Insulating a barn but afraid of mice...

[maple1]

Is that like particle board sheets? If so, that would definitely be a code issue when I put my heater in.

Yes. This was just a camp in the woods. Doesn't seem to miss the insulation much, it's got a good woostove in it & the OSB went up tight enough that there's an air sandwich in the walls now. Not ideal for a house but worked great for that.

 

[jeffesonm]

Get a barn cat. It will live outside in the barn and you'll probably never see it, but it will slaughter all the mice within a mile. I have two fat house cats and they've killed 4 mice in the past week.

 

[beatlefan]

I agree with EJL that lack of food/water is not a deterrent. I live in the woods and deal with mice often in my sheds and barn. House is well sealed and we have a cat, so no problems there.

Sheds and barns are a different story. My best defense is a good cleaning to eradicate the infestation, which it sounds like you've already done. After that, maintenance is fairly simple with Decon pellets. However, if you get a barn cat, switch to traps so the cat doesn't eat a poisoned mouse.

 

[DougA]

If you ever manager to get rid of the mice, your place will fill up with bats. Just sayin' ... you need to learn to live with the rest of the critters to some extent.

 

[semipro]

maintenance is fairly simple with Decon pellets. However, if you get a barn cat, switch to traps so the cat doesn't eat a poisoned mouse.

What about the other animals that eat mice? Do you really want to kill them? The deaths of many birds of prey have been attributed to rodent poison.

There are enough good alternatives to poison that it rarely needs to be used. I prefer electronic traps myself.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

What about the other animals that eat mice? Do you really want to kill them? The deaths of many birds of prey have been attributed to rodent poison.

I put the poison in child-proof bait stations, and they are inside the house. No problem for the squirrels or the birds that eat them. I have not found traps to be effective where I live. Oh, they do catch the mice, but not in sufficient quantities.


As for the insulation, look into cementitious foam. Like urethane spray foam, but it's basically concrete. Absolutely fireproof (a welding torch won't affect it), and rodent proof. Bugs don't like it either. It's probably more expensive than other choices, but it sure won't harbor mice.

 

[mwhitnee]

I had a guy come to do an estimate for a couple reasons: 1) I wanted his opinion on things and 2) I heard that having a company do it can be very comparable to doing it yourself.

Emailed him about using rock wool insulation as a mouse deterrent and he said it does not deter them and he could not achieve the R value he can with fiberglass.

I have some copper mesh I just ordered- boy what great stuff that is. Cut with scissors, doesn't hurt your hands at all, you can ball it up as it's very light and flexible.

 

[semipro]

I had a guy come to do an estimate for a couple reasons: 1) I wanted his opinion on things and 2) I heard that having a company do it can be very comparable to doing it yourself.

Emailed him about using rock wool insulation as a mouse deterrent and he said it does not deter them and he could not achieve the R value he can with fiberglass.

I'm guessing he makes much more on fiberglass than he does with rock wool.
Before I got rid of all the fiberglass we had both fiberglass and rock wool installed concurrently in our basement and under-house garage for a few years. I can tell you I found numerous fiberglass mouse nests in my tool boxes, cabinets, etc. I have yet to find a mouse nest made of rock wool.
The latest issue of Fine Home Building has a nice article on rock wool. Its worth a read.

 

[semipro]

I put the poison in child-proof bait stations, and they are inside the house. No problem for the squirrels or the birds that eat them. I have not found traps to be effective where I live. Oh, they do catch the mice, but not in sufficient quantities.

I think you may be missing my point. I referring to the animals that eat the mice killed with poison. The dosed mice may go outside to die.

 

[mwhitnee]

I'm guessing he makes much more on fiberglass than he does with rock wool.
Before I got rid of all the fiberglass we had both fiberglass and rock wool installed concurrently in our basement and under-house garage for a few years. I can tell you I found numerous fiberglass mouse nests in my tool boxes, cabinets, etc. I have yet to find a mouse nest made of rock wool.
The latest issue of Fine Home Building has a nice article on rock wool. Its worth a read.

The guy seemed pretty honest when he came for the estimate- I'm saying that because he recommended to not replace my cellar insulation and keep what was there.

The more I talk about this the more I want to insulate it myself. I typically do everything myself, and things like this just remind me of why I do.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I think you may be missing my point. I referring to the animals that eat the mice killed with poison. The dosed mice may go outside to die.

