Rockland, Rockport, Owls Head, Thomaston and South Thomaston call Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration DKI on our Belfast number, 207-338-6611. Water, fire, mold and sewage emergencies get an answer 24/7/365, with on-call staff taking the after-hours calls.
The sections below apply our services to a city where about four in ten homes are in multi-unit buildings and the working waterfront sits beside downtown.
Water damage in downtown apartments and on the waterfront
More than six in ten Rockland homes were built before 1960, and nearly four in ten are in multi-unit buildings, many of them apartments over downtown storefronts. A burst pipe or a failed roof membrane on the upper floors reaches the units and shops below, so we dry every floor the water touched, check moisture on each, and keep you and the building owner informed.
Storm tides add a second source. In the January 2024 storms, water covered low lots along Rockland Harbor and the city closed public waterfront access. Tidal water is contaminated, so carpet, drywall and insulation it reaches generally have to come out. Our water damage restoration page and water damage tips cover the rest.
Fire and smoke damage in connected buildings
Downtown Rockland buildings share walls, and in a building with apartments over shops, smoke from one unit reaches the others through walls and ducts. Over half of the city’s households heat with oil, and a furnace puff-back can leave soot in every room; since soot smears, the walls should be left unwiped.
Our crew assesses the damage and boards up openings, then packs out and inventories belongings. The structure is then cleaned, the air scrubbed with HEPA equipment, and the ducts cleaned and deodorized. Our own contractors can do the rebuilding, and we work with all insurance companies. Our fire cleanup services are listed in full.
Mold in older buildings
In older buildings, mold usually follows a slow leak: behind a bathroom wall, under a roof edge or in a cellar that never dries. It can begin growing within a day or two. We assess first and set out the work and the testing, then remove the mold with HEPA air scrubbing and anti-microbial treatment, tearing out and rebuilding what cannot be saved. Further reading: mold assessment & removal and our mold prevention tips.
Sewage backups in older sewer lines
Older parts of Rockland have combined sewers that carry stormwater and sewage in the same pipes, and the city’s wastewater plant has overflow outfalls to the harbor. Heavy rain is when drains are most likely to back up. Sewage carries bacteria and cannot be cleaned with household products. We remove contaminated materials and clean and sanitize the area.
Bodily fluid cleanup, animal waste, vandalism and hoarding are handled the same way, with homeowners, property managers and realtors. Hoarding and bodily fluid jobs are covered by biohazard cleaning.
Cleaning for businesses, landlords and the waterfront
Restaurants, offices, medical buildings, nursing homes, schools, daycares, gyms and municipal buildings can have sanitizing done ahead of an outbreak or after one. The details are under cleaning & sanitizing.
About four in ten Rockland households rent, so landlords often need a unit turned over quickly. A turnover includes surfaces, windows, walls, carpets and tile, on a timeline set around your next tenant; apartment & condo cleaning has the scope.
Duct cleaning
Many Rockland houses and downtown buildings are more than a century old, and over half of the homes burn oil. When a burner puffs back, the soot travels through the ducts and settles in every room until the system is cleaned. Dust from a renovation does the same thing in a building with older forced-air heat. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association suggests cleaning every 3 to 5 years, sooner if there are pets, smokers or allergies. Our duct cleaning page has the rest.
Carpet, upholstery and floor care
You do not have to prepare anything for carpet and upholstery cleaning, which is done with van-mounted hot steam extraction. The technicians pre-treat stains and remove pet odors, and they wax tile floors and clean grout in shops and restaurants. Shops and restaurants can find the scope in floor care services.
Post-construction cleanup
Rockland has many older buildings being renovated, from apartments over shops to waterfront properties, and the work leaves plaster and drywall dust far from where the carpenters were. After the contractor finishes, we clear debris, mud and adhesive, wash the walls and high spaces, remove the stickers from new windows and wash the windows, sills and screens. We then clean the carpet and tile and the ducts, so that nothing settles again afterward. Details and a free quote are on the post-construction cleaning page.
Clothing and soft contents restoration
Bedding, curtains and clothing that went through fire, flood, sewage or mold can often be restored. The Esporta Wash System returns about 90% of soft contents to food-grade clean according to third-party testing, using about half the water of conventional washing. Fire in an apartment above a shop often affects the belongings of the tenants next door, and the clothing restoration page says more about the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you serve Rockport, Owls Head and Thomaston as well as Rockland?
Yes. We cover all of Knox County and the towns around it. Call 207-338-6611 or toll-free 1-800-479-6676.
A pipe burst in the apartment over our shop. Who is responsible for drying the downstairs space?
We can dry both spaces. Responsibility is a matter between you, the building owner and the insurers, and we can help you understand the claims process.
Storm tide flooded our basement at the harbor. How do you clean it?
We extract the water, remove porous materials the tidal water contaminated, dry the structure and clean it. We tell you what can stay before anything is thrown out.
A heavy rain backed sewage up the floor drain. What should I do?
Keep people and pets out of the area, do not try to clean it with household products and call us. We remove contaminated materials and sanitize the space.
Smoke from the unit next door got into my apartment. Is it safe to stay?
Open windows if the weather allows and keep the air moving, but do not wipe the walls. Soot and odor need professional cleaning, and we scrub the air with HEPA equipment.
Can you turn a rental unit over between tenants?
Yes. We handle surfaces, windows, walls, carpets and tile floors, and can clean the ducts at the same time.
What do I call at night?
Dial 207-338-6611 at any hour. Our on-call staff return after-hours calls.
Can the work be financed if insurance won't cover it?
Yes. Our partner Enhancify handles financing, and the application is on our website.
Request an Estimate
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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