Business Spotlight: Octagon Cleaning and Restoration

When disaster strikes, it can be a confusing and difficult time trying to figure out how to properly restore your home or commercial property. You can feel confident calling upon Octagon Cleaning and Restoration to be of assistance in turning things around.

The Octagon Cleaning and Restoration Team stands ready 
to help restore your home or commercial property 
following a fire or natural disaster. COURTESY PHOTO

Located at 12 Roosevelt Trail in Windham, Octagon’s team of IICRC-certified and experienced professionals help take the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty of your unfortunate situation and return your life to normal as quickly as possible.

Octagon offers catastrophic storm damage solutions including addressing water damage restoration, mold removal, asbestos abatement, lead removal, fire and smoke damage, and it provides air duct cleaning for commercial properties. The company services Portland, Southern Maine, Western Maine, and Central Maine from its main office in Windham, and also has locations in Fairfield, Maine and in Barrington and Meredith, New Hampshire.

Robert York launched Maine Cleaning Services in 2002 and cleaned floors for local businesses. He quickly realized the need for restoration services as many businesses turned to him for answers when these disasters occurred. He became educated about restoration and remediation services and the company was transformed into Octagon Cleaning and Restoration and now has 50 employees.

York is a Maine-licensed master pesticide applicator for mold and bacterial treatments, an EPA-certified Lead Safe Renovator, certified in applied microbial remediation (mold remediation), water damage restoration, fire and smoke damage, and applied structural drying. He is also board certified for CMRS (Council-certified Microbial Remediation Supervisor) and a CIEC (Council-certified Indoor Environment Consultant).

“We are a locally owned family business. We are not a national chain or franchise,” said Robin Mullins, Marketing & Relationship Manager for Octagon Cleaning and Restoration. “Through our Octagon Gives Back program, we actively support our local communities by sponsoring youth programs and participating in chambers of commerce. We participate in community events like Trunk or Treats and ensure community members in need receive necessary restoration services. We also offer a five-year Workmanship Guarantee on water damage restoration and mold remediation projects, so clients can rest assured we will get the job right the first time.”

Mullins said Octagon’s experienced project managers will come and do a free initial site inspection for all projects and from that they will provide an objective and honest assessment of the scope of work needed.

“The most important thing to remember when disaster occurs is to move quickly to get the work done ASAP,” she said. “This will save both time and money. It's important to know who to call before disaster occurs.”

According to Mullins, Octagon technicians care about protecting the environment in performing their duties and use integrated electric vehicles in their fleet and solar power to offset their energy bills. They also deeply understand that disasters can be bewildering and overwhelming.

“Even though we face disasters every day, we know these events are devastating to our clients. That is why we offer a comprehensive service that puts our client firmly in control of their restoration journey,” she said. “With our swift and efficient response, we are always there to guide, communicate and answer questions throughout the entire process. After remediation, we’ll work with customers to determine what repairs are necessary to restore a property to its pre-damage condition. This could mean partnering with our sister company Octagon Construction & Energy for minor repairs, such as drywall replacement, or major reconstruction. Either way, our goal is to make your home or business look as if the damage never occurred.”

Through the years, Octagon Cleaning and Restoration has earned the trust of property owners, home inspectors, realtors, and a variety of building contractors in Maine and New Hampshire. They are A-plus rated by the Better Business Bureau and have hundreds of 5-Star reviews on Google.

Some of those reviews include:

“Octagon told me what they were going to do and when. They did what they said on time and within the estimated cost. The people were friendly and helpful. I would use Octagon again and have recommended them to my neighbors.” Doug Sax

“We used Octagon a few years back for an asbestos job that we had at our home. They were absolutely wonderful and easy to work with. The quote they gave us was reasonable and they even dealt with a few other areas that were found at no extra cost. We would recommend them to everyone!” Alexandra Carlson

“I had a great experience with Octagon when I was dealing with water damage in my kitchen! They make sure that it is being done correctly all through the process. Would use them again!” Brianna Palmer

The company is open 24 hours a day. Call for immediate assistance at 207-893-0002 or visit them online at https://octagonrestoration.com/. Find them on Facebook under Octagon Cleaning and Restoration. <

Business Spotlight: Harry's Heat Pumps

When you’ve had enough of soaring energy bills and are considering a highly efficient heating and cooling pump, there are many reasons to choose Harry’s Heat Pumps of Windham.

