Biddeford is a city of triple-deckers, apartment blocks and converted mills, and most of our work here involves more than one household under the same roof. Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration DKI serves Biddeford and Biddeford Pool from our Westbrook office. Call 207-536-7220 or toll-free 1-800-479-6676 at any hour; we are available 24/7/365.
Tenants, landlords, owners and businesses in Biddeford can book any service we offer.
Water damage in Biddeford apartments and houses
Over half of Biddeford’s housing units are in multi-unit buildings, and about half of the households rent. When a pipe bursts or a roof leaks in one apartment, the water travels down through the ceiling and through walls into the next unit. Four in ten homes were built before 1940, so the plumbing and the roofs are often old too. We pull out standing water first, then dry the structure and contents, and we can talk with the landlord, the property manager and the tenants.
Biddeford Pool and the other shore areas can take water in coastal storms. Our water restoration page walks through the job, and the emergency tips cover the first hour.
Fire and puff-back damage in multi-unit buildings
About six in ten Biddeford households heat with oil. A burner that misfires can blow soot through the ducts, and in a shared building the soot, the smoke and the water used to put out a fire can reach every unit. Residue on walls smears when wiped, so please leave it for us.
Each unit is assessed separately, so one fire can mean a separate list of damaged contents for every household. We work with all insurance companies and can help owners and tenants understand the claims process, and our own contractors can rebuild. Read the tips for after a fire while you wait; the fire damage services page describes the cleanup.
Mold in older mill-era buildings
Houses and mill buildings that are many decades old hold moisture for a long time. A single leak that was dried only on the surface can leave mold in the wall or ceiling below, and in a rental it is often found when the tenant moves out.
We look at the damage first and set out the work and any testing in plain terms for owners. Depending on the job, removal can mean tearing out and rebuilding damaged materials, which our own contractors can do. Bleach only lightens mold. The mold remediation page covers the process, and the mold-proofing tips help keep moisture down.
Sewage backups and biohazard cleanup
Biddeford’s older sewers were built to carry stormwater and household wastewater in the same pipe, and Maine DEP notes that combined systems can back up into basements in heavy rain. Sewage contains bacteria, so the cleanup is more than a mop. We remove the affected materials, then sanitize the floor, walls and anything that stays. We also handle bodily fluid cleanup, animal waste, hoarding and vandalism, and on hoarding jobs we coordinate with the owner and the property manager. The kinds of jobs are listed on the sewage cleanup page.
Commercial cleaning, sanitizing and apartment turnovers
Biddeford has a large converted mill campus with many tenants, a university and hospital, and a downtown of restaurants and shops. We clean and sanitize offices, schools, restaurants, gyms, nursing homes and other commercial space, either as preventive care or after an illness.
Landlords here turn over a lot of apartments. Move-in and move-out cleaning is scheduled around your next tenant’s date, and it covers carpet and tile along with the walls and windows. Our commercial cleaning page describes sanitizing, and rental turnovers are under apartment cleaning.
Air duct cleaning
Between tenants is a good time to clean the ducts, because the unit is empty and nobody is disturbed. Soot from a puff-back and dust from the next apartment’s renovation both end up in the ducts. Dust from work in the mill buildings ends up in the ducts too. Pets and allergies shorten the three to five year interval. More on the benefits is on the duct services page.
Carpet, upholstery and floor care
Our carpet and upholstery cleaning relies on van-mounted hot steam extraction. You do not need to clear the room first, since the crew moves the furniture. We pre-treat stains, deal with pet odors and can apply Scotchgard. With so many rentals, we often do the carpet in an empty unit just before the next tenant arrives. Commercial customers can add tile care to the visit. The full list of floor services is on the carpet cleaning page.
Post-construction cleanup
Old mill buildings and apartment blocks are being renovated all the time, and the dust from that work gets everywhere. We remove debris, dust, mud and adhesive, clean walls and high spaces, and wash windows, sills and screens after the factory stickers come off. In an occupied building, dust reaches the neighboring units, so we clean the ducts and common hallways as well. See post-construction cleaning for what a cleanup includes.
Clothing and soft contents restoration
Tenants lose clothing and bedding to fires and floods, and in a building with several households the damage seldom stays in one unit. Soft contents are inventoried and packed out as part of fire and mold jobs, then cleaned in our Esporta Wash System, which uses a phosphate-free detergent and about half the usual water. About 90 percent of soft contents come back food-grade clean in third-party testing. The soft contents cleaning page describes the wash process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work in Biddeford Pool as well as downtown Biddeford?
Yes. We cover all of Biddeford, including the Pool area, and the towns beside it. Call 207-536-7220.
I'm a landlord with three units in one building and water came through all of them. Can you handle everything at once?
Yes. We have several crews, so we can dry every unit, and our own contractors can rebuild. We keep you and your tenants informed and monitor moisture until each unit is dry.
Sewage came up through the basement floor drain during heavy rain. Is that dangerous?
Yes, sewage carries bacteria. Keep people and pets away, and call us. We remove contaminated material, then clean and sanitize the area.
A tenant moved out and left the apartment in bad shape. Can you clean it?
Yes. We clean the whole unit, and can add hoarding cleanup and animal waste removal when needed. Tell us the date the unit has to be ready.
Will insurance cover fire damage in a rental?
That depends on the owner’s and tenant’s policies. We work with all insurance carriers, and owners and tenants can both ask us about the claims process. If a claim is denied, Enhancify financing is another route.
Can you restore clothing after a fire?
Often, yes. Our wash process is used for fire, smoke, water, sewage and mold damage.
How soon should mold be looked at after a leak in an old building?
Mold can set in within a day or two, and old walls dry slowly. Call us once the water is stopped and we will assess it.
Do you clean commercial space in the mill buildings?
Yes. We clean and sanitize offices and other commercial space, including carpet, tile and ducts, on a schedule that suits the tenant.
Request an Estimate
We're able to accommodate a variety of jobs of varying scope and size. We'll carefully evaluate your needs.
Request an EstimateFinancing Available
Not covered by insurance? Apply for financing through our partner Enhancify.
Apply for Financing