Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-12-2015, 07:12 PM   #1
2 Rivet Member
 
2015 Interstate Ext. Coach
Tulsa , Oklahoma
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 75
Rodents eating insulation

Tried searching. No luck. Mice, chipmunks, whatever are eating insulation on air intake box and I suspect insulation on wiring (not confirmed yet). Tried a few things, which obviously haven't worked.

Any thoughts would really be appreciated.

I have 2016 Grand Tour.
Bobsprinter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2015, 07:55 PM   #2
Figment of My Imagination
 
Protagonist's Avatar
 
2012 Interstate Coach
From All Over , More Than Anywhere Else
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,868
You might spray any exposed insulation with self-defense pepper spray or bear spray. Or wasp spray or ant and roach killer, which would be less expensive. It should make the wires unpalatable to anything that would want to nibble.
__________________
I thought getting old would take longer!
Protagonist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2015, 08:00 PM   #3
Rivet Master
 
Ron_CA's Avatar
 
2015 Interstate Ext. Coach
San Diego , California
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 666
Try Wd40, that's what I use on my pool heater insulation. rodents don't like it.
Ron_CA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 12:02 AM   #4
Rivet Master
 
73shark's Avatar
 
2011 Interstate Coach
Overland Park , Kansas
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,798
I caught two mice under the hood last winter with a mousetrap. Caught four inside. Baited with peanut butter and cheese.
__________________
Glass half full or half empty to an engineer is the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

2011 Interstate SOLD! Upfitted 2017 Transit 350. SOLD!
73shark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 01:17 AM   #5
2 Rivet Member
 
2015 Interstate Ext. Coach
Tulsa , Oklahoma
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 75
Thanks for the thoughts. Wouldn't bear spray, wasp killer etc smell when engine heats up (with spray on insulation on firewall and air intake?
Bobsprinter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 06:37 AM   #6
3 Rivet Member
 
Mjgman's Avatar
 
2013 Interstate Coach
Bradenton , Florida
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 194
There is an anti corrosion spray that is used on water craft.. It can sprayed on anything and everything inside the engine compartment.. When I had a sea doo wave runner I would spray the engine and battery after every use.. I bet that stuff would keep them off and you wouldn't have to worry about burn off..
Mjgman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 07:00 AM   #7
Rivet Master
 
r carl's Avatar
 
Vintage Kin Owner
Lin , Ne
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,430
The old standby.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Cat_with_mouse.jpg
Views:	386
Size:	111.3 KB
ID:	247969  
__________________
The higher your expectations the fewer your options.
r carl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 07:19 AM   #8
Rivet Master
 
InterBlog's Avatar
 
2007 Interstate
League City , Texas
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,139
When we first started garaging, we set out snap traps in the bay and placed a few glue traps around our Interstate's wheels. I was prepared to get more elaborate than that with the countermeasures, but after catching one rodent in a glue trap within the first week or so, there didn't seem to be any additional activity.

I do have a rule, though, that the Interstate gets driven at least once every two weeks, at least for a short local jaunt, in order to discourage rodents. My husband has been restoring a Mustang long-term and we did get mice in that vehicle even though we were physically present on a daily basis (the Mustang is kept in our attached house garage). Our proximity didn't seem to matter because the Mustang wasn't running and so there was no wholesale disturbance of it. Moving a vehicle around seems to help a great deal to discourage rodents.
InterBlog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 12:18 PM   #9
3 Rivet Member
 
2011 Interstate Coach
Tulsa , Oklahoma
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 171
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobsprinter View Post
Tried searching. No luck. Mice, chipmunks, whatever are eating insulation on air intake box and I suspect insulation on wiring (not confirmed yet). Tried a few things, which obviously haven't worked.

Any thoughts would really be appreciated.

I have 2016 Grand Tour.
Bob,
German car wiring has, for a long time, been tasty to rodents because the wiring insulation is reported to be made of a non-petroleum base oil. One speculation is that it is a vegetable based oil. I think that it would be much tastier than a petro based plastic. The sound deadening/insulation material on the Cabin air filter area and on the firewall is just great bedding material for them, regardless as to what it is made of. Our Sprinter is housed in a climate controlled garage BUT a rodent managed to take about a 3inch square of the sound deadening material before I realized I had an issue.
I put bait boxes on the ground to initially kill them off before they advanced to the Sprinter itself. Then I put a couple of BOUNCE dryer sheets in the engine compartment, one on top of each tire and a few in the coach itself. The ones in the coach were put in the cabinets, especially down low like the cabinets at the rear tires, microwave and one on the floor under each seat. They really do not care for BOUNCE dryer sheets. I know it sounds like 'an old wives's tale' (not to offend old or new wives, male or female. Our politically correct world), but it really works for us.
As a very important safety issue though, if you Sprinter is outdoors, be VERY careful of your placement of the rodent bait boxes to insure no dogs/cats. rabbits etc. get into the poison. I also remove the BOUNCE sheets from the engine compartment before each journey. The sheets in the cabin just make it smell nice. (I know, some people do not care for the smell but for us it works fine. There is that politically correct thing again)
Do not worry about killing the rodents off, they, like Doritos, will make more!
__________________
Road Jager
Living On Tulsa Time
RoadJager is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 12:53 PM   #10
1 Rivet Member
 
2015 Interstate Ext. Coach
Tulsa , Oklahoma
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 8
Bob, I have been using the Bounce, seems to work. Just remember that they dry out over time. Had to replace 2 wiring harness for about $1K. Also, don't let the dogs chase the ground squirrels under the RV!
TulsaBob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 02:54 PM   #11
2 Rivet Member
 