Based in Windham, Harry's Heat Pumps can
help save home and business owners money
through efficient heating and cooling systems.
The company specializes in installation,
service and maintenance and is a family
business. COURTESY PHOTO

Harry Wood has lived in Windham his entire life and has owned and operated Harry’s Heat Pumps for more than four years and has racked up a decade of expertise and experience in the industry. Besides that, choosing Harry’s Heat Pumps strengthens community resilience, uplifts the local economy, and paves the way for a more sustainable future. As a Windham resident, he also understands how important it is to save money on heating and cooling throughout the year.

“We offer a year-round product and provide exceptional customer service because we live locally and are aware of how costly it is to heat and cool a home,” Wood said. “We specialize in keeping you and your family comfortable year-round whether it’s in one room or the whole house.”

Based in Windham, Harry’s Heat Pumps sells heating and cooling pumps, installs them, performs service repairs, cleanings and all associated preventative maintenance.

Because his business is small and local, the response time for Harry’s Heat Pumps is quicker than the larger companies and is a highly affordable option to help community residents to save money.

“I’m the local guy you can call who will provide exceptional customer service and get it done right the first time,” Wood said. “We’re a family- oriented company.”

According to Wood, heat pumps use electricity to pull heat out of the air. In winter, they pull warmer air inside to heat your home while in the summer, it acts like an air conditioner, moving warm air out while circulating cooler air inside. When you’ve had enough of soaring energy bills and are considering a highly efficient heating and cooling pump, there are many reasons to choose Harry’s Heat Pumps of Windham.

Harry Wood has lived in Windham his entire life and has owned and operated Harry’s Heat Pumps for more than four years and has racked up a decade of expertise and experience in the industry. Besides that, choosing Harry’s Heat Pumps strengthens community resilience, uplifts the local economy, and paves the way for a more sustainable future. As a Windham resident, he also understands how important it is to save money on heating and cooling throughout the year.

“We offer a year-round product and provide exceptional customer service because we live locally and are aware of how costly it is to heat and cool a home,” Wood said. “We specialize in keeping you and your family comfortable year-round whether it’s in one room or the whole house.”

Based in Windham, Harry’s Heat Pumps sells heating and cooling pumps, installs them, performs service repairs, cleanings and all associated preventative maintenance.

Because his business is small and local, the response time for Harry’s Heat Pumps is quicker than the larger companies and is a highly affordable option to help community residents to save money.

“I’m the local guy you can call who will provide exceptional customer service and get it done right the first time,” Wood said. “We’re a family- oriented company.”

According to Wood, heat pumps use electricity to pull heat out of the air. In winter, they pull warmer air ins

He said heat pumps are very quiet and help improve air quality by filtering the air and dehumidifying a home.

“Air quality can be a key component for optimum health and prevention of illness,” Wood said. “Because a heating and cooling pump uses no fossil fuels, it is eco-friendly by reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere while saving a bundle on heating and cooling costs.”

Heating and cooling pumps require little maintenance and that can add up to substantial savings which can be used for other projects by homeowners, Wood said. “Right now rebates are running between $4,000 and $8,000.”

“The primary advantage of installing a heat pump is that it’s one of the lowest cost sources of heat and that when installed with multiple indoor units, heat pumps allow for room-by-room temperature control,” he said. “They are safe because heat pumps are electrically powered and there is no risk of combustion gas leaks. Many people have the misconception that the electricity consumption cost with a heat pump is higher, but in reality, are very efficient and also help dehumidify and cool homes in the summer.”

When compared to larger companies, Harry’s Heat Pumps is highly competitive in its pricing.

“We have much lower overhead allowing us to offer significant savings,” he said. “And heat pumps also typically provide 250 to 300 percent efficiency when compared to oil prices.”

Online reviews for Harry’s Heat Pumps are extraordinary.

“Harry runs an awesome operation. He is responsive, knowledgeable, and professional. He and his team showed up, treated the workspace as if it was their own house, knocked out the work expediently and with high quality. He communicated well throughout, and he (and his team) took pride in their work. All this great service plus the pricing was phenomenal. Highly recommend.” Matt Reichel

“My experience with Harry was by FAR the best I've had with any tradesman in years. Polite, professional, on time, responsive, answered all my questions and then some. A great guy! You cannot go wrong with Harry's Heat Pumps.” Fern Oates

“Harry was great to deal with. He diagnosed the problem with my old system, recommended a solution, and got it done in a timely manner. Attention to detail was top notch, he was punctual, and communication was great. I am very happy and recommend using Harry's Heat Pumps.” Drew MacVane

Harry’s Heat Pumps is insured, licensed, fully certified to work on heating and cooling pump systems and they are a registered vendor with efficiency Maine.

The company is currently booking for the summer season. Find Harry’s Heat Pumps online at https://www.harrysheatpumps.com/ or on Facebook, Instagram and Google or call 207-310-3473 for Harry’s Heat Pumps. <