Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos

A commercial facility in Piscataway used extensively by the public was having issues with pigeons nesting on a ledge above its elevators. The pigeons were causing problems because of their prodigious droppings in an enclosed area. Pigeons are one of the most common nuisance birds that we deal with regularly. Unfortunately, pigeons have no fear of being in close proximity to people, and their populations have exploded  in cities and other high density areas where they enjoy  a virtually unlimited food supply. Unfortunately, nuisance birds are like bad evicted tenants. They shuffle from building to building, and when they are “evicted” from one location with deterrent devices, they become someone else’s problem.  

The situation here was unacceptable. Having pigeons circulating around in such an enclosed area was visually unappealing, noisy, bad smelling, as well as a potential health hazard from their toxic droppings. Something needed to be done, and done fast! A crew from Bird Solutions By Cowleys was called out to keep these nuisance birds from perching in the elevator area. 

BirdSlide completely protects ledges against pigeons, swallows, and all other nuisance birds. It’s called BirdSlide for good reason. These angled barriers completely block ledges. Birds can’t grip them, and they slide right off. Birds, unlike kids, don’t find slides much fun. After trying to land a few times unsuccessfully, they get frustrated and look for another less hostile location. 

BirdSlide works on any overhang-type structure where pigeons and other birds tend to congregate including ledges, eaves, angle irons, I-Beams, and most L-shaped ledges. Made from UV-stabilized polycarbonate, this deterrent is long-lasting and, best of all, it’s  unobtrusive. After it is installed, it look like it’s part of the building. BirdSlide can even be color-matched to the building, if necessary for aesthetic reasons, in areas of high visibility. The product comes in grey or beige, but can be painted to match any color. 

The owner of this commercial building in Piscataway, NJ received several complains from his workers about pigeons roosting in the Rooftop HVAC systems and defecating all over the place. Frustrated, he called Bird Solutions by Cowleys and we were sent out. When we inspected the HVAC systems, we found large amounts of bird droppings, nesting debris, and feathers throughout the areas. This isn’t only a health hazard to everyone inside the building, but this also presents a slip, trip, fall hazard to the workers.

In order to exclude the pigeons from these areas, we installed bird netting over the top and underneath the HVAC systems. In order make sure the bird netting is secured, we used a stainless steel cable with net spikes and anchored it into the walls. We then locked the cables in place using copper ferrules and then installed turnbuckles which tighten the cable. 

Bird Netting is a 3/4 inch, heavy duty polyethylene net that is used to humanely block the pigeons as well as all nuisance birds from entering the HVAC systems. It creates an impenetrable barrier that denies all nuisance birds the access to this area and removes their landing areas.

They’ll fly around, realize they can't enter, and move on. The bottom portion of the bird netting is weighted, so that the maintenance team an have easy access to the roof. Another bonus is that the bird netting is almost invisible, unless you take a real close look. Now the rooftop HVAC systems are properly excluded from all nuisance birds. 

For this Highland Park, NJ homeowner, we installed an Everlast door for crawl space access. These vent covers prevent outside air and moisture from entering the crawl space through the exterior vents. They can be installed against wood framing or masonry. they also work exceptionally well, and are aesthetically pleasing. Made with a hard durable plastic, they stand up to the harsh winter weather conditions we see at the Shore. Unlike wood vents, these covers are completely maintenance free — they don’t rot, warp, or crack and they don’t need to be painted. 

Our home improvement specialists love them! We have been using them now for years, and from our experience, they hold up to anything and are virtually indestructible. Also, even though these vent covers completely seal the vents from the outdoor elements, they are easy to open should you need to access your crawl space. All you need to do is twist a few easy-to-grip knobs, and you’re in!  

I arrived at a home in Helmet for their scheduled home protection plan (HPP) servicing.  Our residential service plans, which cover over twenty common household pests, include preventive perimeter treatments and indoor treatments as needed. Homeowners have unlimited service calls for any covered pest infestation throughout the plan period.  