2015 Interstate Ext. Coach
Tulsa , Oklahoma
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 75
Thanks guys

I've copied and saved them and will try them. Appreciate the thoughts. I don't think problem is bad yet but I can see it coming.
Bobsprinter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2015, 12:58 AM   #12
2 Rivet Member
 
Malmills's Avatar
 
1992 35' Airstream 350
Ocala , Florida
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 31
Has anyone tried the sonic devices they use to advertise as an alternative to chemicals? I believe you pluged them in and the high frequency was supposed to drive them away.
Malmills is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2015, 06:14 AM   #13
Rivet Master
 
InterBlog's Avatar
 
2007 Interstate
League City , Texas
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,139
Quote:
Originally Posted by Malmills View Post
Has anyone tried the sonic devices they use to advertise as an alternative to chemicals? I believe you pluged them in and the high frequency was supposed to drive them away.
This would be an excellent idea if a good product could be identified. I just glanced at Amazon and the reviews are not promising, but maybe I didn't hit upon the best devices.
InterBlog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2015, 09:52 AM   #14
Rivet Master
 
UKDUDE's Avatar
 
2014 Interstate Ext. Coach
Sedona , Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,084
Quote:
Originally Posted by Malmills View Post
Has anyone tried the sonic devices they use to advertise as an alternative to chemicals? I believe you pluged them in and the high frequency was supposed to drive them away.

I have a couple of Transonic Pros outside our house, bought to keep the bats away, and for that it works.
Living in the southwest we have pack rats galore, chipmunks, etc, and no hope of ever getting rid of them, but I have noticed much less droppings in the immediate vicinity of the house, so I would say with some reservation that the Transonic Pros are helping.
I'm thankful to have a sealed garage attached to the house for storing the Interstate, so no animals have got in there.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums
UKDUDE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2015, 10:31 AM   #15
Rivet Master
 
1976 31' Sovereign
Oswego , Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,017
Blog Entries: 1
If possible to place moth balls. I use them in swim pool heater after swim season done, before mice ate and made nests in heater, now no more
featherbedder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2015, 05:44 PM   #16
New Member
 
1995 34' Limited
Ft. Necessity , Louisiana
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 2
I have been struck by rodents and really didn't know that would be a problem. Spent a lot of money getting the engine repaired.

thebuies
123pat.buie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2015, 07:54 PM   #17
Rivet Master
 
toskeysam's Avatar

 
2013 Interstate Coach
Townsend , Tennessee
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 749
Been using sonic devices and Bounce sheets......no mice since, but just found a place on the firewall that has been chewed on......darn!!!
__________________
FMCA # 436814
toskeysam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-10-2015, 06:10 AM   #18
Rivet Master
 
InterBlog's Avatar
 
2007 Interstate
League City , Texas
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,139
I realize this thread is primarily about rodent issues in front of the firewall, but there's a potential for interior intrusion as well, as one of the recent trailer threads confirmed.

On that trailer thread, it appeared as if some folks had never heard of copper wool. We use it in the south to prevent rodent penetration of slab-on-grade homes. The two most common applications are brick facade weep hole stuffing (some improperly-constructed weep holes are wide enough to allow mice in, but the air has to keep flowing through those holes, so the wool blocks the mice while still allowing ventilation) and packing of the wall penetration where the A/C lines extend to the exterior components.

This past weekend, I took inventory of our Interstate rear of the engine compartment. My husband had foam-sealed all the penetrations for the gray water system when we replaced that plumbing last year, and I saw no evidence of chewing, so I left that work alone. The only other area of concern was at the black tank line, where a large gap exists (why Airstream cut it that size is a mystery; the shower drain opening is more befitting its pipe). The pic collage shows the wool stuffing process. This penetration is also where my husband runs any lines that have to go under the chassis, so it's best not to seal it with foam. If he needs to run another line in the future, he can take a needle-nose pliers and tug the copper back out.

I don't know if this idea would have application in the other areas of the Interstate where rodent problems have been reported. Remember, copper is superbly conductive, and it might cause an electrical short if used in the wrong way.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20151110_COPPER_WOOL_INSTRUCTIVE.JPG
Views:	220
Size:	179.1 KB
ID:	251849  
InterBlog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-10-2015, 06:27 AM   #19
Rivet Master
 
tjdonahoe's Avatar
 
2013 31' Classic
billings , Montana
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,576
Put a salt lick for the critters about 50' away from your parking spot, they lick the salt block and will( should) leave your salty wiring alone...
tjdonahoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-10-2015, 07:11 AM   #20
Rivet Master
 
DaveFL's Avatar
 
2000 31' Land Yacht
Central , Florida
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,489
Images: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by InterBlog View Post
Moving a vehicle around seems to help a great deal to discourage rodents.
Wish that was true for my Fit toad and daily driver(every few days). Mouse decided it needed a snack, chewed past plastic air intake flap(3x6x0.1) and due to having outside air open, it found sealed granola bars left in drivers door catchall shelf opened both and set up housekeeping on the air filter. Friends Honda wagon they setup and also chewed wires.
Now keep air vent closed, no food, peppermint oil drops on cottonball in motor area.
Have been seeing a feral cat, owl, and hawk around property, so critters do have to find a safe place to nest, hopefully not in my vehicles or house.
DaveFL is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Pesky rodents 2-roamers On The Road... 20 07-31-2020 12:57 PM
Protect your cornhole bags from rodents yakman On The Road... 24 07-18-2010 05:33 PM
Rodents in Tradewind lanajane General Repair Forum 2 06-27-2007 08:50 AM
Prevent rodents, ants in trailer. Ed Keyes 2000 - 2004 Safari 3 09-12-2003 12:38 PM
How to keep rodents on the outside jtetzlaff General Repair Forum 2 01-06-2003 06:19 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:59 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.