Are you hearing scratching in your walls and sounds in the attic?
Some pesky rodents might be invading your attic.
You’re now worried that they could cause extensive damage to your pipes.
How can you rodent-proof pipe insulation?
We have some temporary solutions you can use. Tapes, dishwasher soap, dry ice, and foam insulation might solve the problem. But we also have permanent solutions if you want to change your pipe. You can use cellulose, mesh, hemp, and loose-fill fiberglass insulations to rodent-proof your house.
Still not clear enough? Don’t worry.
This detailed discussion will answer all of your concerns. To prevent a full-fledged infestation, we suggest you start preparing.
Could Pipe Insulation Be Rodent-proof
Definitely! Now rodent-resistant insulations are readily available. But they were not relatively cheap. However, we have some tricks you might want to try to get rid of these.
These heated pipe insulations make the perfect location for these strays to nest. So, before you get started with the preventative measure, inspect your attic and crawl space.
To avoid all these, we have some temporary and permanent solutions below! Let’s check out which method will work for you.
Temporary Preventive Measures to Save your Pipe Insulation
These intruders will negatively impact your home’s air quality as they carry a variety of diseases. Thus, it can affect your family as well as your pets.
Now, if you want a peaceful and rodent-free home, these are methods you can use to prevent those pesky intruders.
Method 1: Anti-Rodent Tapes
You can use Anti-rodent electrical insulation tapes and wrap them around the pipes. This tape holds capsules that contain Capsaicin. So, these pesky rodents will be repelled by this. Hence your home will become mice and rats-free again!
Method 2: Natural Rodent Repellents
We listed some of the natural repellents you might have in your home. Here are the particularly effective ones:
- Peppermint oil
- Cayenne Pepper or chili powder
- Eucalyptus or Hyacinth leaves
- Naphthalene and bleach
Rodents detest the smell of these. So you can spread peppermint oil and Eucalyptus leaves all around the house.
For cayenne pepper, you need to make a few small cheesecloth pouches. Then leave them in places where you think rodents might enter.
Method 3: Foam Insulation
Rodents can get into your house through cracks, holes, or crevices. So, you should make sure these entry points are completely sealed.
In such instances, you can use foam insulation. It forms an airtight barrier that doesn’t serve them as a food source or a breeding ground.
Here are some of the good-quality spray foam insulations that’ll help you out:
| Product 1 | |
| Product 2 |
These are the best ones in the market. And you can use this without any hesitation!
Besides cracks, you might want to check the pipes for leaks. These pesky mice can cause a slow leak that might not seal itself.
Method 4: Dry Ice
Dry ice is a poison-free method to eliminate rats. It effectively anesthetizes the mice, and then the carbon dioxide kills the rodents.
Placing dry ice on the potential entryways lets you quickly get them out of your house. Moreover, this won’t have any harmful effects on you or your pipes.
Method 5: Ivory Dishwasher Soap
Rodents don’t like the bitter smell of Ivory Dishwasher soap. So, if you have it in your home, make a mixture using this. Put half a portion of water and the dishwashing liquid and mix well. Now take your garden sprayer and spray it on the pipes.
Make sure you buy the ivory brand dishwasher for this to work!
Method 6: Aluminium Foil
You can also cover your pipe insulation with aluminum foil. This is because rodents won’t be able to chew through it.
Besides, they are afraid of the sharp textures of aluminum foil. So they hate and tend to avoid aluminum foil.
Permanent Solution for Rodent Proof Pipe Insulation
We have listed four kinds of insulation best known for their rodent-proof properties. However, if you’re facing difficulties even after installing these, call a team of pest prevention specialists.
Here are the insulations that work best against rodents and pesky critters:
Hemp Insulation
Hemp is eco-friendly insulation that is naturally repulsive to most animals. So it is an ideal insulation material for preventing rodents from destroying your pipes.
Loose-Fill Fiberglass Insulation
Loose-fill fiberglass tends to fall in on itself when rats proceed to dig their nests. This kind of insulation requires the use of Sheetrock. Thus rodents avert this kind of insulation.
Cellulose Insulation:
To ward off rodents, cellulose insulations are excellent. Rodents can’t tolerate the dry composition of cellulose insulation, so it protects against them. This insulation also contains boric acid that wads off rodents.
Mesh Insulation screens
Mesh screens are made of stainless steel or iron wire mesh. They look like wire netting. Using this anti-intrusion screen at rodent entry points is highly effective.
You should follow these preventive measures to avoid damaging your pipes. Or else you might find yourself blocking water pipes to fix the leakage.
FAQs
Can rodents eat PEX pipe?
Yes, rodents can chew through anything. That includes plastic. So PEX pipes should be adequately insulated. Otherwise, the rodents could cause extensive damage, and you’ll have to replace the pipes.
Can I use caulk instead of foam insulation to close gaps in the wall?
Yes! You can use metal wool and caulk together to fill small gaps in the wall. You can seal the steel wool using silicone caulking before filling the hole.
Can I use Aluminium foil to plug the mouse holes?
Yes. Rodents do not like aluminum foil as they cannot chew through metals. Hence using this will be an excellent way to keep out these rodents.