Upon arrival, to my surprise, the homeowner has told me she has been having mice issues for six months, but did not contact us because she had been “getting used” to having mice! As a pest control technician, knowing the property damage and health hazards that mice can cause, I politely explained that a homeowner can never accept or allow an infestation to continue and worsen. Even though mice keep to themselves and avoid human interaction, these pests can cause a host of problems. I was especially surprised because this homeowner had a home protection plan and was fully covered. All she needed to do was pick up the phone and call us. A Cowleys pest control technician would have been immediately dispatched to happily resolve the problem. 

I started my treatment to get rid of this mouse infestation. This homeowner lived in a wooded area of Wall Township, and had mouse problems in the past. I replaced over twenty RTU mouse bait stations inside her home. These stations lock automatically when closed and require a special key to open, making them tamper-resistant to pets and children.  

However, something didn’t sit well with me. This homeowner was still having active mouse activity in her home despite the array of bait traps that were set. I was extra-thorough while inspecting for possible entry points in order to satisfy myself that there were no major openings. I crawled under her deck to check for possible exterior entry points that would match up where there was extensive mouse activity inside the home. My intuition and perseverance paid off. I successfully located a major rodent entry point. As shown in the attached picture, you’ll often see piles of droppings near entry points along with small hair follicles that have rubbed off. Here, the mice pulled out insulation, creating a tunnel for them to come and go as they please. I sealed up the hole with copper mesh to make sure that this entry point would be blocked for good.

The homeowner was pleased with my service. Before leaving I emphasized to her that she should never hesitate to take advantage of her home protection plan, and call us at the first sign of trouble. Pest infestations, whether rodent or insect, are unacceptable to live with. The sooner we come, the less entrenched the infestation, and the easier it is to resolve. Mice may appear to be small, harmless, and docile. But don’t be fooled by their appearance. Once they infest a home, these little creatures can cause significant property damage through their constant gnawing. Also, their toxic droppings can become airborne once they dry out, spreading disease. And mice invading kitchens can contaminate food. If you see mice or signs of a mouse infestation, it is a genuine emergency. For your family’s safety, contact a pest control service immediately. 

Usually, raccoons are messy creatures that leave behind plenty of evidence of their activities to indicate how they managed to break in to someone's home. Raccoons are large animals that can weigh up to twenty pounds, and usually, it doesn’t take much effort to find the hole used to gain access inside the home. However, this particular job in Lakehurst was one in which the point of access into the attic wasn't so obvious. 

During my attic inspection, I saw raccoon droppings, which are fairly large like dog poo. If you see berries in the poo, you're pretty much guaranteed that it was deposited there by a raccoon. And, whatever you do, don’t touch it! Their waste may have raccoon roundworm that can be transmitted to people, causing a host of serious problems, including blindness. Also, insulation had been pushed down and moved. So, I knew that I was dealing with at least one raccoon, but where and how entry was made was not immediately clear. I searched the exterior perimeter of the house looking for the usual entry points. Often, weaken soffits and fascia boards are used by raccoons to gain entry. There was no indication of any breach. I was determined to determine how these little rascals where gaining access. I then checked a less usual entry point, the attic fan in the middle of the roof. Sure enough, something was amiss. The fan’s mesh liner that acts as a barrier to prevent things from getting in, was visible. Something strong had grabbed it and pulled it off. 

I knew that I was “in the zone” and inspected more closely. I saw distinctive raccoon paw prints,and scratch marks on the metal flashing around the attic fan. Raccoon tracks are very distinctive from other nuisance wildlife. These animals have five long splayed toes with small sharp claws. Their tracks are asymmetrical  and resemble small human hands. Their front tracks having a crescent-shaped palm pad and their hind tracks have a long heel pad. There were also raccoon droppings on the roof in the area of the fan. 

I placed an exclusion (an attic fan cover with a raccoon exclusion built into it), over the attic fan. I also set two traps next to the exclusion. This setup will ensure that any raccoons have a one-way trip out of the attic. I expect to quickly and safely capture this wildlife. After, I will release them far away from human habitats where they can live out their lives in peace. Wildlife is wonderful, but wildlife infesting a home can not only cause significant property damage, but is also poses significant health risks. Raccoon urine and droppings carry many dangerous pathogens, and these sometimes vicious biting animals are the primary carriers of rabies.