When the Penobscot floods the low streets of Old Town, Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration DKI does the cleanup, and the same crews work in Milford, Alton, Bradley, Hudson and Greenbush. Call 207-947-4454. Someone is on the line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. After hours, the answering service pages our on-call staff, who phone you back within 15 minutes.
Old Town can call on every service we provide. The sections below describe how the work tends to go here.
River flooding and water damage in Old Town
In a big rise the Penobscot gets over the railroad tracks and into parts of Water Street and lower French Island, including Bodwell and River Streets. A larger flood reaches Main Street. Those are rare events. Floodwater carries silt and sewage, so wet drywall, insulation and carpet come out before we dry and rebuild.
Most water calls are smaller. There are many two-family houses, and a leak on the upper floor usually reaches the apartment below. We pump the water out, set up dryers, then check moisture in each affected space. The steps are under water damage restoration, with advice for the hours before we arrive in the water damage tips.
Mold in older Old Town houses
More than a third of the homes were built before 1940, and nearly half before 1960. Their old basements and walls stay damp after a spring melt or a river rise, and mold can start within a day or two.
An assessment comes first, and it spells out the work and any testing required. Removal can include HEPA air scrubbing, anti-microbial treatment, and tearing out and rebuilding. Under mold assessment & removal the process is laid out, and the mold prevention tips are worth reading after a river rise.
Puff-backs, woodstoves and fire damage
Fuel oil heats about 44 percent of homes, and some burn wood. A misfiring oil burner can spread soot through the ducts and across a whole house, and a chimney fire leaves similar residue. Soot smears when wiped, so please leave it for us.
After a fire, boarding up comes first. Belongings are packed out and inventoried so they can be cleaned elsewhere, and the structure and ducts are cleaned and deodorized afterward. In a two-family house the neighbors’ side usually needs the same attention. We work with all insurance companies and can help with the claims process. Rebuilding is part of our fire damage restoration.
Sewage and biohazard cleanup
Floodwater and backups put sewage into basements, which calls for removing the affected materials and sanitizing the area properly. In a flooded cellar the water also reaches the furnace room and stored belongings, so more material comes out than the visible stain suggests. We remove what cannot be saved and sanitize the rest with the TOMI SteraMist system, which leaves no residue. Bodily fluid incidents, hoarding, animal waste and vandalism are handled the same way. Details are under biohazard cleaning.
Apartment and commercial cleaning
About four in ten households rent. Landlords book unit turnovers that cover surfaces, windows, walls, carpet and tile, with duct cleaning added when needed. Tell us when the unit must be ready. Apartment & condo cleaning lists the full scope.
We also clean and sanitize offices, schools, nursing homes, daycares, restaurants and medical buildings, as a preventive step or after an outbreak, as described under cleaning & sanitizing.
Carpet, upholstery and floor care
Rentals and family homes alike get their carpet and upholstery cleaned with van-mounted hot steam extraction, and you don’t need to prepare anything. The crew moves the furniture and sets it back on blocks and tabs, and carpet is usually dry in 12 to 24 hours. A river rise that reached a first floor leaves the carpet to be extracted before anything else. We also remove pet odors and stains, wax tile and clean grout. The floor care services page gives the rest.
Air duct cleaning
With oil heat in over four homes in ten, soot after a puff-back is the common reason to clean ducts, and woodstove homes add ash. Houses that flooded may also have ducts that sat in water or damp. Rentals are another case, between tenants. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends every 3 to 5 years. Clean ducts help with air quality, comfort and heating costs, as duct cleaning explains.
Post-construction cleanup
After a rebuild following a flood or fire, or an ordinary renovation, the last job is cleaning the finished space. A flooded first floor ends up with new drywall, flooring and trim, and every surface carries fine dust. We remove debris, dust and adhesive, wash windows and sills, clean carpet and tile, and clean and inspect the ducts. The quote is free, and post-construction cleaning describes the work.
Clothing and contents restoration
Clothing, bedding and curtains that went through smoke, flood water or mold can usually be saved. After a river rise, whatever was stored in a cellar or on a first floor is soaked, and a fire in one half of a two-family house smokes the other half. We wash soft contents with the Esporta system, which uses about half the water of ordinary washing. Our clothing restoration page explains it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you serve Milford, Alton and the other towns near Old Town?
Yes. We cover Old Town, Milford, Alton, Bradley, Hudson, Greenbush and the rest of Penobscot County. Call 207-947-4454 from any of them.
Water from the river reached our first floor on Water Street. What should we do before you arrive?
Call your insurance company, stay out of rooms where the ceiling sags and don’t use a household vacuum on the water. Floodwater is not clean, so keep children and pets out. Our water damage tips list the rest.
Can a house that flooded be dried, or does it have to be gutted?
Porous materials such as carpet, insulation and wet drywall usually have to be removed after river water. Studs, joists and concrete can generally be cleaned, sanitized and dried. We check moisture and tell you what can stay.
What is the number for a midnight emergency?
Dial 207-947-4454, or 1-800-479-6676 if you prefer the toll-free line. On-call staff return after-hours calls within 15 minutes.
The apartment below ours has water coming through the ceiling. Who handles the repair?
We extract the water and dry both units, and our own contractors can rebuild what is damaged. Your landlord and insurance company decide on coverage, and we can help you understand the claims process.
Our woodstove chimney caught fire. Is the smell going to stay?
The smell comes from smoke residue on surfaces, in the air and in the ducts. We clean the structure, scrub the air, deodorize and clean the ducts so the odor isn’t spread again.
Can you clean a rental after the tenants leave a mess?
Yes. We clean surfaces, windows, walls, carpet and tile, remove pet odors and can clean hoarding or animal waste where that is the problem.
Is financing available if insurance denies the claim?
Yes. Our partner Enhancify offers financing you can apply for on our website, with payments spread over time.
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