Calls about water, smoke, mold or sewage in Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay, East Boothbay and Southport come to 207-338-6611 at any hour. The line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The whole range of our work is available on the Boothbay peninsula. The sections begin with the two things that shape the work here: a waterfront that floods on high tides and a large number of houses that stand empty part of the year.
Frozen pipes in seasonal homes and tidal flooding
About four in ten housing units here are seasonal, and in neighboring Boothbay about a third are. A pipe that freezes in January in a house nobody is heating can run until the owner arrives in spring, and by then water has usually soaked floors, ceilings and the rooms below. We check for mold if the water ran long.
The waterfront has its own risk. According to the National Weather Service, a high enough tide floods shoreline parking lots and then waterfront businesses, with piers under a foot or two of water. Read the water emergency tips while you wait; the water damage cleanup page explains what the crew does.
Fire and smoke damage in houses, inns and cottages
Among year-round households here, about half heat with oil and about a quarter with bottled propane. A burner puff-back spreads soot through the ducts, and a fire in a closed cottage may smolder before anyone sees it. Soot is oily and smears when wiped, so leave the walls alone until we have looked.
Our crews pack out and inventory the contents that can be saved, so they can be cleaned while repairs go on. The ducts are cleaned as well, so the heating system does not circulate soot when the owners return. We deal with all insurance companies and can help with the claims process. Each stage after the assessment is laid out on the fire restoration page.
Mold in houses that were closed up
A damp cellar or a closed-up house is where mold usually starts, and it can begin a day or two after any leak. Often the owner finds it on opening the house in spring. We start with an assessment, and the next steps depend on what the testing finds.
Removal can include anti-microbial treatment, and we tear out and rebuild damaged materials. Bleach does not kill mold. The mold service page covers the process from assessment onward, and the prevention tips cover keeping moisture down afterward.
Sewage backups and biohazard cleanup
Part of the peninsula is on the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District, and houses outside it use septic systems. A backup from either one is a health hazard. Whatever the sewage reached that cannot be saved is removed first, and then the space is cleaned and sanitized. A cottage that sat closed can hold a backup for weeks before anyone notices, so we check how far it traveled under the floors. We also clean up bodily fluids, animal waste, vandalism and hoarding situations. The biohazard work page has the full list of jobs.
Cleaning for waterfront businesses and rentals
Restaurants, shops, inns and rental cottages along the harbor need cleaning and sanitizing before a season opens and after an incident. Sanitizing is available as preventive care before the season starts, or after an outbreak, for restaurants, daycares and medical buildings alike.
For owners of rentals and apartments we do move-in and move-out cleaning around your calendar, with carpets and tile included. Property managers can find both services described on the cleaning services page and the turnover cleaning page.
Duct cleaning
A puff-back, or a long stretch with the heat off, can leave soot and dust in the ducts. In a cottage or inn that sat closed for months, a layer of dust sits in the runs, and the first time the system starts it blows that into every room. Cleaning before the guests or the owners arrive for the season is far easier than after. Allergies or pets bring the usual three to five years forward. The duct work page details the job.
Carpet, upholstery and floor care
Carpet and upholstery are cleaned with van-mounted hot steam extraction, and nobody needs to prepare the room. Our technicians move the furniture themselves. Inns and rental cottages are cleaned between guests, so we plan carpet work around the arrival date, and a damp carpet is generally dry in about a day. Shops, offices and restaurants along the harbor can add tile waxing and grout cleaning. Our floor care services page explains each service for floors.
Post-construction cleanup
After a renovation, an addition or repairs following storm damage, leftover dust reaches the windows, the floors and the ducts. We clear debris, dust and adhesive, take the factory stickers off new windows and wash the glass, sills and screens, then clean the carpet, tile and duct system. Inns and cottages that are being readied for the season benefit most, because the last clean decides how the first guests find the place. Our post-build cleaning page describes the finishing clean after the trades leave.
Clothing and soft contents restoration
Bedding, linens and clothing exposed to smoke, flooding, sewage or mold are often worth restoring, and many soft contents can be washed. Inns and rental cottages hold a lot of linens, and a burst pipe in a closed house can soak what is stored in closets and drawers. Our Esporta Wash System uses a phosphate-free detergent and about half the water of a normal wash, and in third-party testing it returned about 90 percent of soft contents to food-grade clean. Please check with us before discarding any of it. See clothing restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you serve Boothbay, East Boothbay and Southport as well as the Harbor?
Yes. We cover the whole Boothbay region and the rest of Lincoln County. Call 207-338-6611 or toll-free 1-800-479-6676.
I own a summer house and the manager found water inside. What do we do?
Have the water shut off if you can, call your insurance company and call us. We can start extraction and drying and keep you informed from wherever you are.
How soon will mold show up after a pipe froze?
Mold can show up 24 to 48 hours after a leak. If a house sat wet for weeks, assume mold and have it assessed.
High tide put water into our waterfront shop. How is that cleaned?
We extract the water, remove materials the tidal water contaminated, dry the space, and clean and sanitize it. We tell you what has to go before removing it.
Our cottage has propane heat. Is a propane fire cleaned up differently?
The cleanup is the same whichever fuel was involved, since the damage is smoke and soot. Do not use appliances or food exposed to the fire until they have been checked.
Can you clean an inn or restaurant before opening for the season?
Yes. We clean and sanitize commercial buildings and can plan around your opening date.
How do I reach someone at night in Boothbay Harbor?
Call 207-338-6611 or 1-800-479-6676 at any hour. Our on-call staff will phone you back to evaluate your emergency.
Does insurance cover cleanup of a seasonal home?
Policies differ, so ask your agent. We work with every carrier and can explain the claims process. If a claim is denied, financing through Enhancify can cover the cost over time.
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