Gorham is a town of single-family houses on oil heat, small streams that overflow in heavy rain, and a university campus with residence halls. Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration DKI cleans and restores in all three settings, from Gorham Village to South Gorham, White Rock and Little Falls. Call 207-536-7220 for water, fire, mold or sewage emergencies; we are available 24 hours a day.
Gorham customers can book any of our services, and the sections below describe what each one involves here.
Puff-backs and fire damage in oil-heated homes
Six in ten Gorham homes heat with oil. When an oil burner puffs back, soot is forced through the ducts and settles on walls, ceilings, furniture and clothing in every room. Leave the soot alone, because it is oily and smears when wiped.
Cleaning covers the walls, ceilings and contents, and the ducts as well, since they carry the soot through the house. We work with all insurers. The fire damage services page describes the work, and the fire damage tips help you protect belongings in the meantime.
Stream flooding and water damage in Gorham
The Little River, the Presumpscot and the Stroudwater River all drain Gorham, and heavy rain has closed town roads by stream flooding, including a stretch of Route 237 in July 2023. Homes along those roads can take water in the cellar or garage even when the river itself stays within its banks. Carpet and wallboard that sat in ground water are removed, and the framing is dried and sanitized.
Inside a house, burst pipes and roof leaks cause most of the damage. The water damage service page and the water damage tips are both worth a look before we get there.
Cleaning and sanitizing for campus buildings, businesses and rentals
The University of Southern Maine’s Gorham campus houses most of its residence halls. We clean and sanitize schools and dormitory-type buildings, as a precaution or once someone has been ill. We also clean offices, gyms, restaurants and nursing homes.
Landlords who rent to students can book cleaning between leases, carpets and tile floors included. We work out the services, timeline and budget with you. For the sanitizing method, read sanitizing services; for unit turnovers, read apartment and condo cleaning.
Mold in basements and damp rooms
A basement that took in stream water or stayed damp after a wet spring can grow mold in a day or two. The process begins with an assessment: what needs to be done, how we will do it and what testing is required. Removal can include anti-microbial treatment, and damaged materials are torn out and rebuilt where needed. For testing and removal in detail, read the mold removal page; for staying ahead of it, read the tips to prevent mold growth.
Sewage and biohazard cleanup
Outside Gorham Village, homes are likely on septic systems, and a flooded yard or a failed tank can send sewage into a cellar. We remove the affected materials, then sanitize the floor, walls and anything that stays, using the TOMI SteraMist system, which leaves no residue. A residence hall or a rental house can also need bodily fluid or hoarding cleanup after a tenant leaves. More is on the sewage cleanup page.
Carpet, upholstery and floor care
Carpet and upholstery go through our van-mounted hot steam extraction system. Technicians move the furniture, and you do not need to do anything first. The carpet is usually dry within 12 to 24 hours. Rental houses need it between leases, and offices and shops that collect salt and sand through the winter benefit from regular cleaning. We can also pre-treat stains, remove pet odors, and wax and clean tile. The carpet and tile care page describes each service in turn.
Air duct cleaning
With six in ten homes on oil heat, soot from a puff-back is the main reason to clean ducts here, and it should be done right away because the ducts carry the soot through the house. The newer subdivision houses have a different reason: drywall dust from the build, which the system pulls in once the heat comes on. Rental houses, pets and allergies are the others. The trade association suggests every three to five years. See duct cleaning for more.
Post-construction cleanup
Most of the housing was built after 1960, and new houses and additions keep going up. At the end of a build, we remove debris, dust and adhesive, take the factory stickers off the new windows, and wash the windows, sills and screens. Carpet and tile get cleaned, and the ducts are cleaned and inspected so the dust does not come back through the vents. Builders can book the finishing clean once the trades leave. The full task list is on the post-construction cleanup page.
Clothing and contents restoration
Clothes, bedding and other soft contents exposed to smoke, soot, water or mold can often be saved. After a puff-back, soot settles on whatever hangs in closets and sits in drawers. A fire in a shared house smokes everyone’s belongings, and all of it can go through the same wash. The Esporta Wash System uses phosphate-free detergent and about half the water of conventional washing, and returns about 90% of soft contents to food-grade clean. For the types of damage we treat, read the contents restoration page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you serve South Gorham, White Rock and Little Falls?
Yes, all of Gorham. Dial 207-536-7220, or 1-800-479-6676 toll-free.
A brook overflowed and water is in our cellar. Is it safe to pump it out ourselves?
Ground water carries dirt and sometimes sewage, so do not use household vacuums or touch wet electrical items. Call us and we will extract the water and dry the space. Our water damage tips list what to avoid.
Our septic tank backed up into the basement. Do you clean that?
Yes. We take the contaminated materials out, then clean and sanitize the area. Call your septic service for the tank itself.
Can you sanitize a dormitory or a classroom building?
Yes. We clean and sanitize schools and similar buildings, either as preventive care or after a confirmed illness.
We rent to students. Can you turn a house over between leases?
Yes. We do move-in and move-out cleaning, with carpet, tile and ducts if you want them. Tell us the deadline and we will work backward from it.
Our furnace puffed soot through the house. Can the furniture be saved?
Often, yes. We clean soot-affected furniture and fabrics, and wash clothing and linens too. Do not use soot-affected furniture before it is cleaned.
How do I reach you during a storm at night?
Dial 207-536-7220 or 1-800-479-6676. Our on-call staff call back.
Do you handle insurance paperwork?
We deal with every insurance carrier and can explain how the claims process works. If a claim is denied, Enhancify financing lets you pay over time.
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