Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos

Recently, a homeowner in Freehold, NJ contacted Cowleys because of a troublesome mouse infestation. Mouse droppings were all over the home. This poses a serious health hazard because droppings can contaminate food surfaces, and contain many dangerous pathogens. For animals that weighs less than an ounce, mice can transmit serious diseases and cause significant property damage with their incessant gnawing. We see a sharp spike in mouse infestations when outdoor temperatures drop in the fall and winter, and the rodents are looking to escape the harsh outdoor elements. 

Upon arrival, I stated my inspection to determine where there was active rodent activity and how they were gaining access inside and around the home. Because of their size, finding mouse entry points is a challenge. They only need a space around the diameter of a dime to gain entry inside a home. Here, there was extensive rodent activity in the kitchen, which is common since the mice are attracted to accumulated food debris and the heat and moisture in this part of the home. Mice are especially attracted to appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators because of the heat generated by the motors. 

During my kitchen inspection, I found mouse droppings and a mouse hole nearby the dishwasher. I cleaned up the droppings and plugged the hole with a chew-proof copper mesh. I also placed a rodent bait station underneath the dishwasher before closing everything back up. Next, I checked under and behind the stove. There were many droppings, but no holes. Moving onto the next room, I found a hole in the closet along with mice droppings. Mice are attracted to the dark, private locations of closets and it’s quite common to have an  unwanted mouse encounter when opening a closet door. I did the same here: cleaned up the droppings, plugged the hole with copper mesh, and placed a bait station inside. Finally, the last location inside the home where there were droppings was the garage. The garage already had some bait stations inside and I replenished the bait. 

I then turned by attention to the home’s exterior perimeter to determine how the mice were gaining access inside the home in the first place. There was a mouse hole neat the garage area that I sealed. There were already two bait stations outside the home and I replenished the bait. Based on the remaining bait, it was evident that there was heavy rodent activity around the home. With the movement of mice restricted inside the home and all of the bait stations, the mouse population and mouse sightings should dramatically drop down shortly. I’ll be returning for a follow-up to re-inspect and determine additional treatments as necessary. 

We received a call from a homeowner in Freehold, NJ who was suffering from raccoons in her attic. After our wildlife team took care of the raccoons and blocked up their entryway we needed to take care of the damage they did in the attic. Her attic had been decimated by raccoons. There was an abundant amount of raccoon feces and urine all over her attic. Raccoon feces and urine are harborage areas for viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Most notoriously the parasite Bayliscacariscc procyonis — also known as "raccoon roundworm.”  Once it enters a human, serious symptoms can emerge within days. This parasite invades the lungs, liver, heart, eyes, and brain and sparks serious inflammation throughout the body. While some people make a full recovery, the infection can leave others blind, in a coma, or with permanent brain damage. It's sometimes fatal. 

First, we put on our personal protective equipment and removed all of the soiled fiberglass insulation that contained raccoon droppings and urine. Once raccoons made their business in your attic and on your insulation, you have to get rid of it. Afterward, we carefully removed all the contents and then sanitized and deodorized the attic. Not properly cleaning up your attic can lead to serious health risks. By using a broom or vacuum, you increase the risk of dangerous air particles raising, hence increasing the risk of contracting the roundworm parasite. Finally, we blew in cellulose insulation. Cellulose insulation is made from ground up recycled paper. It is treated with different types of applications that aren’t hazardous to humans and provides resistance to mold, pests, and fire.

Recently, this homeowner in Freehold, NJ had a severe issue with bats in his attic. Fortunately, our Wildlife Division safely removed all the bats out of the attic and then excluded the area to prevent future intrusions from not just bats, but all nuisance wildlife and birds as well. Unfortunately, there was a bigger issue that needed to be addressed.

The insulation throughout the attic was saturated with bat guano and needed to be removed ASAP. If not, there are several health concerns that could arise from the bat droppings, such as Histoplasmosis. Histoplasmosis is a disease that primarily affects the lungs and can be life-threatening, particularly to those with a weakened immune system. It is transmitted when a person inhales spores from the fungus that grows on bat droppings.

First, we carefully disposed of all the contaminated insulation and disinfected the entire attic. Next, we added approximately 12 inches of blown-in Tru-Soft Cellulose attic insulation. The cellulose insulation creates a thermal barrier to help keep the home more comfortable and energy-efficient and the cellulose insulation will fill the attic to the recommended insulation levels. 

Now, not only is the attic disinfected and the bats are removed, but now, because of the cellulose insulation, the homeowner will save a lot of money on his energy bill.

After safely and successfully retrieving a raccoon from this home in Freehold, NJ, we needed to patch up the main access point in the soffit. As we discussed different sealing options with the homeowner, she had mentioned that she didn't want any screws in her soffit. 

So we measured out the access point and cut a portion of metal flashing (that match the same color of the soffit area). We then installed it over the access point and secured it in place with a waterproof, premium adhesive.

After hearing birds chirping in her laundry room, this homeowner in Freehold, NJ contacted our Bird Services division to come out and help. After a thorough inspection, we discovered that birds were entering and nesting in a damaged dryer vent. As often happens, birds exploit the vent opening to build a nest inside the home. Damaged exhaust vents not only allow birds and other critters to gain access to your home but also allow moisture to come in, which can lead to mold and mildew problems. However, the biggest risk of all is the nesting material obstructing airflow and creating a fire hazard.

We carefully removed the nesting material and then disinfected the area with a solution that targets and eliminates bird mites. Next, we installed a magnetic vent cover and then sealed the edges with a waterproof, premium adhesive and painted the tips of screws to blend in. Now the dryer vent is properly sealed off without compromising airflow.