Concrete foundation to keep mice out

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Asherjv15
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun May 05, 2019 9:59 am

Hey everyone I have been dealing with an ongoing mouse issue since moving into my home 1 1/2 years ago.

I do live on some land and near farms so I know mice are common but I feel like it’s happening way too frequently at my house. From what I have read they get in easier to manufactured homes since they can get under easier. Does anyone have their home on concrete foundation and still have an issue with mice?

Seriously considering moving over it but if I were to get a new manufactured home on a concrete foundation is it going to make that big of a difference?

We re did the duct crossover with a metal one thinking that was the issue since they always came in through the furnace. Now they have ended up coming through the other side of the house my guess is through the floor vents.
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Greg
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Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

Concrete may help, it will also help to keep it level. I would install steel skirting to keep critters out. They can't climb it and if they can chew through it, they can have it I won't mess with it.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

you mention they may be getting in through the floor vents. That is probably the worst news at this point. If they have made access into the the ducting - there are a whole bunch of things that will now start.
1) Swiss cheese. These little critters love to chew - and they love to re-design your ducts to suit their whims. Watch your utility bill. It will steadily go up (especially if you have electric heat)
2) They have absolutely no manners. In no time flat, your ducts will be lined with rodent pee and poop. As the pee dries, it turns to dust - and yes, it blows right on in to your home. The poop will slowly build up and so will the smell.
3) There is no repair or fix for the pee and poop. And, bear in mind, the poop can contain some nasty bacteria and/or virus. There is no way to de-contaminate that fiberglass/styrofoam ducting material.
4) There is a distinct possibility they have gained access to the belly area via holes chewed in the ducting. If so - the mess gets even bigger as the insulation that hangs in the belly will also be saturated with their pee and poop. I had the entire belly tore out - insulation and all.....and it wasn't cheap.

The real shocker to this will come when you go to replace it all. My first quote that i got was over $8600. If you are lucky, the contractor won't require 'hazardous material' removal. I ended up completely "re-designing" all of the ducting, and then having the entire bottom of the house (doublewide) sprayed with foam insulation. Lastly, of course, was 26 gauge steel skirting installed.

I don't mean to scare you - but if they have been in there for a year and half......ugh. It ain't gonna be pretty.
Opportunity has a shelf life.
Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

To add:
Here is the dialog i had with some HVAC contractors on re-designing the ducting. Unfortunately - and i hope i am wrong - you're heading into a major project.

https://www.diychatroom.com/f17/convert ... ow-638539/

Here is the post i put here when the project was done.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11436
Opportunity has a shelf life.
mdnagel
Posts: 187
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:39 am

Though not a "solution," look to incorporate bucket traps (there are Youtube videos if you search). I re-did the skirting our our house (sits on a monolithic concrete pad) with metal roofing and still encountered mice! Might be because I have only re-skirted three sides, but the one side I have yet to do (I have a deck in the way and am in the midst of planning on replacing it at which time I'll finish the re-skirt) seems to be sealed up enough.

I'll concur with Mark440 that it gets ugly when mice end up in the belly (and other places). I've got a lot of belly repair to do (earmarked to be done when I re-plumb). I'm rural, and dealing with mice is just a part of life!
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