From Poor Insulation to Blown-In Cellulose Insulation in Sea Girt, NJ
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A new client in Sea Girt, NJ wanted Cowleys to add blown-in cellulose insulation to his attic. First, we removed all the old insulation and the debris, disposed of them, and cleaned the area. Afterward, we air sealed all the gaps and cracks in the attic. This will eliminate air flow between the living space and the attic, improving energy efficiency. Next, we installed Tight Shell Can Light Covers over the recessed lights in the attic. These are made out of a fire resistant material and is specifically designed to stop unwanted air leakage through the recessed lights.
Lastly, we added over 10 inches of TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation. TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation has a higher R-value than standard fiberglass insulation, has the highest Class-1 fire safety rating, is resistance to mold and pests, and is eco-friendly! TruSoft is the perfect choice for attic insulation as it maximizes home comfort and optimizes energy usage for year-round peace and savings.
Removing the Fiberglass Insulation & Replacing it with Blown-In Cellulose Insulation in Sea Girt, NJ
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After seeing one of our ads in the Clipper magazine, this homeowner in Sea Girt, NJ, decided to upgrade the insulation in his attic to blown-in cellulose insulation. After we inspected his attic and went over various options, he decided to have us air seal his attic and add TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation.
First, we removed all the old fiberglass insulation as well as any debris in the attic and disposed of them. Next, we then air sealed all the gaps and cracks in the attic. This will eliminate air flow between the living space and the attic, improving energy efficiency. Lastly, we added over 10 inches of TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation, which will fill the attic to its recommended insulation levels. TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation has a higher R-value than standard fiberglass insulation, has the highest Class-1 fire safety rating, is resistant to mold and pests, and is eco-friendly!
Now, not only does the homeowner have a healthy and clean attic, but he will save a considerable amount of money on his energy bill!
Dirt Floor Crawl Space Gets Encapsulated in Sea Girt, NJ
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After noticing some water pooling in his dirt floor crawl space, this homeowner in Sea Girt, NJ, called our Crawl Space Division to determine the cause and discuss possibly encapsulating his crawl space. Dirt floor crawl spaces attract and absorb moisture and once the dirt dries, it causes humidity levels to rise and can lead to mold and mildew issues (fortunately, there was no mold or mildew in the crawl space). After speaking the owner, he decided that he wanted to encapsulate his crawl space!
First, we removed all the debris and old insulation, leveled the ground for proper draining, and installed drainage matting, which is a dimpled plastic mat that allows all excess moisture to work its way over to the sump pump. Next, we installed a SmartSump™ Crawl Space Sump Pump. The SmartSump™ Crawl Space Sump Pump protects vulnerable crawl spaces by combining an intelligent WaterWatch® alarm system with a sump pump that's specifically designed for crawl spaces. Additionally, both the lid and floor drain are specially designed to prevent collected water from evaporating back out into your crawl space. Any water from a plumbing leak or sump failure must first pass by the alarm and will then drain down into the sump. The alarm will sound immediately if this happens, so you'll know you have a leak in your crawl space.
We also cleaned off all the beams in the crawl space and installed SilverGlo™ on the walls of the crawl space. SilverGlo™ is a waterproof foam insulation that seals the walls from outside moisture and humidity. Next, we installed a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is a heavy-duty, 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with a polyester-cord reinforcement. By encapsulating the crawl space & installing the vapor barrier over the foundation walls and floor will create a continuous air and moisture barrier. The vapor barrier is extremely durable and is treated with an antimicrobial to prevent mold.
Lastly, to control the humidity levels in the crawl space, we installed a Sedona dehumidifier. This is a powerful, energy-efficient, commercial-grade dehumidifier that outperforms standard household dehumidifiers by as much as 10 times while using the same amount of energy to run. Now the homeowners have a clean and healthy crawl space as well as an additional area in their home for storage.
Sea Girt, NJ Professional Pest & Termite Services
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Sea Girt, NJ Expert Pest Control Company
Here at Cowleys Pest Services we not only adhere to the highest pest control standards, our goal is to provide you with an excellent experience and service in Sea Girt and nearby NJ.
From your first phone call through treatment and follow-up we at Cowleys Pest Services pledge to give you great customer service while fixing your pest problem.
Since 1991, we have been treating a wide variety of pests, bedbugs, insects and rodents -- just contact us to get more details on your home or building's issue. Take advantage of our expertise to get rid of unwanted pests or animals in your Sea Girt, NJ home.
