Folks:
I’m remodeling a 1940s house built with balloon-style construction. The basement ceiling was plastered over. On taking that ceiling down, I found lots of evidence of house mice.
I’m thinking that before putting a new ceiling up, I would like to seal the perimeter of the foundation against rodents. I will, of course, patch any holes in the exterior foundation. I’m wondering if there’s anything that should be done along the sill plate and firebricking.
The foundation is stone, and the sill plate is not in constant contact with the stone, allowing places for rodents to come in once they chew through the exterior plywood. Above the sill, there is firebricking, with occasional holes in the mortar, allowing more places for mice to enter.
While I have this exposed, is there anything that should be done to close up those holes? Can I put metal flashing over interior surface of the firebrick? Can I put flashing over the sill and down to the foundation wall itself? Should I fill the holes in the firebrick with concrete, or fill in low spots on the foundation wall beneath the sill?
Thanks for any help!
– saff
Replies
I'm not sure I understand the firebricking thing but it sounds like the best remedy for all your holes would be tuckpointing with a mortar mix.
What is "firebricking"?
Perhaps it's easiest to describe with a picture.See: <http://www.awc.org/pdf/WCD1-300.pdf>, page 18, figure 2. This is just a diagram of what balloon framing looks like. At each place that they have an arrow for "firestopping" (ie, between the studs above the sill, and between the floors), this house has a few bricks set in and sealed with mortar. What I call "firebricking" is just a firestop at these locations, made out of heat-resistent bricks and mortar.Thanks.
Hummm - that's pretty interesting. Never heard of using bricks for fire stop. Then again, I don't deal with old houses.
It is fairly common in older houses. BTW, WARNING FOR ALL - that PDF link is to a monster size file that can choke your pc if on dialup
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!