Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos

Recently, our crawl space specialists completed an upgrade for a home in Point Pleasant, NJ. The homeowner thought that after a recent heavy rainstorm he better check his crawl space for water. It was a good thing he did. The crawl space had stagnant water along with high humidity levels. He was concerned, and rightly so, that mold could develop. Moisture build-up in crawl spaces creates an ideal environment for mold growth. When hidden mold forms in the non-living spaces of homes like crawl spaces, basements, and attics, airborne spores circulate throughout the entire home adversely affecting air quality for the home’s occupants, and those sensitive to mold can develop respiratory issues. Excess moisture can lead to structural damage, including wood rot wood and rusted metal, and is also an attractant for insects and wildlife. Mosquitoes, for instance, breed in standing water.

Prior to entering the crawl space, we donned our personal protective equipment. Mold is a bio-hazard in enclosed spaces and proper safety precautions must always be used. With gloves, masks, and goggles in place, we began a thorough inspection of the crawl space. There were multiple water puddles throughout the crawl space, so the area was ripe for mold growth. However, after inspecting every nook and cranny of the crawl space, we couldn’t find any mold growth that had yet taken hold. 

Continuing our inspection, we concluded that the moisture was coming up right through the dirt floor soil. Soil is a porous medium that acts like a sponge. About half its volume is air space and the other half is mineral and organic. It can soak up a large amount of water from above and below. Different soils have different water-holding capacities based on its porousness up to its point of saturation when all its pores are full. After rainfall, soil soaks up water, and once the soil is saturated, it will form surface puddles along with moisture and humidity. Although it was a good sign that there was not yet any mold growth in the crawl space, with this level of moisture build-up, it was only a matter of time before mold would form. This was a case where a homeowner had the foresight to realize there was a potential problem and contacted us early on. Usually, we are contacted after mold has already formed.

It was time for us to upgrade the crawl space. For this job, the homeowner requested that we install a vapor barrier. But not any vapor barrier. Many of the vapor barriers installed are no better than contractor bags. We use super-durable, 20-mil 7-ply plastic sheet material made up of high and low-density polyethylene with polyester-cord reinforcement. These barriers are as tough as nails and can be walked on without fear of tearing. We placed the vapor barrier on the dirt floor crawl space and anchored it directly into the wall. This barrier will deter moisture from entering the crawl space. A dry crawl space prevents mold growth and other water-related problems.

This job was a great example of a homeowner taking a proactive approach to prevent mold and mildew growth. Crawl spaces are notorious trouble spots for homeowners. It’s far better to identify and fix crawl space water and moisture problems before mold takes hold. 

Recently, we went on a service call for a homeowner in Point Pleasant Beach NJ, who was having an issue with birds getting into his home. As we inspected the exterior of the home to find the birds’ point of access, we came across a damaged plastic exhaust vent. As we took a closer look, a Starling peak his head out of the dryer vent and flew off!

Starlings are stocky black birds with short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. They nest in holes and cavities and often use holes in buildings — primarily dryer vents. Sterlings will exploit a 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. 

First, we thoroughly inspected the entire interior and exterior of the home to find any other nesting areas, to which we didn’t find. Next, we spoke with the homeowner regarding the dryer vent and mentioned that it needs to be replaced. He agreed and immediately scheduled an appointment with a contractor. Then, we sanitized and deodorized the vent with a solution that targets bird mites. Bird mites are tiny, semi-transparent parasites that feed on the blood of birds. When birds leave their nests, the mites are left behind without a suitable host for their next blood meal. They will enter a home and feed on the blood of humans. Bird mites are the main reason why extreme care is needed when removing a nest. 

After removing all remnants of bird activity, as a temporary solution, we secured hardware cloth on the inside of the vent to prevent any more birds from attempting to access that area. Now the homeowner will no longer worry about annoying birds gaining access into his home.

We were sent out to a condominium association in Point Pleasant, NJ to safely remove birds that were harboring in one of the dryer vents. When we arrived, we spotted a bird coming out of one of the dryer vents on the second floor. In order to safely remove the birds, we installed a customized one-way device over the dryer vent. The birds can push the flap open when they exit, however, because the flap is weighted, they'll be unable to reenter the vent. The best part of this device is that, if there are young birds inside, the adult female will still be able to feed them through the flap, until they leave.

A short time later, we were able to safely remove all the birds from the home. We then removed all the nesting debris out of the vent, disinfected the area, and installed a DryerWallVent® to each of the dryer vents. The DryerWallVent’s large opening and angled damper provide maximum airflow efficiency for the safe venting of the dryer. Integrated magnets keep the damper closed when the dryer is not in use, keeping nuisance birds and other pests on the outside. 

After meeting with one of our sales inspectors, a new customer in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ wanted Cowleys to add some much needed insulation in his crawl space. When we arrived, we saw that the crawl space was full of debris and there was barely any insulation in the crawl space. Little to no insulation in a crawl space can make your floors feel cold, cause excessive moisture to build up, and lead to mold & rot issues.

First, we removed all the contaminated insulation & debris, discarded them properly, and cleaned up the joists. Once we finished, we installed new ComfortTherm® insulation throughout the entire crawl space. ComfortTherm® insulation improves energy efficient and provides excellent sound control. 

This homeowner in Shrewsbury, NJ had a raccoon rip apart his weathered gable vent and make a new home in his attic! Previously, we safely retrieved the raccoon and relocated it to a new, humane environment. Afterward, we disinfected the entire attic and removed all the contaminated insulation. In regards to replacing his insulation, the homeowner wanted our Contracting team to come out and reinsulate the attic with new blown-in cellulose insulation. 

In order to prevent any future raccoons from reinfesting the home, we removed the old, broken gable vent and replaced it with a louvered vent guard. This material is made of heavy-duty Galvannealed steel (which means it won't rust) and is customized to accommodate vents of all shapes and sizes. Now the home is properly protected from raccoons, as well as all nuisance wildlife!