Gardiner and Randolph face each other across the Kennebec, and Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration DKI works on both sides. Our Augusta number, 207-623-4454, reaches us for water, fire, mold and sewage emergencies, and the line is available 24 hours a day. We also cover Farmingdale, West Gardiner, Pittston and Richmond.
Any service we offer can be booked in Gardiner. The sections below open with the problems this town’s older buildings and downtown streets are most likely to have.
Flooding on Maine Avenue, Water Street and Arcade Street
Gardiner floods from two directions. The Kennebec and Cobbosseecontee Stream together put water onto Arcade Street and Maine Avenue even in a minor flood. In a larger flood several feet of water stand along Maine Avenue and off Water Street, and in December 2023 it reached the first floors of multiple buildings here and in Randolph.
Nearly half the homes were built before 1940, and their old stone and concrete basements stay wet a long time. River water is dirty, so wet drywall, carpet and insulation come out before drying starts. Read the water damage restoration page for the process and the first-hour tips for what to do before we arrive.
Fire and smoke damage in older buildings
About six in ten homes heat with oil, and about three in ten are in buildings with more than one unit. A fire or furnace puff-back in one apartment can leave soot and odor in the stairwell and the units around it. Soot is oily, so wiping the walls spreads it.
The cleaning reaches the stairwell and the neighboring units as well as the unit where the fire started. We deodorize and clean the ducts too, so the heating system does not carry smoke odor around the building. We work with all insurance companies. The smoke and fire restoration page describes the full range of work.
Mold in downtown buildings and old cellars
A basement that took in river water and was only pumped out can hold moisture in the walls for weeks, and mold can start inside a day or two. The same goes for slow leaks in older apartments over the downtown storefronts. We start by looking at how far the mold has spread and tell you what testing, if any, is called for. Anti-microbial treatment follows, with tear-out and rebuilding as the damage requires. The mold service page covers the process from assessment onward, and the mold prevention tips cover keeping moisture down afterward.
Sewage and biohazard cleanup
When river water and a stream both rise, a basement drain can back up with more than water. Sewage contains bacteria, and any porous material it touches usually has to be removed. What cannot be saved comes out of the building, and the area is then cleaned and sanitized with the TOMI SteraMist system, which leaves no residue.
We also clean up after bodily fluid incidents, animal waste, vandalism and hoarding. See biohazard cleaning for more.
Cleaning for downtown businesses and rentals
We clean and sanitize restaurants, offices, medical buildings, nursing homes, daycares, schools and gyms, ahead of an outbreak or after one. After a flood, a ground-floor shop may need cleaning and disinfection before it reopens.
Landlords can book move-out and move-in cleaning for apartments and condos, with a timeline built around the next tenant. Our cleaning services page describes sanitizing for commercial buildings; rental turnovers are under apartment cleaning.
Duct cleaning
Ducts that sat through a basement flood or a puff-back should be cleaned early, since the furnace keeps moving whatever is in them. Older heating systems collect years of dust, and apartments downtown change tenants often. The trade association recommends cleaning every three to five years, and clean ducts can lower heating costs. More is on the air duct cleaning page.
Carpet, upholstery and floor care
Carpet and upholstery are cleaned with van-mounted hot steam extraction. No preparation is needed, because the technicians move and block the furniture themselves, and the carpet usually dries in 12 to 24 hours. Downtown shops and offices track in sand and salt all winter, so we also wax tile and clean the grout lines. Flooded carpet gets water extraction. Rental apartments are cleaned between tenants as well. More is on the floor care page.
Post-construction cleanup
Restoring an old building produces fine dust that settles everywhere. After a flood rebuild or a renovation, we take out debris, dust and adhesive, wash windows, sills and screens, and clean the carpet and tile. The duct system is cleaned and inspected as well, so the dust does not blow back out of the vents once the heat comes on. Our post-construction cleaning page describes the finishing clean after the trades leave.
Clothing and soft contents restoration
Clothing, linens and soft furnishings exposed to smoke, floodwater, sewage or mold are frequently worth restoring. In an apartment fire the neighbors’ belongings can be smoke damaged too. Our Esporta Wash System uses a phosphate-free detergent and about half the water of conventional washing, and third-party testing shows it returns about 90% of soft contents to food-grade clean. The clothing restoration page describes the wash process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cover both Gardiner and Randolph?
Yes. We work on both sides of the river, and in Farmingdale, West Gardiner, Pittston, Richmond and the rest of Kennebec County. Call 207-623-4454.
Arcade Street and Maine Avenue flood every time the river comes up. Can you help while the water is still high?
Call as soon as you know the river is rising. We can plan the work, and we start extraction once it is safe to get into the building.
Our shop on Water Street had water on the first floor. Can we reopen once it is dry?
After we extract and dry the space, we can clean and sanitize it. We tell you what must be removed first, and you decide on reopening.
Why does the cellar still smell damp weeks after the flood?
Old stone and concrete hold water, and wet materials behind walls keep releasing moisture. That is how mold gets started, so have the cellar assessed.
Can a fire in the apartment next door affect my unit?
Yes. Smoke and soot move through walls, halls and ducts, and we clean and deodorize the affected units and the ducts.
How soon will someone call back after hours?
After hours our on-call staff are paged and call you back to evaluate the emergency.
Can you restore a flooded building as well as dry it?
Yes. We have our own contractors who restore buildings to pre-loss condition after the water is out.
We have no insurance, or the claim was denied. What are our options?
If you want to pay over time, Enhancify offers financing that you can apply for from our website.
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We're able to accommodate a variety of jobs of varying scope and size. We'll carefully evaluate your needs.
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Not covered by insurance? Apply for financing through our partner Enhancify.
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