Before & After Photos

Usually, raccoons are messy creatures that leave behind plenty of evidence of their activities to indicate how they managed to break in to someone's home. Raccoons are large animals that can weigh up to twenty pounds, and usually, it doesn’t take much effort to find the hole used to gain access inside the home. However, this particular job in Lakehurst was one in which the point of access into the attic wasn't so obvious. 

During my attic inspection, I saw raccoon droppings, which are fairly large like dog poo. If you see berries in the poo, you're pretty much guaranteed that it was deposited there by a raccoon. And, whatever you do, don’t touch it! Their waste may have raccoon roundworm that can be transmitted to people, causing a host of serious problems, including blindness. Also, insulation had been pushed down and moved. So, I knew that I was dealing with at least one raccoon, but where and how entry was made was not immediately clear. I searched the exterior perimeter of the house looking for the usual entry points. Often, weaken soffits and fascia boards are used by raccoons to gain entry. There was no indication of any breach. I was determined to determine how these little rascals where gaining access. I then checked a less usual entry point, the attic fan in the middle of the roof. Sure enough, something was amiss. The fan’s mesh liner that acts as a barrier to prevent things from getting in, was visible. Something strong had grabbed it and pulled it off. 

I knew that I was “in the zone” and inspected more closely. I saw distinctive raccoon paw prints,and scratch marks on the metal flashing around the attic fan. Raccoon tracks are very distinctive from other nuisance wildlife. These animals have five long splayed toes with small sharp claws. Their tracks are asymmetrical  and resemble small human hands. Their front tracks having a crescent-shaped palm pad and their hind tracks have a long heel pad. There were also raccoon droppings on the roof in the area of the fan. 

I placed an exclusion (an attic fan cover with a raccoon exclusion built into it), over the attic fan. I also set two traps next to the exclusion. This setup will ensure that any raccoons have a one-way trip out of the attic. I expect to quickly and safely capture this wildlife. After, I will release them far away from human habitats where they can live out their lives in peace. Wildlife is wonderful, but wildlife infesting a home can not only cause significant property damage, but is also poses significant health risks. Raccoon urine and droppings carry many dangerous pathogens, and these sometimes vicious biting animals are the primary carriers of rabies.

I was recently sent out to a senior citizen development in Monroe Township, NJ to resolve a mouse infestation. The homeowner, who had quite a sense of humor considering there were rodents in her dwelling, told me that she was seeing “Mickey and friends,” but she was stumped as to how these little critters were gaining access to her home.

Usually, when inspecting for rodents, you’ll only see signs of rodent activity and not the pests themselves. Here, i found one of the most common signs of rodent activity — their droppings that they leave behind. Here, I found mouse droppings Considering near one of the poles in the closet. This pole happened to extend all the way up from the crawl space, and there was enough of a gap around the pole for mice to squeeze through to reach her closet. 

I applied a tracking powder along the pole and also excluded the space around the pole to seal off access. For rodent infestations, it is also important to conduct a thorough inspection of the home’s perimeter. During my outdoor inspection, I noticed a large opening underneath the exhaust. I took a picture of the potential rodent entry point to show the homeowner, and then proceeded to seal up that hole as well. 

After returning for a follow-up visit two weeks later, I was greeted by one happy homeowner. She told me exactly what i love to hear. She said that there were no further mouse sightings, mouse droppings, or any other signs of mice activity since my first visit.

A resident in Monroe Township, NJ contacted our office after finding squirrels in his attic. Squirrels can be very dangerous and destructive when in a home. Not only do they carry disease, but they like to burrow and make a mess of areas they can get into. Squirrels are rodents that need to chew, and they like the texture of wires or electric wires in the attic, which can present a fire hazard for the homeowner.

We began inspecting the exterior and discovered that the squirrels had chewed their way through this gable vent, which was their main access point to the attic. We then inspected the attic thoroughly and found squirrel feces in the insulation. To safely remove the squirrels, we temporarily sealed off the gable vent and installed a one-way device. A one-way device allows the squirrels to safely leave the attic, but prevent them from getting back in. We also set up a few baited traps in the area.

In a short amount of time, all the squirrels were safely removed from the attic. We then returned, removed and replaced the contaminated insulation, sanitized the attic area, and then replaced the gable vent with a brand new metal one. We also used fine 1/8 hardware cloth and screened it from the outside. The reason why we screen from outside is that it doesn't allow anything to roost or nest in the vent fins.

An East Brunswick homeowner contacted Crawl Space Solutions by Cowleys to inspect her “CleanSpace” that had been installed by another company ten years ago. She was concerned because one of the Everlast vent cover doors “looked funny.” Upon arrival, we immediately saw that the homeowner was right, and it was a good thing she called us. Because the door was was not installed properly, it was bowing out in the middle and not sitting flat on the foundation wall. This was a potential problem because it allowed damp, humid outdoor air to flow into the crawl space. 

When it comes to any home improvement, the installation is just as important as the product. The Crawl Space Solutions by Cowleys crews have extensive home building and improvement experience. 

For this Rumson homeowner, we removed the old, damaged Everlast door and installed a new one — but this time correctly! These Everlast vent covers are an important part of the encapsulation process because close off outside air and moisture from entering the crawl space through the exterior vents. They can be installed against wood framing or masonry, work exceptionally well, and are aesthetically pleasing. Made with a hard durable plastic, they stand up to the worst weather conditions, and, unlike wood vents, these covers are completely maintenance free. They should never rot, warp, or crack and they never need to be painted. With this Rumson home, the warping was caused by improper installation, not because of the door itself. 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!  

This homeowner was pleased to know that, after ten years, her encapsulated crawl space, besides the one vent door that needed to be replaced, was in tip-top shape. After she thanked us for replacing the door, we were on our way to help fix a crawl space for another customer.

An East Brunswick homeowner contacted Crawl Space Solutions by Cowleys to enlarge their existing crawl space opening. Although we specialize in converting problem-ridden vented crawl spaces into clean, dry encapsulated crawl spaces, our technicians have the experience to handle virtually any crawl space renovation work. This Brick homeowner was faced with a serious issue: His current crawl space opening was so small that a person of normal dimensions could not possible fit through it.

We installed a new crawl space entrance way by removing the concrete block, installing a new wood frame, and making a custom door for easy access.
We also custom-made a vent cover that we installed into one of our vent blockers. This was one of our smaller jobs, but for this homeowner, it was an important one. After all, a homeowner must be able to have ready access to their crawl space. Crawl spaces are prone to all sorts problems, from moisture to mold to insect and wildlife infestations. It is critical to have access to this often-neglected area of the home to periodically inspect for problems and to make the necessary repairs.