lifetime is the death of a family member by suicide. Sadly, a considerable percentage of people in the United States and other countries worldwide are impacted by this virtually incomprehensible loss. If you have recently lost a family member as the result of death…
If you are mourning the death of a loved one, odds are that others are also mourning. These may include other family members if you’ve lost a relative and other friends or colleagues of the deceased if there is no blood relationship. In the vast majority of instances when a family member, friend, or colleague…
Cliff lives in a small apartment. He exhibits elements of hoarding behavior, although his situation has not reached the point that he cannot move through his apartment. His apartment is cluttered and dirty. Hoarding behavior is a pattern of behavior characterized by the excessive acquisition of and inability to discard possessions, regardless of their actual…
In this day and age, an ever-increasing number of people live alone during their Golden Years. As a result, seniors engage in a broader array of different types of “preplanning” beyond what was primarily associated with estate planning for many years. In this article, we share the story of Herb, a man in his 80s…
Eco Bear received a telephone call from a gentleman named Timothy, who made the call on behalf of his father-in-law, James. Timothy and his wife lived out of state, although James is a resident of California. James owns a smaller apartment building in California, in San Diego. One of James’ tenants was a veteran named…
A tenant in a California apartment complex telephoned Eco Bear about the unattended death of another resident. The unattended death occurred in an apartment a few floors above where the tenant who contacted Eco Bear resides. The remains of the tenant that experienced an unattended death had been left in the unit undiscovered for an…
California Adult Services contacted Eco Bear regarding a gentleman named Thomas, who resides at March Air Reserve Base. The Adult Services client currently cannot appropriately maintain his apartment in a duly clean and organized manner. Adult Services did not communicate why this is the case, nor did the agency provide any information as to whether…
William resides in a single-wide trailer in Lake Elsinore, California. Recently, he has exhibited what some people have described as hoarding behavior. Hoarding behavior involves the excessive acquisition of and inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects that cover the living areas of the home and cause significant distress or impairment. Hoarding disorder…
Los Angeles is the location of a number of homeless programs designed to assist unhoused vets in transitioning into suitable, safe housing. An example of these services is apartment units housing, providing living spaces for previously unhoused vets. In many ways, this particular center operates like any other apartment complex. With that said, a vet…
Hoarder property cleanup is a challenging endeavor. One of the most demanding aspects of hoarder property cleanup is preparing a hoarder for the process. Convincing a person with hoarding disorder can prove to be a herculean task in some instances. As a consequence, there are some strategies to employ in preparation of a cleaning hoarder…
A common problem for a person with hoarding behavior or an individual diagnosed with hoarding disorder is a virtually or completely unusable kitchen. There are some tactics that you can utilize as a means of getting a kitchen back into a usable condition and keeping it that way. Indeed, there are 10 goals that should…
Wildfires are proving to be a major and significant issue in our nation, especially in hot spots like California, North Carolina and Texas. It is estimated that there have been over 45,000 wildfires in 2020 alone and that the ramifications for home and property owners alike have been life-changing. Because of this, restorers and other…
While most home and business owners aren’t thinking about the condition of their piping system on a daily basis, the truth is that they probably should be. Of the many piping issues that can, and often do, plague modern American homes, sewer backups aren’t anything to take lightly. In fact, sewage water can be so…
Raw sewage and COVID-19. Could it get any worse? Maybe, but as you might agree, this is one unsanitary combination we all want to avoid at any cost. In this contemporary age of chaos and upheaval, knowledge is crucial. The more we know about the situations facing us in today’s culture, the more we can…
A raw sewage backup can be a true nightmare for any home, business or establishment. Not only does it smell and look awful, but allowing raw sewage to linger has the potential to destroy human health. For this reason, it is imperative that property owners enlist the help of professional cleaning companies and plumbing services…
Sanitary sewer overflows, or SSOs, play a significant role in the health of a community. Sanitary systems are responsible for containing and transporting raw sewage to treatment facilities. For one reason or another, these systems can sometimes overflow, which can wreak havoc on homes, businesses and communities. There have been many attempts to address this…
