“Maybe it depends on the type of rodent or the age of the house?”
Yeah, I think you’re onto something there. My place is older and I swear the mice are like tiny engineers—steel wool slows them down, but they always find a new spot. Peppermint oil helps, but I have to reapply it way more than I’d like. PEX is like candy to them... I’ve patched more than one chew mark. Sometimes I wonder if sleeves are just a false sense of security, honestly.
I’ve seen that too—older houses seem to have a never-ending supply of tiny entry points. I used to think steel wool was the end-all, but you’re right, they just move over a stud or two and try again. I’ve heard some folks swear by using metal conduit for PEX in problem areas, but that’s not always practical. Honestly, sleeves slow them down, but if a rodent’s determined, it’ll chew right through. Sometimes I wonder if there’s really a foolproof fix, or if it’s just about staying one step ahead.
- I’ve tried the steel wool trick too, but yeah, mice just treat it like a speed bump.
- Metal conduit is solid for PEX if you can swing it, but honestly, cost and space make that a pain in most retrofits.
- Expanding foam’s useless—rodents plow right through.
- Only thing that’s worked for me long-term is a combo: copper mesh (harder to chew), tight caulking, and regular checks.
- At the end of the day, I think you’re right—it’s less about a perfect fix and more about making your place less appealing and patching new holes as they show up.
- Never-ending game of whack-a-mole…
Never-ending game of whack-a-mole…
That’s exactly how it feels. I thought steel wool would be the magic bullet, but nope—just found a mouse nest right next to it last week. Copper mesh is pricier but seems to hold up better so far. I’m starting to think the real trick is just staying one step ahead and not letting your guard down. Anyone else get weirdly obsessed with checking for new holes, or is that just me?
Yeah, I hear you. It’s like the mice have a sixth sense for finding the one spot you missed. I’ve seen folks swear by copper mesh, but honestly, nothing’s totally foolproof. I’ve crawled under more houses than I care to admit, flashlight in hand, poking around like some kind of weird detective. Gets a little obsessive, but hey, better that than surprise guests chewing your pipes...
