Dear All,
I’m just starting on a small renovation of a tiny camp in the woods, and there are thousands and thousands of small problems – an amazing number, given the size of the project. Each problem has four feet, a tail, and sharp teeth.
I’ve looked all over the net for ways to insulate that will limit rodent destruction. Seems that I can 1) restrict access; and 2) use materials that are rodent-resistant. Restricting access will help, but only to a degree. infestation seems inevitable, as the building is made of wood, and wood, eventually, loses the fight against determined little teeth.
So, my research seems to indicate that using insulation that is minimally appealing to rodents is the next line of defense; and, since these critters will make homes in almost anything, what about Perlite? I have a picture in my mind of adventuring mice getting nowhere, finding no footing, making no paths through a continuing avalanche inside each stud bay. Is this wishful thinking?
By the way, in the past I’ve tried hardware cloth, which just gets used as terrific footing and a great base for campouts.
Can anybody advise me, please?
Thank you,
SH
Replies
I'll tell you a funny story about using perlite for wall insulation. 20 years ago I worked on a hospital with a parking garage connected to it. Drywall was put up over 3 1/2" metal studs for a finished wall at the connecting wall. Insulation was not installed, an error easily fixed by pouring perlite in the stud bays.We took a couple of ceiling tiles out and began dumping the bags in.Must of dumped ten bags in one stud bay before we realized the perlite was traveling thru the utility holes in the metal studs.We finished up, have no idea how many bags we put in.
Three days later the phone company comes in and cuts a hole in the drywall for a phone jack. The guy comes running out of the room screaming, the perlite came thru the hole he cut.Every bit of it up to the bottom of the phone jack, about seven feet by thirty feet.One heck of a mess.
mike
Mike,What a great story! I was already wondering about things like hanging pictures, flower boxes etc. But the amazingly liquid movement of the stuff does seem to support my notion (cockamamie? or not?) that it would be hard for rodents to move through a perlite-filled wall - unless, of course, they emptied each stud bay with a hole chewed at the bottom. I'm not sure that even a New England Mouse is that clever. And - I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that perlite can be bagged up and put back where it belongs, which is not a possibility with soaked and chewed fiberglass. I mean, what if it dumps out all over the stove while dinner is cooking? Any more cautionary tales?Thanks, SH
No more tales, maybe you could try filling just the bottom third of the stud spaces.If the squirrels or mice do eat thru you do not have to clean up as much.If it works ,fill the entire cavity.
mike