I hear you about the foam sleeves being quick—when I first bought my place, I slapped those on every visible pipe just to get something on there before winter hit. They did the trick for a bit, but after a couple seasons, I noticed chew marks and even found some bits of foam in the basement corners. Guess the mice liked the insulation more than I did.
Sometimes “good enough” comes back to haunt you...
That line hits home. I ended up crawling around in the crawlspace last year, pulling out what was left of the foam and replacing it with fiberglass wrap. Not my favorite Saturday, but at least it’s held up better. I haven’t tried mineral wool yet—does it itch as much as fiberglass? Also, how do you keep it from getting soggy if there’s a bit of moisture down there? I’m always worried about mold or mildew, especially since I’ve had a small leak before.
I haven’t tried mineral wool yet—does it itch as much as fiberglass? Also, how do you keep it from getting soggy if there’s a bit of moisture down there?
Mineral wool’s a bit less itchy than old-school fiberglass, but you’ll still want gloves and long sleeves. As for moisture, that’s the tricky part—mineral wool itself won’t mold, but if water sits on it, you’re still risking mildew on the pipes or joists. I’ve had better luck using a vapor barrier on the crawlspace floor and making sure any leaks are handled ASAP. If you’re seeing regular dampness, maybe look into closed-cell foam (the spray kind) for those pipes. It’s pricier, but rodents don’t seem to chew it, and it shrugs off moisture way better than wraps.
