How to Stop Mice From Removing Insulation From My Home

Mice make nests of insulation materials.

Insulating materials look like good nesting materials to mice. They are soft and retain heat beautifully. Unfortunately, mice dragging away bits of your insulation material can eventually reduce its effectiveness. There is also a risk of the mice causing other damage, notably by chewing electrical cables. To keep mice away from insulation try a combination of physical barriers and rodent repellents. Peppermint oil appears to be one of the most effective mouse repellents but they don't like other strong smelling oils, such as lavender, much either.

Things You'll Need

• Flashlight
• Peppermint oil
• Cotton balls
• Building materials such as plaster

Instructions

1. Select an insulation material that is unappealing to rodents if you are insulating your home for the first time.

2. Search for potential mouse entry points around the outside of your home. Mice don't need to get all the way into your rooms -- if they can find a way into the walls they will remove insulation and cause problems. Also examine your basement carefully.

3. Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and place into each possibly entry point before sealing it up with the appropriate building materials. Alternatively, drip the oil directly onto the insulation material.

4. Add more peppermint-soaked cotton balls to accessible crawl spaces and attics. Replace them every 4 to 6 weeks.

References

• Self Build Central: Insulation Properties