When a death occurs in a property that your rent out, it can be very difficult for many reasons.  Aside from the obvious trauma caused by sudden death, there are quite a few people involved.  Possible co-renters, the families of the renters and the deceased, possibly a property manager and you, the property owner.

Where we specialize is the cleanup of the property.  Our goal is always to complete the decontamination and cleanup as soon as possible to eliminate any further health risk due to the biohazard present and to reduce any further psychological trauma from the scene.  Our recommendation is always to have the cleanup completed first and have the rest figured out after.  The problem that arises here is who pays for cleanup and any structural replacements necessary such as carpet, paint or drywall.

Most of the cleanups we perform after deaths are covered by the property owner’s insurance.  That same property insurance also covers any replacements needed.  The question property owners have then is: who pays for my deductible?  Some property owners, given the situation, are willing to pay for the deductible.  Others are not so willing, which is understandable.  A common solution in the past has been for Bio1 to complete the cleanup.  We then initiate a property claim with the property owner’s insurance.  We take care of as much as possible so all parties involved have less on their plate.  If any further paint or replacement carpet is needed, the insurance company will then contact the property owner to set that up.  After this the property has been fully restored and property insurance has paid Bio1 for the decontamination and the carpet vendor or paint vendor for replacement carpet or paint.  The only remaining factor is the deductible.  Many times the most reasonable method of paying the deductible, if the property owner is not willing to pay it, is to deduct it from the renter’s security deposit.  Typically security deposits are large enough to cover a property insurance deductible.

This is the ideal scenario for not only having the cleanup and restoration completed the most efficiently and compassionately, but also keeping out of pocket costs as low as possible for all parties involved.

For any death or trauma related situation regarding renters or property insurance, we are available 24 hours a day to help anyone try and determine the best course of action.

In San Diego County we encounter a large number of homes that have or have had rodent infestations.  The first step to mitigate this problem is to have the rodents removed.  That is not something Bio1 does.  We suggest hiring a pest control expert for this part.

Once the rodents have been removed, often times there is a significant amount of fecal matter and urine left behind.  Rodent feces can be very harmful to one’s health and thus we recommend having it cleaned up by a professional.  Most times non-porous materials can be sanitized and saved.  For porous material, if it is something like clothing that can be submerged and agitated such as in a washing machine often times it can be saved.  Porous material such as furniture often times needs to be removed as it is difficult to call it sanitized and safe.  That is on a case by case basis.

For most areas, whether it be in the attic, the garage or any living area typically fecal matter and contaminated porous materials are removed and disposed of first.  After those materials have been removed, we use a sterilant to sanitize the affected non-porous areas.  It sounds like a straight forward process, but each case is different and has many different variables.  This is why we offer free estimates if need be.  We like for prior to cleanup, everybody is on the same page.

Given that every rodent cleanup is a little unique, we are always available to talk and at the very least answer any questions you might have.

This is a question that folks as me when they have a friend or brother or mother etc that is a hoarder and needs their house or apartment cleaned up to make it safe and livable.  I typically recommend that they either hire Bio1 or at least another company that specializes in this work and knows the risks.  However, sometimes that just is not possible due to lack of funds.

Regarding getting together the money to pay for a cleanup of a hoarder’s home, we never take payment at time of service and typically try to close out the invoice within 30 – 60 days.  This gives families more time to put together the money for the cleanup without having to wait another two months to get the cleanup done.  Also, waiting to get a cleanup done due to lack of funds can lead to the hoarder having second thoughts and not letting the cleanup happen at all.  I always recommend we get in there as soon as possible to get the place cleaned up safely and correctly and figure out billing later.

In regard to people doing the cleanup themselves there are a few factors to consider.  The first are the risks that can be present on these cleanups.  This may be in the form of mold, fecal matter, urine, blood, other bacteria and disease or the simple fact that piled items can be dangerous if moved and they fall on somebody.  Bio1 knows these risks and knows how to work with them to get the cleanup finished safely and efficiently.  One of the main factors to consider is the time and effort a family would have to put in to get the cleanup done.  One specific job lately required 2 of our large trucks, 3 workers for a second story apartment.  Given that we do so many hoarding cleanups we know how to get this done the most efficiently.  We were able to do it in 1 day.  If the family would have tried to do this themselves it would have taken them 4-5 days with their pickup truck, only two of them and improper supplies and experience to get the cleanup finished correctly.

We perform numerous hoarding cleanups each week and due to that we have been able to become very efficient and even lower costs which we pass on to our clients.

If you are considering hiring somebody to clean up a hoarder’s home or potentially doing the cleanup yourself, feel free to call us to discuss it.  We never pressure anybody into hiring Bio1 and simply want to find the best solution for each person’s needs.

While it might not happen often, certain situations can arise where blood or body fluid is spilled inside a home. This may be caused from a death, some sort of traumatic injury or from disease that causes blood or body fluid to be discharged. When this happens, it is important to either clean the contaminated area or have it removed.

