Mice in the crawl space insulation
I have an unfinished basement/crawl space with a dirt floor and I want to insulate the floor above it. The current insulation is 6″ of kraft-backed fiberglass. The kraft is stapled to the joists, leaving an air space between the insulation and the floor. This has created one huge mouse nest.
I’m going to replace the insulation, but I want to do it in a way that keeps the critters out. Any suggestions about what to do?
Thanks for your help.
gooddog
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I believe the critters are discouraged by cellulose insulation.
Around here we install tyvek over (actually under) the insulation, stapling well around the edges. Mind you, unless you've a new house, nothing will be tight enough to keep the buggers out, they'll get in gaps anywhere. So check around sheathing to wall connections, behind siding etc for holes. If you live in the country don't store firewood against the house, if in the city don't leave garbage there. Finally, get a cat.
"Mice" you say? Hmmmm.
gooddog,
Have you considered rigid insulation? I have a small bath and mudroom (about 48 sq ft) that have a crawlspace below. I had the same problem...in fact, the piss smell in the batts was outrageous! Now that I've removed that foul mess, I planning on rigid insulation panels in between the joists and great stuff in the gaps between the panels and joists.
Drew
Thanks for the suggestions.
I can't figure how I would use celulose in an unfinished ceiling. Or am I missing something?
The Tyvek is similar to something I used once before in the same situation. I installed fiberglass insulation and then stapled rodent wire over it. It worked well, but it was new construction and as pikopete pointed out, it would be very difficult to use with the older construction I'm dealing with now. Also, once you put something like rodent wire or Tyvek over the ceiling, you cut off access to wiring, water and gas lines and so on. The location is way out in the country, so we get an influx of the little furry creatures every fall. And, if I didn't mention it before, my wife is allergic to cats.
I was also thinking about rigid insulation, as Drew suggested, but I wondered if this is any more rodent proof than fiberglass. The area to be covered is 960 square feet, so it seems like quite a project to install it. What would you use, Drew, the foil-backed foam? And would you install it right over the bottoms of the joists? It would have the same access problems as Tyvek, but I suppose that I could install it with screws and big washers so that I could pull it down if necessary. Of course, I'd have to relocate all those wires that are attached to the bottom of the joists (groan). Maybe I could add furring strips to give some clearance for the wires. Hmmm this might be looking like a plan except for one problem. The foil-backed foam that I have seen says that for fire protection, it must be covered with at least 1/2" of wallboard between it and the living space. Granted that the crawl space isn't exactly a living space, but wouldn't the same requirement apply? Is there another rigid insulatoin that doesn't have to be covered? Installing wallboard in this space just isn't gonna happen.
You got it right about the stink Drew...really bad.
Edited 11/10/2004 7:29 pm ET by gooddog
>> I can't figure how I would use celulose in an unfinished ceiling.
You can get wet spray cellulose. There was an article about it in FHB two or three years ago.