Nearly one Windham home in ten is a seasonal home, and a house that is closed for the winter is where a frozen pipe does its worst damage unseen. Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration DKI handles those jobs and the year-round ones in North Windham, South Windham, Windham Center and the lake areas. The number is 207-536-7220. We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with on-call staff making the after-hours callbacks.
Each section below sets out how a service applies in Windham.
Frozen pipes, burst lines and flooding in Windham
Of the vacant homes in Windham, nearly all are held for seasonal or occasional use. A camp or cottage with the heat off or set low can freeze, and a line that splits in January may run until someone opens the door in spring. By then the floors, walls and insulation are soaked and mold has started. We extract the water, set up drying equipment, monitor moisture and tell you what can stay and what has to come out.
Windham sits beside Sebago Lake and is drained by the Presumpscot and Pleasant rivers, so homes near the water can see high water after heavy rain or a fast thaw. In a year-round house the common causes are a burst pipe, a roof leak or an ice dam. The process is on the water damage restoration page, and the first steps are in the water damage tips.
Septic backups and sewage cleanup
Most of Windham is on private septic systems. A public sewer is being built for North Windham and Windham Center, but connecting is optional for existing properties and East and South Windham are outside the area. For most households a sewage problem therefore means a septic tank or leach field that has failed or flooded. Sewage carries bacteria, so we remove the affected materials and then clean and sanitize. Hoarding cleanup and bodily fluid cleanup fall under the same service. The details are on our biohazard cleaning page.
Mold in camps and basements
Mold can be growing a day or two after water gets in, and in a closed camp nobody is there to notice. Damp basements near the lakes and rivers are another common source. The assessment spells out the work and any testing needed. Removal can mean anti-microbial treatment, plus tear-out and rebuild of damaged materials. The mold assessment and removal page has more, and so do our mold prevention tips.
Fire, puff-back and wood stove damage
Nearly six houses in ten burn oil, about one in five uses propane, and a few heat with wood. An oil burner puff-back spreads soot through the ducts, and a stove fire leaves smoke odor through the house. Soot smears when wiped, so wait for us before cleaning.
Openings are boarded up, belongings are packed out with an inventory, and the house is cleaned and deodorized afterward. If the heat has to stay off in cold weather, antifreeze in the toilets and sinks protects the pipes, or a plumber can drain them. We work with insurance companies of all kinds. Stove and puff-back jobs are covered by fire damage restoration.
Cleaning for the Route 302 corridor and rental properties
North Windham is the town’s commercial center along Route 302. We clean and sanitize stores, offices, restaurants, gyms and schools. Sanitizing there can be done as a precaution or after an illness, and cleaning & sanitizing has more detail.
Camps and cottages that rent by the week can be cleaned between guests, including surfaces, windows, walls, carpet and tile; see apartment & condo cleaning.
Carpet, upholstery and floor care
Lake camps converted to year-round homes and the stores along Route 302 share one problem: sand, road salt and mud come in on shoes and settle deep in the carpet. We clean carpet and upholstery with van-mounted hot steam extraction, and the technicians move the furniture, so you do not have to prepare. Stains are pre-treated, pet odors removed, and tile and grout cleaned. After a burst pipe in a camp, extraction comes first. Carpet normally dries in 12 to 24 hours. See floor care services.
Air duct cleaning
A seasonal house that sat closed for the winter with a wet basement is a reason to clean the ducts before the heat runs, as is soot from a puff-back, since oil is the main fuel and propane is common too. Camps converted to year-round homes often have ductwork added later, and runs through crawl spaces gather dust and damp air. Pets and smokers shorten the interval. Air quality and heating costs are the benefits listed under duct cleaning.
Post-construction cleanup
New houses, additions and camp conversions keep coming along the lakes and the Route 302 corridor, and each leaves drywall dust and sawdust in every room. When the builder finishes, we clear debris, dust, mud and adhesive, clean walls and high spaces, take the factory stickers off windows and wash glass, sills and screens. We also clean carpets and tile, and clean, disinfect and inspect the duct system so the dust does not return. Details are on the post-construction cleaning page.
Clothing and contents restoration
A frozen pipe that bursts in a closed camp can soak the bedding and clothing left behind, and mold gets into them before anyone returns in spring. Wood stove smoke or a puff-back puts soot into closets in year-round homes. Much of this can be saved. Esporta cleans with a phosphate-free soap and roughly half the usual water, and its third-party testing reports about 90% of soft contents returned food-grade clean. The clothing restoration page describes the method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cover the lake areas around Windham?
Yes. We serve all of Windham, including North Windham, South Windham, Windham Center and the lakeside roads. The local number is 207-536-7220, and the toll-free line is 1-800-479-6676.
I opened the camp in spring and found water damage. Can anything be saved?
Often some of it. Framing and subfloors can usually be dried, while wet insulation and drywall normally come out. We check moisture, assess for mold and tell you what stays before anything is thrown away.
Our septic tank overflowed into the basement. Who cleans that up?
We do. We take out contaminated materials, clean the area and sanitize it. A septic service will need to look at the tank and the field.
The heat went off in a rental cottage and the pipes froze. What should I do first?
If the water is running, shut off the supply and call us. If the heat stays off in cold weather, antifreeze in the toilets and sinks keeps them from freezing, or you can call a plumber. We take the water out and dry the structure.
Can you clean a restaurant or store on Route 302?
Yes. Restaurants, offices, gyms and stores can be sanitized as a precaution or after an illness.
How do I know if the sewer project affects my property?
That is a question for the Town of Windham, since it depends on where your property is. We clean up sewage backups from septic systems and from sewer lines alike.
Our wood stove chimney caught fire. Do we need the ducts cleaned too?
If the house has a forced-air system, yes: smoke and soot travel through the ducts. We clean the ducts and deodorize.
What if insurance only covers part of it?
We can work with your insurance carrier, whoever it is, and help you understand the claims process. Costs your policy leaves out can be spread over time through our partner Enhancify; the application is online.
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