Before & After Photos

A Cowleys wildlife control team was dispatched to a home in New Egypt. This homeowner had a family of raccoons that had nested in his attic, apparently for quite a long time. 

Fortunately, there was no longer an active infestation — the raccoons were long gone. However, the attic was a toxic mess from all their urine and droppings. While the pungent odor of animal waste wafting through your house is a problem, the real concern is the health hazard.

Cowleys wildlife control technicians are trained not only in trapping and excluding wildlife from homes and commercial buildings, but also in safely sanitizing and deodorizing those areas that have been infested.

Recently, we were contacted by homeowners in Millstone Township, NJ who decided to have a dehumidifier installed in their basement as a permanent long-term solution to their chronic humidity problem. High moisture environments in crawl spaces and basements invites mold, insects, and even structural damage to the home. 

The readings on our hygrometer, which measures the humidity (amount of water vapor) in the air, confirmed that this basement had an unacceptably high level of humidity. Homes require an acceptable range of humidity for our comfort and health, and air that is too dry or too wet can be the source of problems for a home’s occupants. Our homes are most comfortable at humidity levels between 30 - 50%. Almost always, the problem with basements and crawl spaces Is too much humidity. High humidity levels can cause condensation on windows, wet stains on walls and ceilings, musty odors, and over extended periods of time, wood rot and structural damage. humidity levels rise above 55%,  a home is ripe for mold growth. Mold spores attach to wet or damp surfaces,  consuming whatever organic material that it grows upon. 

Based on the size (cubic volume) of the basement and its humidity level, we recommended a SaniDry XP commercial dehumidifier. We only install SaniDry commercial-grade dehumidifiers. These machines are specifically designed and manufactured for the challenging environments of basements and crawl spaces. Generic residential dehumidifiers simply aren’t up to the job. For example, the SaniDry XP is a powerful energy-efficient dehumidifier that outperforms standard household dehumidifiers by as much as 10 times while using the same amount of energy to run. The SaniDry XP can effectively cover indoor living spaces over 3000 square feet, making it well-suited for basements and crawl spaces over 40” high. 

The most important difference between a residential dehumidifier and a SaniDry commercial dehumidifier is its ease of use and automatic operation. A residential dehumidifier requires human intervention to empty the pan of collected dehumidified water. If not timely emptied the pan will overflow and the machine usually huts off once the flow bucket is full. Our commercial dehumidifiers direct the extracted water pulled out of the air into either a sump pump or, if a sump pump isn’t present, a small condensation pump that pumps the water through a 1/2” condensate hose that runs to the outside of the basement. For this installation, we needed to drill a 1/2” hole through the foundation wall to run the hose outside. The installation went off without a hitch.  Now, this basement will no longer have chronic humidity issues. The home will be more comfortable and the risk of dangerous mold growth has been removed.

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. 

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.