Sanitary sewer overflows, otherwise known as SSOs, are a major cause for concern in many residences, buildings and communities. Sanitary sewer overflows can be defined as raw sewage that seeps from municipal, industrial or residential sanitary systems. Sanitary systems are responsible for transporting sewage collected by domestic, commercial and industrial buildings to facilities for treatment.…
If you are a resident who has experienced a sewage backup in your home, you know what a hassle and health hazard this can be. If you have yet to experience such an event in your home, it can help to have information before an event like this occurs so that you can work to…
When remediating books, documents or highly treasured items, great care and caution must be taken. Some items affected by smoke or fire are very valuable, such as jewelry or money, or may hold sensitive information, such as monetary checks or other personal documents. As such, restorers will need to adhere to special protocol for each…
If you have a situation involving underground sewage seepage, you need to take prompt action to correct the plumbing related issue. You also need to obtain immediate assistance from a reputable biohazard cleanup company. One of the most dangerous things that can happen at your home or business is underground sewage seepage. Underground sewage seepage…
The methods that a restorer chooses to use for cleaning smoke and fire-affected content will play a critical role in determining a positive or negative restorative outcome. That’s because, toys, clothing and art are all highly susceptible to being ruined by smoke, and for varying reasons. From safety to aesthetics, clothing, art and toys are…
Content cleaning in the remediation world refers to cleaning any items within the home that one might bring in when they move and take when they leave. As with anything else, each type of content will have a specific way in which it is restored depending on the severity of the fire or smoke damage…
When addressing HVAC systems and content liability, it is extremely important that remediation teams adhere to proper protocol. In this article, we will explore the importance of cleaning damaged HVAC and ventilation systems, as well as what steps remediators must take to protect themselves, as well as damaged client property. HVAC and Ventilation Systems When…
Content cleaning relates to the restoration of any hard or soft objects or contents within a home or structure. As one might imagine, the methods that are used to clean and restore objects will vary greatly, depending on the severity of the damage, as well as the material affected. Because of this, restorers must use…
In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, we explored the basics of cleaning a wide range of surfaces. In continuation of this theme, we will examine the proper methods and protocol for cleaning floor coverings, as well as hard surfaces found in most kitchens and bathrooms. To review, there are two cleaning types:…
As previously mentioned in Part 1 of this series, cleaning can be broken into two categories: wet cleaning and dry soil cleaning. It is important that restorers pay close attention to the type of material they are attempting to remediate, as a successful clean will depend heavily on the sort of cleaning techniques used. Failure…
When restorers go about remediating a fire-impacted home or business, cleaning will likely be their tactic of choice. While some projects will certainly require more than simple cleaning techniques, in reality, much of the restoration project will involve surface cleaning of some sort. Because of this truth, fire remediators must remain educated on the right…
Though restoration often invokes images of ripping up flooring, a lot of paintwork and many pieces of equipment everywhere, the truth is that not every project will require restoration to that extent. While you will almost always have pieces of equipment floating around your home or business during a fire restoration project, the majority of…
After suffering the burden of having endured a traumatic and life-changing event, it is easy to feel as though no one understands the pain you’ve gone through. Indeed, no one truly can understand your pain, unless they’ve gone through it, themselves. Nevertheless, an honest and integrity driven fire and smoke restoration crew will work diligently…
There is more to fire and smoke restoration than simply cleaning and replacing items affected. There is also the task of deodorizing and re-odorizing a structure, to ensure that any putrefying odors caused by the fire incident are eliminated. Two Types of Odors There are two types of odors that we experience as humans. The…
Cleaning supplies play a major role in the success of a restoration project. Depending on the materials affected and the type of surface being treated, proper cleaning treatments and equipment will be carefully selected to match the need. Failure to select the right type of cleaning chemicals or machinery to address soot and smoke ridden…
