Before & After Photos

These homeowners in Allentown, NJ  had a partial basement foundation, that is, part of the first floor living space was built over a basement while the remainder was built over a crawl space. Partial basements can also be split between a basement and partial slab on grade. We often find partial basements with homes that have an addition built onto the original structure, but homes are also built with a partial basement to save on some construction costs. It is more expensive to excavate and construct a full basement than it is to build a crawl space or lay down a concrete slab.

With this home’s partial basement the homeowner’s wanted a sturdy, permanent, more aesthetically pleasing solution to separate these two foundation areas. They periodically had problems with insects, mice, and other pests in the basement area that were getting inside their home through the crawl space. In residential construction, crawl spaces are often considered to be the “black sheep” of a home. They often cause a lot of problems for the rest of the home, including pest infestations, water and moisture issues, and mold growth. Since crawl spaces are rarely visited, these “out of sight, out of mind” problems can fester for years before they become serious enough for a homeowner to take notice.

The homeowners contacted Cowleys since we have a specialized division dedicated to waterproofing and encapsulating problem crawl spaces, and they thought we could help. And they were right!  We came out to inspect the home, and recommended a quick, cost-effective solution that would work perfectly. We replaced the hardware cloth (which wasn’t really even a barrier at all between the two areas) with a customized Everlast door. These Everlast covers are usually installed on the outdoor entry point into the crawl space to completely block outside air and moisture from entering the crawl space. However, it worked perfectly here to separate the two sections of this home’s foundation. Made with a hard durable plastic, these doors can be installed against wood framing or masonry. They stand up to the worst weather conditions, and are completely maintenance-free. They are made out of a material that is impervious to water and any outdoor elements, so they will rot, warp, or crack and, unlike wood, they never need to be painted. From our experience, they are virtually indestructible. 

For these homeowners, this door did just the trick. They were pleased with our solution to their problem and our quick installation. The homeowners thanked us, and my partner and I were off to help our next customer!

This property manager of an adult community in Hamilton Township, NJ recently had an issue with squirrels destroying their main office building. Previously, we safely retrieved the squirrels and relocated them to a new, humane location, but the damage they did was quite extensive! They literally chewed out the crown molding on the window! Fortunately, we can not only safely remove the invasive wildlife, we can repair the damage they inflict as well!

First, we measured the crown molding and then cut sturdy, metal flashing to the measurements. Next, we installed it, secured it in place with screws, and sealed it in place with a waterproof, premium adhesive. We offered to paint the area so that the material blends in with the crown molding, but the property manager told us that his maintenance team will do that. Now that the area is repaired, the community will no longer have an issue with squirrels or any other nuisance wildlife invading the office. 

A new residential client in Highland, NJ contacted Cowleys after hearing birds chirping in his attic. We went out, inspected the attic and found starlings, their nesting debris, and droppings all over the insulation.

Starlings are an invasive species and have a negative impact on the US economy and ecosystem. They are stocky black birds with short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. They nest in holes and cavities and often exploit openings in buildings to build a nest inside the home. So how did they invade this home? Well, after a thorough inspection of the exterior we discovered that the home had a builders gap.

A builders gap is a gap between the fascia board (where the gutter is hung) and roof decking. This gap is caused when roof decking is stopped too short and is not flushed with the fascia. The gap is meant to help with airflow throughout the attic but also is a perfect place for nuisance birds and wildlife to enter your home. Because the roof shingles only cover the gap, birds and nuisance wildlife can wiggle under the shingles and slip right in — which is exactly what the starlings did!

First, we carefully removed all the nesting debris and the contaminated insulation and disinfected the entire attic. Next, we installed over 150 feet of Pest Blok Metal Roof Edge Cap to close the builders' gap. This material is constructed out sturdy sheet metal with a silicone protected polyester coating that will protect the area against a variety of nuisance birds and wildlife.

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.

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.