Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos

Recently, I was sent to a home in Rumson, NJ to resolve a troublesome mouse infestation. The homeowner had observed mouse activity in the garage and utility room, and contacted Cowleys before they found their way inside the living areas of the home. Here, the back wall of the utility room directly abutted the garage. Garages are common entry points for mice and I inspected the area to determine how they could be gaining access inside. There was no shortage of entry points. The mice had numerous ways to get inside the garage. I showed the homeowner what needed to be done to stop the mice from gaining access. Both the garage door and side door had openings that needed to be fixed. Often, weather stripping can deteriorate leaving openings and garage doors do not close all the way down. If you can see daylight coming in, assume a mouse can as well. 

I went to work plugging the the hole in the wall into the utility room from the garage with a chew-proof copper mesh. I also installed three RTU (Ready-to-Use) bait stations. These stations have a special key needed to open up the boxes to apply the bait cannot be accessed by non-target animals. These stations also allow me to monitor the level of rodent activity when replenishing the bait. After finishing up with the garage, I plugged up the holes in the utility room and installed two more RTU bait stations there. The homeowner did the right thing by contacting Cowleys at the first sign of rodent trouble. It is far easier to deal with an infestation before they gain access in the kitchen and other living areas of the home.

This homeowner in Rumson, NJ decided it was time to get rid of all the moisture in his crawl space and utilize it for storage, but he had no idea what to do. So he called Cowleys and we were sent out to insect and encapsulate.

After a thorough inspection, we noticed that the crawl space was in disarray and the insulation was dirty and soaked with moisture. Using our hygrometer, we noticed the humidity levels were extremely high. Fortunately, no mold had developed. Crawl spaces can spell trouble. As a subterranean space, they are often the primary point of entry for water and moisture, and they are the root cause of many home problems – including problems that affect your family’s health.

After speaking with the homeowner and discussing options, we went to work. First, we removed all the debris and contaminated insulation and then leveled the ground for proper draining. Afterward, we installed a drainage matting, which is a dimpled plastic mat that allows excess moisture to work its way over to the new sump pump we installed. We then filled the outside of the hole of the sump pump area with stones which will allow water to filter downward.

Next, we installed a vapor barrier which is a 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with a polyester-cord reinforcement. It cannot tear, is extremely durable, and is treated with an antimicrobial finish that protects against mold and mildew growth. Once the vapor barrier was down, we installed SilverGlo™ along the walls of the crawl space. SilverGlo™ is a durable and waterproof rigid foam insulation that seals the walls from outside moisture and humidity.

Lastly, we installed a Sani-Dry Sedona dehumidifier. This heavy-duty, commercial-grade dehumidifier directs the extracted water pulled out of the air directly into the sump pump. Now the crawl space will no longer have any issues with high humidity levels, mold or mildew growth, and will create a healthy environment for the family.

This homeowner in Rumson, NJ was tired of having an excessive amount of moisture in his crawl space, so he called our office to encapsulate it. Excessive moisture in your crawl space can have a major impact on your family’s health. In fact, 50% of the air in your home comes up through the crawl space — which means that moisture and mold can seep into your home, where you're breathing it in. After surveying the crawl space, we noticed that the homeowner had a dirt floor crawl space. Dirt floor crawl spaces attract and absorb moisture. When the dirt dries, the moisture from the dirt ground evaporates up into the crawl space, which causes humidity levels to rise in your home. After a thorough inspection, we determined that this was the cause of the moisture build-up in the crawl space.  

First, we leveled the ground for proper draining and installed drainage matting. This material is a dimpled plastic mat that allows all excess moisture to work its way over to the sump pump. Once we finished, we installed a vapor barrier which is a heavy-duty, 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with a polyester-cord reinforcement. It cannot tear and is extremely durable. The vapor barrier is also treated with an antimicrobial to prevent mold and is installed over the foundation walls and floor to create a continuous air and moisture barrier.

Next, we installed SilverGlo™ on the walls of the crawl space. SilverGlo™ is a waterproof foam insulation that seals the walls from outside moisture and humidity. Lastly, we installed a Sani-Dry Sedona commercial-grade dehumidifier to control the humidity levels. The Sedona directs the extracted water pulled out of the air directly into the sump pump.

We were sent out on a service call to a home in Rumson, NJ to treat for hornets. When we arrived, the homeowner mentioned that the nest was right above her backdoor. Sure enough, when we checked, we found an active bald-faced hornets! Bald-faced hornets are social stinging insects that are a close relative to yellow jackets. The surface of their upper midsection almost looks triangular from the side, and they have white markings on their face. One very important fact that you must know about bald-faced hornets is that they are EXTREMELY aggressive and will not hesitate to sting anything that invades their space. Their stings carry venom that makes the stings hurt, itch, and swell for about 24 hours!

First, we equipped our personal protective bee suit and treated the nest with a knockdown dusting application and then a knockdown liquid product. Both of these treatments will exterminate the bald-faced hornets almost immediately. Once a majority of the hornets were eliminated, we removed the nest, properly disposed of it, and then treated the area with a residual product to eliminate any returning bald-faced hornets & prevent them from building another nest. 

After the Little Rascals Nuisance Wildlife team had safely removed all the bats from this residence in Allenhurst, NJ, attic we were sent out to remove the contaminated insulation and replace it.

We removed all the contaminated insulation, disinfected the entire attic, and added about 12" of TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation. TruSoft is blown-in cellulose insulation that, unlike fiberglass batts and blankets, effectively covers every attic corner, nook, and cranny, providing complete insulation coverage. This insulation offers top-notch thermal and acoustical (sound-deadening) properties.  

TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation also has a higher R-value than standard fiberglass insulation, has the highest Class-1 fire safety rating, is resistant to mold and pests, is eco-friendly, maximizes home comfort, and optimizes energy usage for year-round peace and savings.