Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos
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Carpenter Bees Damage the Facia in Holmdel, NJ
A homeowner in Holmdel, NJ was having issues with carpenter bees infesting the wood fascia boards in his house. Carpenter bees, large, shiny black bees, are destructive wood-boring insects. The female bee burrows into the wood to lay her eggs while the male hovers around nearby to protect the queen from any predators or other males. The tell-tail sign of a carpenter bee infestation is sawdust, commonly known as sass, collecting below the holes where the bees have bored into the wood. As this homeowner found out, besides the drilling damage from carpenter bees, the larvae attract noisy woodpeckers that drill holes along the bee homes to reach and feed on the larvae. Woodpecker activity results in long trenches and holes along the wood. Needless to say, after the cumulative effect of carpenter bee and woodpecker activity, a home can suffer quite a bit of damage. The damage is more than unsightly. The holes can allow water seepage into the wood, weakening it and causing wood rot which it, turn, can lead to other insect and even wildlife infestations. Squirrels and raccoons commonly exploit weaknesses in a home’s structure, especially damaged fascia boards, soffits, or roofing shingles, to gain access inside the attic.
These carpenter bees were persistent. After a few treatments, the bees and the woodpeckers would return. A permanent solution was needed to prevent these re-infestations, and Cowleys home improvement crew was called in. To repair the damage, we removed the damaged wood fascia and replaced it with a high-performance exterior cellular PVC trim. This material won’t rot, cup, split, twist, or warp, and carpenter bees, or woodpeckers for that matter, can’t drill into it. The new fascia looked great and blended in with the house. The homeowner was relieved that the carpenter bee infestation was gone, and he no longer had to listen to noisy woodpeckers chipping away on his home.
Adding TruSoft Blown-in Cellulose Insulation in Holmdel, NJ
A new customer in Holmdel, NJ decided that it was about time to insulate his attic, so he contacted our Attic Systems division. When we inspected the area we were shocked to discover that there no insulation at all in the attic! There was just some debris and old boxes. Without proper insulation, the rooms in the upper levels of a home will become colder a lot quicker, making winter a lot more uncomfortable. First, we removed any and all debris in the attic and then air sealed all the gaps and cracks in the attic. This will eliminate air flow between the living space and the attic, improving energy efficiency.
Afterward, we installed Tight Shell Can Light Covers over the recessed lights in the attic. These are made out of a fire resistant material and is specifically designed to stop unwanted air leakage through the recessed lights. Next, we added over 10 inches of TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation. TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation maximizes home comfort, has the highest Class-1 fire safety rating & is resistant to mold and pests. Lastly, we installed several SilverGlo™ borders. This will prevent the insulation from overflowing onto the attic floor and makes the attic look more organized.
Cleaning Out the Attic & Adding Blown-In Cellulose Insulation in Holmdel, NJ
Now that our Little Rascals Nuisance Wildlife Removal team has adequately removed all the squirrels from this attic in Holmdel, NJ, we're here to clean up and add new blown-in cellulose insulation. First, we carefully removed all the droppings and contaminated insulation in the attic. Afterward, we air-sealed all the gaps and cracks in the attic. This will eliminate air flow between the living space and the attic, improving energy efficiency.
Lastly, we added over 10 inches of TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation. This insulation maximizes home comfort, has the highest Class-1 fire safety rating, and is resistant to mold and pests. After adding TruSoft, we installed several SilverGlo™ borders. This will prevent the insulation from overflowing onto the attic floor and make the attic look more organized.
Groundhog Getting Underneath the Back Porch in Holmdel, NJ
This homeowner in Holmdel, NJ had an issue with a groundhog nesting underneath her back deck, so she called Little Rascals for help. We installed our retrieval devices and, after a short period of time, we successfully and safely retrieved the groundhog and relocated to a new, safer location.
In order to prevent any additional groundhogs, or any other nuisance wildlife, from harboring underneath the customers deck, we installed Dig Defense®. Dig Defense® is a below-ground fence system that is 15 inches deep, 4 feet across, and protects structures against invasive nuisance wildlife and feral animals.
Huge Yellow Jackets Nest Under the Attic Insulation in Colts Neck, NJ
This homeowner in Colts Neck, NJ, had a major infestation of yellow jackets in one of her upstairs bathroom and needed help to remove them ASAP. So she found Cowleys online, gave us a call, and we were sent out to inspect and treat. As we examined the bathroom, we noticed that the yellow jackets were coming from a tiny hole in the bathroom closet. Since the attic was right above, we decided to inspect that area. As we removed a piece of insulation, we uncovered a HUGE yellow jackets nest! Turns out that there was a tiny hole in the attic that the yellow jackets were using to infest the home!
We treated the nest with a knockdown aerosol and a knockdown dusting application. Both of these treatments will exterminate the yellow jackets almost immediately. A short while later, we carefully removed the nest, disposed of it, cleaned up the area, sealed the hole in the bathroom closet with a waterproof adhesive, and then applied a liquid residual product to the attic area. This treatment will eliminate any remaining yellow jackets in the area as well as prevent them from rebuilding their nest.