Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos

This homeowner in Morganville, NJ had an issue with bats roaming around his attic, so our Nuisance Wildlife Division was sent out and safely removed them from the home. Now that the bats are gone, we need to make sure they don't get back in!

After a thorough examination of the home, we determined that the bats were able to enter the home via the ridge vent & the attic fan. To fix this, we installed Ridge-Guard® and an attic fan cover. Ridge-Guard® secures and reinforces the ridge vent shingles so that bats, flying squirrels, and other nuisance wildlife are unable to enter. The attic fan covers are made out of heavy-duty 18 Gauge expanded Galvannealed steel mesh and prevents all nuisance wildlife from entering the home through the attic fan. Not only is the home properly secured from bats, but all nuisance wildlife too!

This homeowner in Morganville, NJ, had an infestation of squirrels in their attic. After a thorough inspection, we discovered that they were entering the home via the gable vent. Squirrels infesting a home via the gable vents is very common as over time, the gable vents get weathered and squirrels (and other nuisance wildlife) have no problem ripping away these vents to find shelter inside a home. After installing our retrieval devices, in a short amount of time, we successfully and safely retrieved all the squirrels and relocated them to a new, humane location.

Before we left, we removed the broken gable vent, disinfected the attic, and installed a louvered vent guard. This material is made out of heavy-duty Galvannealed steel (which means it won't rust) and is customized to accommodate vents of all shapes and sizes. Now that it is installed, squirrels and other nuisance wildlife will no longer be able to enter the attic through the gable vent.

We were sent out on a service call to a new customers home in Marlboro, NJ, to treat for mice. The owner was wondering why she had mice to begin with because she regularly deep cleaned her home. Well, about 30 yards away from the property was a heavy wooded area with a lot of water and, after a thorough inspection of the home, there were a lot of gaps around the basement vents. The mice were coming from the woods and, since it was getting cold outside, making there way into the basement!

As we inspected the basement, we found a ton of mice droppings and tunnels throughout the insulation. Mice will often tunnel in the insulation to create a warm nesting place. First, we carefully removed all the mice droppings. Next, we installed several rodent bait stations throughout the basement and along the exterior of the home.

Afterward, we stuffed all the openings around the basement vents with chew-proof, stainless steel mesh and then sealed them with a waterproof, premium adhesive. Lastly, we scheduled several follow up visits to replenish the bait in the rodent bait stations and to monitor the mice activity.

I was sent to a home in Howell that was having a problem with overwintering mice. As temperatures drop, mice will start entering our homes seeking food and shelter. Upon arrival, the first thing we do is speak with the homeowner to find out where there has been rodent activity. Since mice are nocturnal and tend to do their foraging in the dead of night, usually homeowners will see signs of activity before spotting live mouse activity. Common signs of mouse trouble are finding mouse droppings, nesting materials, or stored food. A homeowner may also find mouse tracks in dusty places and oily rub marks along the walls. Sometimes, it’s the smell that let’s a homeowner know that there is a problem. We are often called in after a homeowner smells urine or a dead rotting mouse carcass behind the dryer or refrigerator

We want to know where there has been signs of mouse activity to help us focus on our inspection. Mice can find access points into a home in numerous places, but once inside, the small sneaky critters will usually make their way to the kitchen because they are looking for food and that’s where the “motherload” of food is located. Mice are especially attracted to pet foods that are left out in the open and easy-to-infiltrate cardboard cereal containers.  

An important part of my inspection when dealing with mice is looking for points of entry. It’s a challenge. Mice are even smaller than you think they are because of their fur. So, unlike some of the larger wildlife like squirrels and raccoons, the entry points are not as obvious, and a hole about the diameter of a dime is enough for them to squeeze in. Common points of entry include holes around pipe chases, electrical conduits, gaps under siding, overhead garage doors, and Bilco basement doors. Overhead doors often don’t shut all the way to the ground, and if weatherstripping is missing or damaged, it’s an open invitation. Likewise, Bilco doors often have uneven gaps between the steel door and the frame that are large enough for small rodent access. 

After determining the points of entry, I’ll seal any small holes with copper mesh and caulking. Larger openings require some construction work, and Cowleys has a home construction crew able to repair those gaps and cracks that need more than a sturdy “plug.”  

After closing the points of entry, I’ll take care of the infestation by baiting the areas of activity.

This homeowner in Howell, NJ had burnt out THREE store bought dehumidifiers. Finally, he said that enough was enough, and he contacted Cowleys to install a commercial-grade SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier that we set-up to drain directly into the sump pump. This fully automatic dehumidifier, which is specifically designed to work in crawl spaces and basements, is maintenance-free with no water pan to empty or worry about overflowing.

Proper dehumidification is essential to prevent mold growth in damp, dark basements and crawl spaces. Mold will thrive if the moisture content in the air is too high. You need a leaky pipe, a flood, or some other major water intrusion for mold to form. High indoor humidity is plenty to trigger dangerous mold growth.

This particular dehumidifier, with the capacity to remove 100 pints per day of water out of the air and moves over 300 cubic feet per minute of dry air around your crawl space or basemen will keep your basement or crawl space below 55% relative humidity. With low humidity levels, mold can’t grow and, as an added benefit, dust mites will die off. We avoid thinking about these distasteful things, but dust mite fecal matter is the primary cause of indoor allergies. 

By producing clean, dry, and healthy air this dehumidifier improves a home’s indoor air quality, prevents mold growth, and reduces those stinky musty smells that often develop in damp areas of the home.