Crawl Space Encapsulation in Ocean Twp

Before	After

This entire crawl space was encapsulated to prevent mold growth and excessive moisture due to water seepage. The client wanted to control mold and odors while promoting a healthier living space throughout the home- and Cowleys Pest Services was able to deliver!

Ground hogs kept away with Dig Defence - Groundhog & wildlife control in Ocean, NJ

Before	After

Cowleys was contacted by a homeowner in Ocean that had a groundhog problem. At least one pesky, destructive groundhog was burrowing under his backyard shed causing damage to the wood. Groundhogs (woodchucks) are one of the most damaging pests that can invade your yard. Besides wrecking havoc on your lawn from digging their burrows and leaving unsightly holes and mounds of dirt all over, they have voracious appetites. Groundhogs will feed on just about any flower, fruit, vegetable, or plant that you’ve been growing on your property. With a groundhog infestation, all that time and money your spent on improving your lawn can be gone in an instant. Also, groundhogs can also cause damage to your home’s foundation if their burrowing activity is right around your home. To make matters worse, once these large rodents have settled on your home as their new residence, they are amazingly persistent about staying there. 

I was dispatched to this Ocean residence to inspect the area around the shed and determine the best strategy to capture the animals. Upon arrival, I went to the homeowner’s backyard to inspect around the shed and observe the aftermath of their destructive behavior in the yard. The groundhogs were free to come and go from multiple areas around the shed. There was no clear pathway that they were taking to gain access under the deck. Rather than setting up traps in arbitrary locations and hoping for the best, I dramatically improved the odds of a successful capture by installing one of my favorite products in our wildlife control arsenal to trap burrowing invasive animals, “Dig DeFence” underground fencing. “Dig DeFence” is a trenchless underground permanent barrier made of heavy galvanized steel. It’s a much better alternative than burying hardware cloth or repeatedly setting up traps. It can be installed around foundations, decks, sheds, yards, and any other location where groundhogs and other burrowing animals are a nuisance.

For pet owners, this product is of great help as well. It can be used to keep your pets from trying to dig out of the yard underneath your above-ground fencing, and it works will all fence types — wood, wrought iron, or chain link. Especially for homeowners with next-door neighbor dogs that want nothing more than to sniff each other face-to-face, this below-ground fencing will keep them apart, hold your fence down, fill any gaps. Besides keeping your pets out, it will prevent a variety of unwanted “ground level” wildlife from entering your property and causing damage. It’s particularly effective for keeping out skunks, opossums, raccoons, porcupines, and, of course, groundhogs.

With this Ocean home, I used the “Dig DeFence” to aid in trapping the animals. I blocked about 90% of the perimeter around the shed so the animals would automatically be funneled towards my traps. I installed one-way traps by the remaining openings. I’m confident that that, within a day or so, the groundhogs will be trapped. Once they are caught, I’ll relocate them away from the home. After the groundhogs are trapped and there are no more underneath the shed, I’ll seal off the remaining areas. 

Living in a wooded area of Ocean, this homeowner will always be dealing with nuisance wildlife in his yard. It’s one of the tradeoffs of living with nature. However, this underground fencing will go a long way to prevent future problems. The homeowner was quite pleased that the groundhog problem around his shed would be permanently resolved and that he would not have to worry about repairing ongoing damage caused by these animals. 

Mice find easy entry into Ocean Township, NJ home

Before	After

I was recently sent to a residence in Ocean Township, NJ to deal with a mouse infestation. This particular homeowner was getting frustrated because of a continuing, on-going mouse problem. As temperatures drop, mice will start overwintering in our homes to escape the harsh weather conditions, and here, it seemed that more and more mice would find their way inside the home. 

Upon arrival, I performed a full inspection of the home’s interior and exterior perimeter to find any actual or potential entry points. Mice don’t need much of an opening to find their way inside — any gap about the width of a dime is enough for them to gain entry. It is critically important that these entry points are located and sealed. Otherwise, you can set up all the bait stations you want in the home and you’ll never get rid of the infestation. I sealed all of the possible entry points and installed rodent control stations in strategic areas where there were signs of mouse activity — under the stove, behind the fridge, and plumbing areas under the sink and laundry room. Gaps around piping coming into the home are a common trouble spot for rodent entry. Finally, I explained to the homeowner that as part of my treatment plan, I’d be returning in two weeks for a follow-up visit to make sure there were no more issues. The homeowner was relieved that the mouse problem was finally under control.