Before & After Photos

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.

I was recently sent to a home in Edison, NJ for a Cowleys home protection plan (HPP) scheduled service. The homeowner had issues with rodents around the home and I found out why she was concerned.

In my inspection, I found an exterior rodent bait station by the shed that was completely depleted from the last service. The interior rodent bait stations in the garage and crawl space were also empty.

After completing the service around the home I rebaited all the existing bait stations. I then performed a thorough inspection around the house to determine how the rodents were entering the structure. I found a sizable gap around the piping where the gas line was passing through the foundation. To close up this access point, I used a copper mesh material which does not rust or disintegrate like steel wool. 

Since this customer's rodent pressure was so high. I added an additional large rodent bait station (LP) to the exterior of the home.

A South River homeowner was having issues with mice in her basement and kitchen, and she contacted Cowleys. I was immediately dispatched to take care of the problem. During my inspection, I concentrated on finding signs of mouse activity such as droppings, rub/grease marks along walls, and loose nesting materials. I am also concerned about locating potential access points. With small rodents like mice, this can present a challenge. These animals are even smaller than they look because of their fur. A house mouse weighs less than an ounce, and can fit through a hole as small as a dime. It is especially important to inspect around the home’s foundation, both indoors and out. Mice, looking to escape the harsh outdoor elements during the winter, often enter homes through the basement or crawl space. 

Sure enough, during  my perimeter inspection, I saw that a pipe entering the exterior of the home into the basement was not adequately sealed. The openings around the pipe’s edges perfect for a mouse — the only thing missing was a welcome mat! There was no doubt that mice were exploiting this opening. Their “business card” — their droppings — were all over. There were pellets sprinkled at the base of the entry point as well as inside the hole itself. 

I showed the homeowner the source of her problem, and explained to her how I was going to get rid of her rodent infestation. She was extremely grateful. First, I patched the area around the pipe with rodent chew-proof knitted wire copper mesh. It is critical to find and seal the entry points. If you don’t, you can set up all the traps you want inside your home, and you still won’t permanently resolve the problem. Finding these small, often hidden or overlooked holes is time-consuming back-bending work, and it helps to know what to look for. We tend to see the same “hot spots” for rodent entry. Fortunately, the area around the pipe was the only observed gap during my inspection. 

I also placed several snap traps in those areas inside the home where there were indications of high rodent activity. This will get rid of any mice that may be still be lurking about, and these traps will also allow me to gauge whether there is still activity when I return for my two-week follow-up. At that time, I’ll re-inspect the home and perform any additional treatments as needed.

After we successfully retrieved all wild squirrels in this homeowner's attic and then relocated them to a new, humane location, we returned to repair the damage. 

Originally, the squirrels were gnawing on the fascia board, chewed a tiny hole, and entered the attic. We completely deodorized and sanitized the attic area and then turned our attention to the fascia board. We sealed the access point with metal flashing and secured it in place with a premium sealant made up of terpolymer technology. Next, we painted the metal flashing to blend in with the color of the home so that the repair work won't be an eyesore.

After successfully removing all the mold out of this homeowner's crawl space in Metuchen, NJ, we're back to encapsulate it. 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. Now the homeowner will no longer have any mold issues in his crawl space and have additional space for storage!