The question is, when to remove the materials from the affected area or to clean them. While opinions may differ based on experience we typically recommend removing any very porous material that is contaminated. This includes carpet and pad, curtains, mattress, bedding, clothes, etc. The main thing to know with carpet is that typically the amount you see on the surface is at least 5 times more spread out underneath the carpet and will seep back through if you try to clean it. These materials when removed need to be transported legally and safely and autoclaved for proper disposal. This is what Bio1 specializes in.

When the affected area is fairly non-porous such as drywall, tile floors, cement floor, cabinets, counter tops, etc these areas can typically be decontaminated and saved. We use specific chemicals to break down the blood and body fluid, pull it out of the materials and sanitize the area. We do all of this without damaging the area affected.

These methods for creating a once again sanitary environment can sometimes be handled by nonprofessionals, but we always recommend that you call a professional, such as Bio1 to either remove the contaminated materials or to clean them. There are many disease risks associated with blood and body fluid and must be handled appropriately. For any questions regarding the best steps to eliminate a blood or body fluid spill in the home, call Bio1 any time of day for information. Bio1 cleans blood spills and body fluid spills in San Diego, Encinitas, Escondido, National City, Chula Vista, Oceanside, La Jolla, Del Mar, El Cajon, Carlsbad and the rest of San Diego County.

By the very nature of the way mattresses are made, they are extremely difficult to sanitize and clean.  When fluids get into mattresses, they quickly get down beneath the surface into the springs, foam and potentially through to the box spring or floor underneath.

There are differences when people pass away on what to do with the mattress.  If somebody passes away on a mattress from natural causes and is discovered within a day or two, typically the mattress does not contain blood or a biohazard.  If this is the case and the family wishes to remove the mattress, it can simply be disposed of as regular waste.

When somebody passes away on a mattress from a trauma wound or passes away and is undiscovered for more than a few days, typically there is blood and body fluid on the mattress.  This fluid is typically not just on the surface, but also underneath in the springs and potentially through the mattress to materials or surfaces underneath.  The most appropriate manner for disposal of a mattress in this condition is to essentially cut and remove all soiled materials from top to bottom until an area is reached with zero blood or body fluid.  This removed section is then disposed of as biohazardous medical waste.  The remainder of the materials can be disposed of as regular waste.  This process should be conducted by a professional scene cleaner for a couple of reasons.  First, typically certain permits and licenses are needed.  Second, removing contaminated material can be very dangerous and the proper tools and training are required to complete the process safely.

Once the mattress and any contaminated materials have been removed, if the deceased was undiscovered for some time, an odor removal process typically has to be completed in the room as well.

These are all services that Bio1 handles on a daily basis and continues to provide ongoing training for its technicians to ensure each of these situations is completed effectively.  Bio1 responds to any sort of biohazard cleanup or removal call at any time of day, any day of the week.  www.Bio1SD.com provides more details, but the best way to have specific questions answered is to call.

It is a little known fact that when a tragic event such as a death in the home occurs, the repairs and replacements of structural materials are covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy in most cases.

Most times when Bio1 San Diego gets a call for a death in a home, whether it be a suicide, homicide, undiscovered death or something else, the homeowner does not know that their insurance covers the cost of cleanup and repairs if needed.  Unlike a drivers license, people do not typically keep their homeowners insurance policy information in their wallet.  Most times homeowners have their policy information somewhere in their home.  Given that there is a biohazard present, not to mention the site of aftermath of a death, we do not advise people go back in the home to get the policy information.  Typically, Bio1 will be called out to a scene, complete the decontamination and cleanup and simply ask that the homeowner get the policy information to us afterward.  This allows for safe entrance to the home for the homeowner and they do not have to go walking through a trauma scene to get the info.

Once Bio1 has the insurance policy information, a claim is initiated.  Typically the adjuster assigned to the claim will call the Bio1 representative that initiated the claim to get the details.  After that, the adjuster will typically reach out to the homeowner to verify and arrange any additional repairs or replacements might be needed.

The insurance company will then issue a check to Bio1 for decontamination services provided and any money due to the homeowner for anything that might need replaced.  The only out of pocket cost to the victim or family is the deductible for their insurance policy.  Bio1 never looks for payment of any kind at the time of service.

This type of insurance process covers all homeowners throughout San Diego County and covers cleanup for all of the following:

Homicide/murder

Suicide

Undiscovered Death

Blood Spill

And any other biohazardous scene

To determine the best course of action should anybody have the need, it is suggested that you call Bio1 San Diego now.  Available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. 858-939-9985.

Pet urine and feces can be a big job to clean out of a house and make the building safe and odor free.  Cat urine, more specifically is quite difficult as it is more complex than urine from humans, dogs, etc.

For cleanup of cat urine and odor removal, it is important to use the right cleaning solutions and equipment.  The primary cleaning solution that Bio1 uses for cat urine cleanup is a proprietary enzyme cleaner.  This product’s purpose is to break down the proteins in the cat urine to fully allow for cleanup.  Other products simply mask the smell for a time until it returns.

