Expanding foam is like a buffet for rodents... learned that the hard way.
That’s the truth—mice treat that stuff like it’s an all-you-can-eat snack bar. I’ve seen them tunnel right through it, leaving little foam confetti everywhere. Steel wool and caulk combo is solid, though I’ve had mixed luck with caulk holding up in damp spots. Ever tried copper mesh? It doesn’t rust out as fast as steel wool, especially in basements where moisture’s a pain. Airflow’s tricky too—block too much and you’re trading mice for mildew. Always feels like a balancing act.
Copper mesh sounds interesting—never tried it, but I’m all for something that doesn’t rust out in a year. My basement’s always damp, so steel wool just falls apart after a while. I keep worrying about blocking off too much airflow, though, like you said. Anyone ever had luck with those rodent-proof vent covers, or do they just end up trapping moisture?
Honestly, those vent covers can be a mixed bag. Tried a few “rodent-proof” ones and yeah, they kept the critters out, but I swear the humidity in my crawlspace doubled. Ended up with condensation on the pipes—fun surprise. If your basement’s already damp, you might be trading one headache for another. Sometimes old-school mesh (copper or even aluminum) with gaps for airflow works better than those solid covers. Just my two cents...
- Those solid covers are a pain, honestly.
- Tried them last winter—ended up with a swamp under my house.
- Mesh is way cheaper and easier to swap out if it gets gunked up.
- If you’re worried about rodents, just double up the mesh layers.
- Not perfect, but at least my pipes aren’t sweating buckets anymore...
Mesh is way cheaper and easier to swap out if it gets gunked up.
Yeah, mesh really does the trick for most climates. I’ve had similar issues with solid covers—traps too much moisture and just creates new problems. Doubling up the mesh has worked for me too, especially when I used stainless steel. Not bulletproof, but definitely keeps airflow moving and the critters at bay. Good call on ditching the solids.
