Wildlife Removal & Pest Control Contractor in Barnegat Light, NJ

While treating the property of a new Home Protection Plan client in Barnegat Light, NJ, we noticed a pile of lumber next the home in the backyard, and decided to take a closer look at. Once we did, we found a healthy colony of subterranean termites crawling around! We brought this to the owners attention and, with their permission, we discarded all the lumber and began our treatment.

For an effective treatment, we treated the entire exterior perimeter of the home with a liquid termiticide. The termiticide will bind to the treated areas and create a protective zone that the termites can't detect. The termites are going to come in contact with this treatment, return to their nest, and spread it throughout their colony. A short while later, the termites will be exterminated and the home will be protected from termites for many years.

Before we left, we spoke to the homeowner one more time and mentioned that her and her husband should keep any and all wood on a concrete or metal slab at least 6 inches off the ground and at least 20 feet from the home. She agreed, and shall be doing that moving forward!

This customer in Barnegat Light, NJ noticed that there was a lot of moisture in his crawl space, so after seeing us encapsulate his neighbors crawl space, he called our Crawl Space Division for help. Once we arrived and inspected the area, we determined that the majority of the moisture coming into the crawl space was due to the broken crawl space door. Controlling what goes on in your crawl space begins with the crawl space door. Too often, a crawl space door is simply cut from a piece of plywood and secured loosely over the crawl space opening with hinges or screws. Unfortunately, this treatment allows insect and rodent pests to enter the crawl space, along with cold winter air that can make your floors frigid. To make matters worse, wood will crack, warp and deteriorate over time, requiring repainting or even replacement.

First, we removed all the contaminated insulation from the crawl space, disposed of it, wiped down all the joists, and installed ComfortTherm® insulation. ComfortTherm® insulation provides excellent temperature and noise control, and comes with a vapor-retarder for use in hot, humid climates. Next, we leveled the ground for proper draining and installed drainage matting, which is a dimpled plastic mat that allows all excess moisture to work its way over to the sump pump. Afterward, we installed a vapor barrier.

A vapor barrier is a heavy-duty, 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with a polyester-cord reinforcement. The vapor barrier is extremely durable and is treated with an antimicrobial to prevent mold. Afterward, we installed SilverGlo™ on the walls of the crawl space, which is a waterproof foam insulation that seals the walls from outside moisture and humidity. Next, we installed a Sani-Dry Sedona commercial-grade dehumidifier to control the humidity levels in the crawl space. The Sedona directs the extracted water pulled out of the air directly into the sump pump and will control the humidity levels in the crawl space.

Lastly, we removed the old crawl space door and installed an EverLast™ crawl space door. EverLast™ crawl space doors are made from ½-in.-thick PVC plastic that is just about indestructible. EverLast™ doors will never warp, crack, shrink or require maintenance or painting. An air and water seal is certain, thanks to the heavy-duty weatherstripping that comes with each EverLast™ door. 

A new Home Protection Plan customer in Barnegat Light, NJ found some rodent droppings in his crawl space and was worried that he may have mice in his home! So he called Cowleys for help and we were sent out. 

As we inspected the crawl space, we confirmed the owners suspicion that they were indeed mice in his home! Fortunately, we found the access point within minutes! There was a gap around a utility pipe on the outside of the property that the mice were using to infest the home. Many homeowners forget to seal any gaps around the external utility lines, so mice (who only need an opening the width of a pencil) use them to infest a home!

First, we carefully cleaned up all the droppings and set up several rodent bait stations in the crawl space and along the outside of the home. Next, we stuffed the opening around the utility pipe with chew-proof metal mesh and then sealed it (as well as any other gaps we found) with a premium, waterproof adhesive. Lastly, we scheduled several follow up inspections, to monitor the activity as well as replenish the bait stations until the mice are no longer infesting the home. 

Recently, a homeowner in Barnegat Light, NJ contacted us because of wasp activity around their swimming pool. During late summer, stinging insects are at a peak and we receive many calls for mature nests that have formed in all the wrong places. Upon inspection of the pool area, I could not initially locate any nests. I banged on the railing surrounding the pool, seeing if that would jar any activity. Sure enough, some yellow jackets started coming up from an opening in the brick paver around the pool. Unlike paper wasps and other stinging insects, yellow jackets often build underground nests in cavities, so they stay hidden until disturbed. 

I treated the nest with an effective dust that gets distributed to all of the members of the colony. It works quite quickly and waited a few minutes to knock down the wasp population. Once the activity stopped, I cleaned up the area. Now, this family can enjoy their pool for the remaining weeks of summer!

Solar panels are becoming more and more popular with homeowners. Harnessing the energy of the sun saves on utility bills and is a renewable energy source that is environmentally friendly. However, at Cowleys, we do come across one problem with solar panels installed on the roof. For whatever reason, solar panels are often a magnet for nuisance birds, especially pigeons. They just love to nest underneath them where they can stay hidden and protected from predator birds like hawks and ospreys. 

With their prodigious (not to mention toxic and acidic) droppings, pigeons can make a mess of your roof and the surrounding area of your home. Droppings landing on occupants trying to enter and leave the home are not unread of. Also, if you’ve ever been around a flock of pigeons, they make constant sounds. The males make calls to attract mates and defend their territories and they also make calls of alarm when they feel their territory is being threatened. I have yet to meet a homeowner who enjoys having pigeons nesting and roosting on their roof. Without exception, homeowners want these “rats with wings,” as their often called, gone!! 

Cowleys has a specialized division, Bird Solutions by Cowleys, devoted to the installation of a variety of bird deterrent devices for residences and commercial properties of all sizes. With this home in Barnegat Light, NJ, we excluded the birds by installing a solar panel exclusion system. This effective deterrent will keep pigeons and other birds away from the solar panels without harming them. The objective with bird control is to modify the birds’ behavior by making your property inhospitable for them. If your property is made difficult for birds to land on or there are strategically placed visual deterrents that scare the birds away, it will not take long for the birds to “pick up their bags” and move elsewhere.