Possible, but extremely unlikely. They came into the house for a reason - comfort. They are not likely going to crawl out into the cold to die. They prefer to stay in my house and stink.

 

[semipro]

Possible, but extremely unlikely. They came into the house for a reason - comfort. They are not likely going to crawl out into the cold to die. They prefer to stay in my house and stink.

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/january-february-2013/poisons-used-kill-rodents-have-safer
Pet dogs and cats have also been impacted. Its actually quite common.

 

[semipro]

The more I talk about this the more I want to insulate it myself. I typically do everything myself, and things like this just remind me of why I do.

I'm the same way. I've also heard from others that a contractor can do the job for less than what I would pay for the materials.

 

[mwhitnee]

I'm the same way. I've also heard from others that a contractor can do the job for less than what I would pay for the materials.

That's what I also heard.

I'll will make a decision on the insulation after the rodent-proofing and wiring is done. I would have to price things out. If it's anywhere near what I could do it for- no matter what insulation I use I'll have them do it. I always have plenty to do!!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/january-february-2013/poisons-used-kill-rodents-have-safer
Pet dogs and cats have also been impacted. Its actually quite common.

I find the Audubon Society just about as credible and respectable as PETA. (Which is to say, not even a little bit.) It's a shame, too, considering that they used to be a good outfit.

Now, they are just a tool of the whacko animal rightists. I pay them, and their kind, zero attention.

Perhaps we should leave it at that.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Garage doors almost never seal tight enough to keep mice out. That should be your first challenge.
I don't understand the suggestion of rock wool, I've seen mice nest in rock wool. Heck if I had to build a bed to sleep in I'd rather use rock wool then fiberglass insulation.
Sealing up all the possible entry points is you best plan of attack. And yes, you'll have to assume they can climb up the siding, so you'll have to make sure all entrance point along your soffit and roof are also sealed.
You have to think like a mouse and anticipate their moves.

 

[semipro]

Heck if I had to build a bed to sleep in I'd rather use rock wool then fiberglass insulation.

2nd that. As a mouse I'd think it be more a factor of what I was willing to chew on rather than sleep on. I wouldn't like to chew on either but I've seen mice chew on Lava soap so who knows.

 

[gzecc]

I think cellulose is another option that critters don't like.

 

[mwhitnee]

Possible, but extremely unlikely. They came into the house for a reason - comfort. They are not likely going to crawl out into the cold to die. They prefer to stay in my house and stink.

I always thought they went out for water after eating poison.

 

[mwhitnee]

Garage doors almost never seal tight enough to keep mice out. That should be your first challenge.
I don't understand the suggestion of rock wool, I've seen mice nest in rock wool. Heck if I had to build a bed to sleep in I'd rather use rock wool then fiberglass insulation.
Sealing up all the possible entry points is you best plan of attack. And yes, you'll have to assume they can climb up the siding, so you'll have to make sure all entrance point along your soffit and roof are also sealed.
You have to think like a mouse and anticipate their moves.

Too funny!!

 

[JA600L]

I had a major mouse problem in my house.
I just could not figure out how they got in. I followed the entire foundation around until I found a big gaping hole in the concrete that was covered slightly. Once I filled that in I haven't seen a single mouse. Sometimes it's just that one spot you have to find....

 

[mwhitnee]

I had a major mouse problem in my house.
I just could not figure out how they got in. I followed the entire foundation around until I found a big gaping hole in the concrete that was covered slightly. Once I filled that in I haven't seen a single mouse. Sometimes it's just that one spot you have to find....

I started on my house first as my gf thought she heard a little scratching one night. I actually found a large hole where my new foundation meets the old. Might have been able to stick a 2 by 4 in it!

Caught one mouse, hopefully there won't be any more as I used copper mesh and great stuff all around the foundation.

 

[rowerwet]

Get a cat! My daughters justifies her cost with a steady stream of dead mice. I don't need to worry about my campers thanks to her.

 

[semipro]

When considering poison baits:
"Suffering bobcats, coyotes, owls spur Thousand Oaks neighborhood to rethink war on rats"
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0206-rats-20160208-story.html

A related quote:
"The insanity of it all is that in trying to wipe out rats they are killing the very animals that keep rat populations under control."

 

[webfish]

I have used this method for years. Never had mouse in the house as I leave this in the garage.Catch 3 or 4 then they are gone. I tend to set it up in the fall then don't think about it. I live in the middle of a field so mice everywhere.