Smoke is a problematic component to fire that is often overlooked. While most people tend to focus only on the fire itself, the truth is that smoke has the capability to utterly destroy a structure and its components if not professionally restored in the proper amount of time. What Is Smoke? Smoke is made up…
Sometimes, the best way to prepare for the shock of an unexpected traumatic event is to prepare for it before the threat exists. In the case of a fire, it is imperative that you know what to do immediately after the event transpires, and to have a plan of action for getting your home or…
In the world of fire restoration, there are many types of equipment that will need to be utilized for remediators to achieve their overarching goal of restoring the fire affected structure back to its original state. This equipment, though highly effective, requires the skill and expertise of a well-trained technician and comes with a few…
Nothing can prepare you for the devastation that surrounds being personally affected by a fire. It is for this reason that fire restoration technicians take their jobs seriously, and seek to aid in rehabilitating any structural damage that they can. To do this, a fire restoration technician must follow strict laws and guidelines and must…
These days, it seems as though D.I.Y., or do-it-yourself, projects are all the rage. From online how-tos to television shows, it’s as though everyone wants to know how to take on their own repair and restoration work in an attempt to skip having to pay the hefty price of hiring a professional. While it may…
Fearing violence, or the threat thereof, can be a jarring and gut-wrenching journey. Though the workplace should foster an environment that is professional, safe and confidential, you may find yourself feeling afraid, unheard and shut out. While we’ve all been there at one time or another, acts of violence, bullying and threats have no place…
Mass shootings in the United States were ubiquitous occurrences in 2019. There were more mass shootings across the country in 2019 than there were days in the year. A total of 417 mass shootings occurred in the United States during the course of 2019. A considerable percentage of these shootings took place in the workplace,…
Workplace violence is a significant issue across the United States. The U.S. Justice Department reports that an astonishing 2 million people are victims of workplace violence every year. Moreover, approximately 1,000 people are killed as a result of workplace violence annually. Due to these alarming statistics, and the very real people who exist behind these…
Thousands of families across the United States face the horrific aftermath of a violent crime that occurred in their homes. Southern California families are not immune from this dreadful peril. Cleaning up a violent crime scene presents potential health risks to a person undertaking such a task. In addition, crime scene cleaners will also tell…
We live in something of a rough and tumble society. A stark example of our collective reality is that none of us are immune from crime. This includes those of us that own small businesses in Southern California. If you’re a business owner that has become the victim of a crime at your establishment, you…
The National Organization for Victim Assistance hosted a vital presentation on Suicide and the Impact of COVID-19. The panel focused on a number of important topics, including: Understanding and using the Columbia Protocol Means elimination and lowering the risk of suicide The National Organization for Victim Assistance included a discussion led by faculty members from…
The aftermath of the death of a loved one is never an easy process to navigate. The situation becomes far more complex as well as emotionally challenging when a family member or friend dies in what is known as an unattended death. In fact, an unattended death not only presents challenges to family and friends…
If you encounter the need for biohazard cleanup at your residence following a traumatic event in your home, the advisable course is to seek professional remediation assistance. The truth of the matter is that biohazard cleanup after a traumatic event is a challenging and even dangerous task. There are no halfway measures when it comes…
We all often hear and read the term “first responder.” Odds are if you are like most people you have a general idea of who constitutes at least some first responders in California and across the United States. As the moniker indicates, a first responder is an individual with specialized training that is among the…
With alarming regularity, landlords in Southern California and throughout the state, indeed across the United States, face situations involving hoarders living in their rental property. You may find yourself in this position, encountering a tenant who hoards. The stark reality is that hoarding can impact your investment or rental property in a number of ways…
One of the most overwhelming incidents that occur during the course of an otherwise generally pleasant life is the occurrence of a crime in a person’s home. The challenges associated with being the victim of a crime in your home extends to what can be a daunting crime scene cleanup that follows the commission of…
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