No matter how high performance, thermal insulation qualities a heater may have, rats and mice can destroy all the efforts of builders. Rodents create moves, holes in materials. They are hard to stop. However, there are materials that are less susceptible to rodents. You can also apply additional protection methods. Which insulation is not gnawed by the mouse will be discussed in detail below.
Material Features
When planning construction work, each owner of his own house should choose the most suitable type of insulation that mice and ants do not bite. The fact is that such pests can penetrate the thermal insulation through the smallest cracks, cracks in the facade, foundation, etc. Once settled here, they will not leave their cozy house. Smoking them from here will be extremely difficult.
If such a nuisance occurs, an overhaul will soon be required. Old thermal insulation will only need to be dismantled. It will be impossible to get rid of rodents in a different way.
Mice and rats do not eat insulation. But in the material they gnaw moves, create holes. Through these sections, heat quickly leaves the room, bridges of cold are created. As a result, much more will be required to pay for energy in the winter. Due to improper functioning of the insulation, condensation will appear in the house. Other building materials will begin to collapse rapidly.
To prevent this, you need to know what kind of insulation mice and rats do not gnaw. Most of the modern materials presented on the market today cannot resist the attack of pests. When choosing thermal insulation, it is necessary to understand what qualities it should have in order to be less attractive to rodents. Such materials are quite affordable.
It is also worth saying that there are methods that can protect against insect pests even those heaters that become a favorite option for mice and rats. When making estimates for future repairs or construction, these features must be taken into account so as not to redo the work soon again.
What qualities should a material have?
Studying what kind of insulation mice do not like, you should consider what qualities such a material should have. Rodents choose thermal insulation for nesting, which is characterized by low density. Such thermal insulation is easier to chew on. No water should accumulate in this material. Inside such a “house”, mice and rats should be warm and comfortable. It is these materials that pests choose. Also, some of them are able to use rodents as food. Therefore, acquiring thermal insulation, you need to find out if mice eat insulation of this group.
To avoid troubles and additional costs, you need to pay attention to materials of high density. Their rodents cannot hurt. Therefore, dense blocks are much preferable to soft roll materials.
It is also worth noting that mice do not start in thermal insulation, which was saturated with special antiseptic compounds. The concentration of such reagents should be minimal so as not to harm human health. However, such heaters are best purchased for external insulation. Indoors, their use is not recommended.
Another factor that can prevent the invasion of rodents is the flowability of the material. It is impossible to create a cozy mink, gnaw a course. This scares off mice and rats. They leave in search of another suitable nesting place. A number of heaters meet these requirements. However, not every material that is in demand among buyers today can boast of such qualities.
Where do mice like to live?
Choosing a heater that mice do not chew on, it is worth considering which varieties are definitely not worth using during construction work, if there is a high probability of mouse damage. There are 3 groups of similar thermal insulation:
- based on polystyrene foam (including polystyrene foam, penoizol);
- mineral wool;
- MDF, chipboard, fiberboard boards.
The listed materials are characterized by a relatively low density. Styrofoam and expanded polystyrene are especially fond of rodents. These are synthetic materials. Mice do not eat them. But the moves here they gnaw easily. At the same time, they are comfortable in a dry, warm polystyrene foam. Therefore, all varieties of polystyrene should be excluded from the estimate. Up to 80% of this material is eaten by pests within a few years after repair or construction.
It is worth noting that penoizol (liquid polystyrene), mouse polystyrene foam also willingly spoil. Although these heaters are denser than polystyrene foam, they are not able to resist the attack of rodents.
Some buyers are wondering if basalt insulation is chewing on mice. The answer to this question is yes. Rodents do not eat this stuff. However, they make moves and nests in this material with pleasure. It does not matter what type of mineral wool (glass wool, basalt fiber, etc.) is used by the house owners. Mice spoil this stuff.
This is also characteristic of fiberboard, particleboard, MDF. These mouse plates are capable of gnawing. But natural materials, such as straw, reeds or sawdust, they are even able to eat. Therefore, such a heater will become not only a cozy home for a horde of mice or rats, but also lunch.
Ecowool
Almost all of the most popular heaters are not suitable for installation in areas where there is a high probability of attack of rodents. So what to do? What kind of insulation do not bite mice and rats? There are several options that are not inferior to the listed materials in terms of thermal insulation indicators. However, they will not allow pests to settle inside the walls.
One of these materials is ecowool. Its thermal conductivity is minimal, and the service life with proper installation reaches 80 years. In terms of performance, ecowool is not inferior to mineral wool, expanded polystyrene.
It should be noted that the bulk of this material is formed by cellulose. At the same time, ecowool is not subject to burning, does not emit harmful substances into the environment. Soundproofing indicators are 4 times higher than mineral wool. Ecowool is not afraid of moisture. Condensation does not accumulate in it.
Ecowool is applied manually or using special pneumatic equipment. The second option is preferable. However, the equipment will require additional costs. Also, the insulation itself is quite expensive. Therefore, ecowool has not yet received such a distribution. Like other types of insulation. There are certain installation requirements. Within 2-4 days, ecowool dries under normal humidity. Therefore, it must be protected from moisture.
Why is ecowool a heater that mice are afraid of? Its composition includes boric acid, brown salts. Their concentration is low. It does not harm human health. However, for mice this becomes an insurmountable barrier. They run from this insulation. Also in the ecowool fungi, microorganisms do not start. Therefore, the high cost of the material is justified.
Foam glass
What kind of insulation do not the mice eat? There is another option that is suitable for creating thermal insulation in a private house. This is foamglass. This material has not yet gained much fame. However, it is gradually gaining market share. This material is made from glass industry waste. They are crushed and mixed with anthracite, coke, and other similar substances.
