Before & After Photos

Recently, a homeowner in Freehold, NJ contacted Cowleys because of a troublesome mouse infestation. Mouse droppings were all over the home. This poses a serious health hazard because droppings can contaminate food surfaces, and contain many dangerous pathogens. For animals that weighs less than an ounce, mice can transmit serious diseases and cause significant property damage with their incessant gnawing. We see a sharp spike in mouse infestations when outdoor temperatures drop in the fall and winter, and the rodents are looking to escape the harsh outdoor elements. 

Upon arrival, I stated my inspection to determine where there was active rodent activity and how they were gaining access inside and around the home. Because of their size, finding mouse entry points is a challenge. They only need a space around the diameter of a dime to gain entry inside a home. Here, there was extensive rodent activity in the kitchen, which is common since the mice are attracted to accumulated food debris and the heat and moisture in this part of the home. Mice are especially attracted to appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators because of the heat generated by the motors. 

During my kitchen inspection, I found mouse droppings and a mouse hole nearby the dishwasher. I cleaned up the droppings and plugged the hole with a chew-proof copper mesh. I also placed a rodent bait station underneath the dishwasher before closing everything back up. Next, I checked under and behind the stove. There were many droppings, but no holes. Moving onto the next room, I found a hole in the closet along with mice droppings. Mice are attracted to the dark, private locations of closets and it’s quite common to have an  unwanted mouse encounter when opening a closet door. I did the same here: cleaned up the droppings, plugged the hole with copper mesh, and placed a bait station inside. Finally, the last location inside the home where there were droppings was the garage. The garage already had some bait stations inside and I replenished the bait. 

I then turned by attention to the home’s exterior perimeter to determine how the mice were gaining access inside the home in the first place. There was a mouse hole neat the garage area that I sealed. There were already two bait stations outside the home and I replenished the bait. Based on the remaining bait, it was evident that there was heavy rodent activity around the home. With the movement of mice restricted inside the home and all of the bait stations, the mouse population and mouse sightings should dramatically drop down shortly. I’ll be returning for a follow-up to re-inspect and determine additional treatments as necessary. 

After safely and successfully retrieving a raccoon from this home in Freehold, NJ, we needed to patch up the main access point in the soffit. As we discussed different sealing options with the homeowner, she had mentioned that she didn't want any screws in her soffit. 

So we measured out the access point and cut a portion of metal flashing (that match the same color of the soffit area). We then installed it over the access point and secured it in place with a waterproof, premium adhesive.

After hearing birds chirping in her laundry room, this homeowner in Freehold, NJ contacted our Bird Services division to come out and help. After a thorough inspection, we discovered that birds were entering and nesting in a damaged dryer vent. As often happens, birds exploit the vent opening to build a nest inside the home. Damaged exhaust vents not only allow birds and other critters to gain access to your home but also allow moisture to come in, which can lead to mold and mildew problems. However, the biggest risk of all is the nesting material obstructing airflow and creating a fire hazard.

We carefully removed the nesting material and then disinfected the area with a solution that targets and eliminates bird mites. Next, we installed a magnetic vent cover and then sealed the edges with a waterproof, premium adhesive and painted the tips of screws to blend in. Now the dryer vent is properly sealed off without compromising airflow. 

After decades of dealing with a costly crawl space, this homeowner in Freehold, NJ decided it was time to encapsulate it!

First, we removed all the debris, leveled the ground for proper draining, and installed a dimpled drainage matting. The drainage matting allows all excess moisture to work its way over to the sump pump. Once we finished, we installed SilverGlo™ all over the walls of the crawl space. SilverGlo™ is a waterproof foam insulation that seals the walls from outside moisture and humidity to the walls of the crawl space.

Afterward, we installed a vapor barrier. The vapor barrier is a 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene that is treated with an antimicrobial finish that protects against mold and mildew growth. Lastly, in order to control the high humidity levels in the crawl space and to prevent mold, we installed a SaniDry dehumidifier. These dehumidifiers are maintenance-free, turn on and off automatically with a built-in hygrometer, and there is no water tray to empty or overflow.

Now the homeowner has a healthy and efficient crawl space as well as an extra area he can utilize for storage! 

As this homeowner in Freehold, NJ was putting his gardening equipment away in his outdoor shed, he came across a raccoon exiting from the gable vent! He closed the door and immediately called Little Rascals for help.

When we arrived, we noticed that the raccoon had destroyed the gable vent in order to gain access to the shed. We temporarily enclosed the area off with hardware cloth and installed a one-way device over it. A one-way device will allow the raccoon to safely leave the area but prevent it from getting back in. We also placed several baited devices nearby. 

A short while later, we successfully retrieved the raccoon and relocated it to a new, humane environment. In order to prevent any other raccoons, or any other nuisance wildlife from reinfesting the shed, we installed an XclusionPro® louvered vent guard over the gable vent. This sturdy material is made of expanded galvanneal steel and will exclude all nuisance wildlife.