At Cowleys Pest Services we also have pest control plans where we routinely inspect your home or building and apply needed solutions ahead of developing a recurring pest problem. Our pest service plans have different levels too, to best suit your needs that you can change over time if needed. From our Green Service Plan to our Platinum Service Plan, we'll keep your home pest-free.
Business & Home Pest Services We Offer in Sea Girt:
- Bedbug Extermination
- Flea Control
- Termite Control
- Pest Control
- Exterminators
- Rodent Control
- Ant, Beetle, Spider, Insect Control
- Tick Control Services
- Pest, Bird and Animal Control Services
- Attic Insulation Services
- Gutter Guards
- Crawl Space Encapsulation
- Expertise and Technical Know-How to Fix Your Pest Problem
- Financing Available
- Written Estimates and Inspections



Recently, I was sent to a home in Sea Girt, NJ, after Cowleys received a call from a homeowner who found herself with a cricket infestation inside her home, primarily in the basement. Upon arrival, I went into the basement to inspect, and observed a heavy presence of spider crickets, also commonly known as camel crickets, in the laundry room area of the basement. From a distance, these crickets resemble spiders or shrimp because of their gangly long legs and antennae.
Spider crickets are much different than a few field crickets that periodically find their way into homes. Spider crickets usually congregate in large numbers, and you can find hundreds of them can be clinging to walls in basements or crawl spaces. It’s a scary sight, to say the least! Unlike field crickets, they don’t make that familiar chirping sound we hear when the males rub their ridged upper and lower wings together to attract females. Instead, spider crickets attract mates by emitting a smell. A word of warning: When alarmed or threatened, these insects often jump directly at the intruder. So, don’t get too up close and personal with them. You may find yourself with a spider cricket firmly planted on your face — and they bite!
Because of their hump-shaped bodies, spider crickets (sometimes shorted to “sprickets”) are also called camelback, camel crickets (“criders”), or even “land shrimp.” These crickets are naturally found in caves, so they are also known as cave crickets.
They are attracted to and thrive in enclosed dark, moist, and humid spaces. Basements, crawl spaces and garages can have a similar environment to a cave when there is high indoor humidity. So, you’ll often find them in homes with a mold or mildew problem because they feed off any fungi that grows on damp walls. Because spider crickets can be a sign of a mold problem, any home with a spider cricket infestation should be inspected for possible mold. Besides fungi, these voracious eaters will consume fabric, carpets, cardboard, dust, plants, and even each other.
When dealing with a spider cricket infestation, I’m always interested in the moisture conditions causing infestation, so that the problem can be resolved long-term. Here, the laundry room had finished walls and was very dry. However, the rest of the basement was unfinished with concrete block walls. Also, there was a French drain around the perimeter of the unfinished section to drain water away from the foundation into a sump. Although the unfinished part of the basement was fairly dry, there was still plenty of moisture for these crickets to thrive.
In resolve this infestation, I treated the French drain and walls inside the basement and also performed a perimeter treatment around the exterior foundation of the home as well as under the exterior siding. However, because a spider cricket problem is an indication of high indoor humidity levels, the long-term solution is keeping down moisture levels by installing a commercial-grade dehumidifier. There are multiple benefits to dehumidification: By keeping your basement dry, you remove the conditions for mold to form, improve the air quality of your home, and make the area much less inviting for spider crickets and other invasive insects and pests. Hopefully, this homeowner will consider dehumidification.

This week I was called to a home in Sea Girt, NJ that managed to have two different stinging insect infestations going on at the same time. Both a yellow jacket nest and a baldfaced hornets nest had formed on the property. Baldfaced hornets are actually a type aerial yellow jacket. Both of these predatory wasps are highly aggressive and very territorial. If these insects feel you are intruding on their nest, you are in for a world of hurt! Yellow jackets, with perhaps the worst reputation of any wasp, have distinctive alternating yellow and black stripes that have us instinctively running in the opposite direction. Baldfaced hornets are larger wasps with distinctive white markings on their face and abdomen.
The baldfaced hornets nest was built on a branch of a tree on the property. It was active for awhile and had grown to the size of a basketball. These wasps build their nests at least a few feet above ground in trees, shrubs, and sometimes on the sides of buildings, especially under eaves. I was not about to take any chances being stung myself, and put on a protective suit. I treated the nest with an aerosol and then a dust. After there was no observable insect activity, I removed the nest from the tree. The yellow jackets had built their nest in crack of house foundation. Yellow jackets typically build their nests inside wall voids, holes in the ground, or other similar openings they can squeeze into like the nest here. These insects managed to find a big enough void in the home’s foundation to build a nest. I treated the void with a highly effective dust to kill the yellow jacket colony.
