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.
I get where you’re coming from about closed-cell spray foam, but I’ve actually seen it cause some headaches in older homes. It’s great at blocking moisture, sure, but if there’s ever even a tiny leak behind that foam, you might not notice until it’s a major problem. At least with mineral wool or even fiberglass, you can see the mess and deal with it before rot sets in.
I know the foam crowd swears by it for rodents and damp, but I’d rather have something I can pull back and inspect if needed. Maybe I’m just old school, but catch me crawling around under the house every year looking for trouble spots instead of sealing everything up tight. Just my two cents—sometimes the “set it and forget it” approach doesn’t work out so well in real life, especially when you’re dealing with unpredictable moisture down there.
Maybe I’m just old school, but catch me crawling around under the house every year looking for trouble spots instead of sealing everything up tight.
Honestly, same here. I’d rather spend a Saturday with a flashlight than find out years later that there’s a science experiment growing behind the foam. Plus, if you ever have to fix or run new pipes, that stuff is a pain to deal with. I’m all for saving money and headaches where I can... not adding new ones.
I totally get where you’re coming from. I just bought my first place last year, and honestly, I’m way more comfortable poking around myself than trusting everything to spray foam or whatever’s trendy. It’s not glamorous, but crawling under there with a checklist and a phone camera gives me peace of mind. Plus, if something’s off, I’d rather spot it early before it turns into a nightmare. I’m all for convenience, but sometimes “old school” just feels safer... especially when it comes to water damage.