An enzyme cleaner applied appropriately and agitated correctly is the only real way to clean up cat urine effectively.  One should not try and use any bleach product as it actually combines with the cat urine to create a toxic gas.

In addition to using the appropriate enzyme cleaner, proper PPE is also recommended.  For urine cleanup and odor removal, Bio1 uses full suits and respirators due to the negative effects the urine and bacteria can have on the body.

Most times with urine, porous materials like furniture, carpet, curtains etc need to be removed as they are unsalvageable.  If they can however be submerged and cleaned, like curtains, there is a chance of saving the material.  Once carpet and padding are removed, we treat and seal the floor underneath to ensure the odor does not return.  Many times walls can be cleaned and saved, but if there has been prolonged exposure, drywall and baseboards may need to be replaced.

Once all cleanup is complete and any materials that need to be removed are gone, the air can still hold the odor from cat urine or urine from a human or another animal.  We then use our ozone system which purifies the air over a 24 hour period, fully eliminating the odor for good.

For cleanup of cat urine or odor removal, it is best to call Bio1 to determine exactly what needs to be done to completely recover the residence.

When somebody dies in the home it is always a very emotional time for everyone involved.  We work closely with police, fire and crisis response groups to ensure the home and the family can get the help they need immediately in an effort to provide some form of normalcy as soon as possible.

Where we come in is when decontamination, cleaning or odor removal is needed in San Diego County after a death.  Not all deaths in the home require professional cleanup, although some companies might tell you otherwise.  When figuring out how to clean up after a death, it is important to know if you in fact need professional help.  If somebody has simply passed of natural causes and was discovered quickly, you most likely do not need professional cleaning for that death.  However, anything involving blood, body fluid or fecal matter after a death, we recommend having a professional biohazard cleanup company in San Diego do the cleanup.  Aside from the emotional trauma of the cleanup of a loved one, you will also be able to then avoid the potential infectious disease risk associated with blood, body fluid and feces.

Again, not all deaths require professional cleanup, but we do recommend at the very least giving us a call to determine if professional help is needed and if not what the right steps might be to clean up the room of non-hazardous waste.  We are always available if nothing more than just to answer a question or to point somebody in the right direction if cleanup is not needed.

For anything involving the following, professional cleanup is most likely needed:

• Suicide
• Homicide
• Unattended Death (Not discovered for a week or more)
• Death due to an infectious disease
• Death involving feces, urine or body fluid

For any deaths related to these, please give us a call or a local provider to have it cleaned professionally.  We are always available for help with cleanup of death, blood, biohazard etc.  Bio-One San Diego can be reached all day, every day at 858-939-9985.

If just a few minor items to be disposed of, many people will decide to remove and dispose of these items themselves.  Many times there are more items to be removed than one person can handle on their own.  In addition, they have no way to transport them and are not sure where to take them.

Bio-One provides junk removal services of all shapes and sizes.  From Level 5 hoarding cleanup to removal and disposal of appliances and house trash, Bio-One does it all.

The important thing to know when removing junk and cleaning up a house is what items are regular trash and what items need to be separated.  Items such as appliances, electronics, paints, fuels, aerosols, fluorescent lights, biohazardous materials, etc have to be separated and disposed of properly as they are not regular landfill trash.  Bio-One provides these separation services for every junk removal and house cleanup.

As far as cost goes, each job is different.  Depending on the time it takes to remove the items, the type of items and the amount of disposal cost can range from $400-500 up to a few thousand dollars.  The best way to get a definitive estimate for junk removal or hoarding cleanup is to call Bio-One and get a free estimate to know exactly what needs done, how long it will take and how much it will cost.

Bio-One provides service for and a free estimate for junk removal, removing trash from house, hoarding cleanup, and any other cleanup to get a house back to a fully functional and safe level to live.

People often ask what this means.  Is this nuclear waste?  Is this paint and chemical disposal? Is this for gas leaks?

Bio-One specializes in biohazard cleanup, which includes the following:

• Blood Cleanup
• Bodily Fluid Cleanup
• Suicide Cleanup
• Homicide Cleanup
• Unattended Death Cleanup
• Mold Removal
• Hoarding Cleanup
• Junk Removal
• MRSA Cleanup
• Fecal Matter Cleanup

Most material and fluid that come out of a living thing are diseased and if handled improperly that disease can be spread to those handling it.  Bio-One ensures that in San Diego County, any scene involving any needed service above is completed in a proper, legal and safe manner.

To perform the above listed cleanup services at the very least the person performing the service requires nitrile/latex gloves, a tyvek or comparable suit, eye protection, removable shoe covers.  Aside from PPE, the proper chemical and tools must be used to properly sanitize the area.  Anything hazardous must be transported and disposed of properly to ensure safety to the public.

Bio-One has taken great measures to make every cleanup and removal as safe to the company’s employees and to the general public as possible.

Should any of the above cleanups be needed, Bio-One representatives can be reached any time of day, any day of the week.