When an older Roxborough resident passes at home
Plenty of Roxborough residents have lived on the same block for decades. They raised children in the twins along Ridge Avenue and the side streets that climb toward Henry Avenue, and many still live alone in those homes. When one of them dies and isn't found for several days, the family usually hears it first from a neighbor or from police after a welfare check. Philadelphia Police and the Medical Examiner's Office take care of the person who died and then release the home. From that point the room belongs to the family again, and that is where we come in.
We begin with a calm walkthrough, often alongside a son or daughter who has driven in from out of town. We explain what has to go, which is usually the mattress, a recliner, carpet and pad, and sometimes a section of subfloor. Plaster walls, sealed hardwood and tile can often be cleaned and kept. Fluids are treated as a bloodborne pathogen hazard under OSHA's standard, packed in sealed red bags and rigid boxes, and sent to a permitted facility under Pennsylvania DEP rules.
Cleanup calls we answer most in Roxborough
How stone walls and hillside lots change the work
Much of Roxborough's older housing was built from local Wissahickon schist, the gray, glittering stone you see on old twins, churches and garden walls. Stone and thick plaster hold odor longer than drywall does, and the gaps behind old baseboards can trap fluid that ran along a floor. We pull trim where needed, inspect joists from the basement, and seal cleaned wood with an odor-blocking primer before anyone repaints.
The hills matter too. Many homes sit well above the street with long runs of front steps, and others have steep driveways or tight rear lanes. We plan the carry route before work starts, lay poly sheeting along stairs and hallways, and move sealed waste in covered carts so nothing is paraded past the neighbors. HEPA air scrubbers run the whole time, which also keeps odor from drifting into an attached twin. Getting here from our Society Hill office is a straightforward drive up Kelly Drive or the Schuylkill Expressway to Ridge Avenue.
Emptying a family home without losing what matters
Once the affected room is clean, families often ask for help with the rest of the house. Decades in one place means full closets, a packed basement and an attic nobody has opened in years. We sort with you in person or on a video call. Photos, letters, jewelry, military papers, deeds and anything with a name on it go into labeled boxes. Usable furniture and household goods can go to donation, and the rest is hauled away.
Homes close to Wissahickon Valley Park also see wildlife. Mice, and sometimes squirrels, find their way into attics and basements, especially when a house sits quiet for a while. Droppings in insulation or storage boxes should be wetted and removed by hand, never swept, because dust from rodent waste can carry hantavirus. We handle that during the cleanout so the house is ready for a realtor, an estate sale or a new owner. If you are the executor and live far away, we keep you updated by phone as each room is finished.