Billets are placed in special forms, and then subjected to firing. A bulk type of foam glass is presented on sale, as well as thermal insulation in the form of plates. This material is not exposed to moisture. Even with prolonged contact with water, it does not lose its performance.
Under the influence of temperature, the foam glass does not shrink, does not collapse. In this case, the plates can be cut. They are glued with mastics. The life of this material is 100 years.
This is quite expensive stuff. Moreover, he has a lot of weight. The foundation will need more powerful, which also entails additional costs. Various microorganisms, fungi cannot live in such material. This material is too tough for rodents, since foamglass is an abrasive. They are not able to live in the plates of this insulation. In bulk material, burrows cannot also be arranged, for obvious reasons.
Therefore, considering in which insulation the mice do not start, this option should be considered as one of the possible ones. Its high cost pays off for a very long service life.
Foam concrete
You should also pay attention to a material such as foam concrete, choosing a heater for walls. Walls made of this material do not gnaw at mice. These are cellular blocks. The uniform distribution of the bubbles is ensured by mixing. From a hollow cellular foam concrete lay one layer of the wall. This will be enough to provide high-quality protection of the home from heat loss.
It should be noted that not all brands of foam concrete can be used as insulation. For these purposes, you need to purchase such varieties of material as D400 or D500. Blocks can be sawn, used to glue mastic.
The advantage of this insulation is its incombustibility, as well as durability. Bearing structures are not built from it. However, foam blocks have proven themselves on the positive side as a heater. Their installation is quick. Even an unprofessional builder will cope with this task. It is also environmentally friendly material. It does not release toxins into the environment even with significant heating.
The disadvantage of this material is exposure to moisture. It must be additionally protected from precipitation. To do this, create a layer of plaster. In this case, vapor barrier must be used. Under the influence of moisture in the foam blocks can develop fungi.
This material is too tough for rodents. Therefore, you can safely erect a layer of insulation from foam concrete.
Expanded clay
When choosing a heater that mice do not gnaw at, it is worth paying attention to loose expanded clay. This is an environmentally friendly option for thermal insulation. It consists of granules of different sizes. The composition includes clay. She goes through a special treatment. The material is fired at high temperatures.
Expanded clay, crushed stone and gravel are distinguished depending on the fraction of the material. The thermal conductivity of this material is higher than that of ecowool or mineral wool. However, its cost is relatively low. Therefore, this material is considered during construction planning in the first place.
Expanded clay is difficult to apply in the construction of large, tall objects. However, among the advantages it should be noted that this material does not rot, does not burn. It is also not subject to corrosion. Rodents cannot live in it. This is bulk material in which it is impossible to build tunnels. The material may lose its heat-insulating qualities with prolonged contact with water.
Expanded clay differs in reasonable cost, and also long term of operation. It is comparable to the life of the building.
Professional Tips
Having considered in what insulation the mice do not live, it is also worth considering several nuances. They need to be considered when choosing a material. Of course, because of the low cost, expanded clay is the most attractive for buyers. However, experts argue that its use is not always possible.
So, for a wooden house, which requires reconstruction, expanded clay is not used as insulation. The fact is that the weight of such material will be significant. This will increase the burden on the foundation. He may not stand it. Therefore, it is worth giving preference to light materials.
Expanded clay is well suited for insulation of the floor and ceiling of a new house. Its weight is taken into account when developing the foundation.
Foam concrete is advisable to apply, creating a layer of insulation in a brick house. This is essentially the second wall of the building. A non-standard solution is to insulate the house from the inside with the help of such blocks. This can be done even in a wooden structure. However, the internal space is slightly reduced.
This material is relatively light, since the blocks have hollow chambers inside. They additionally accumulate heat. In the winter, such units will deliver the stored energy back to the room. Therefore, it is more advisable to create such a layer inside the house. The load on the existing foundation will be minimal.
When can ecowool and foamglass be used?
Knowing which insulation the mice do not gnaw, one should take into account the recommendations of the builders about which material is better in a particular case. Foam glass can be used for different types of objects. This thermal insulation is used for insulation of walls, floors, and ceilings. It can also be used as a decoration for facades, indoors.
The only limitation for the use of foam glass is rooms with high humidity. Here it is better to mount other types of materials. Otherwise, the walls will begin to rot. It should be borne in mind that this material is quite heavy. It should not be purchased for the reconstruction of the building. The foundation of such a house is not designed for extra weight.
For most construction work, ecowool is suitable as a heater. Its cost may confuse the buyer somewhat. However, its life will be very long. Ecowool is suitable for both stone, brick, and wooden buildings. In this case, the material is highly adhesive. Therefore, it can be applied on the surface of any configuration. All cracks in the base will be filled with this insulation.
Ecowool is a lightweight material. No need to worry that the weight of the building will increase. Moreover, you can apply this insulation on both vertical and horizontal surfaces, the ceiling, the walls of the attic, etc. Ecowool tightly adheres to the base, not allowing moisture to penetrate inside.
Professional builders argue that ecowool is the most preferred option if you want to create thermal insulation. It is safe for human health, but rodents cannot live in it.
Other protection methods
Having considered what kind of insulation mice do not gnaw, it is necessary to consider ways to protect conventional thermal insulation. You can cover a regular material with a metal mesh with small cells. So rodents will not be able to get inside. You can also use special chemicals. The most popular of them are Goliath, Krysid, etc. They process the insulation in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Some hosts backfill dry leaves. Sounds scare away rodents. However, this method is less reliable of all.
Having considered which insulation the mice do not gnaw, you can choose the appropriate option.