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What mice do to insulation

In addition to making noise, leaving droppings and urine, and getting “in your face”, Mice do a lot of permanent damage. Mice invade, not for food, but for survival from temperature extremes and predators. Quite often invading both attics and basements when temps drop below 50 F degrees. They love Fiberglass insulation and nest in it, use it as nesting materials. These infrared Images show how mice cause attic insulation to lose not only heat but also warm air.  FVEPC provides in-depth infrared and blacklight inspections to identify mice damage and contamination. When warm air is lost in attics, it must be replaced by cold outside air, creating a ‘draft’.

Cellulose vs Fiberglass in your attic

When damage is not severe attic insulation can be repaired by adding about 4” of additional blown-in insulation to “cap” the insulation. But, keep in mind that warm air loss is not the same as heat loss… and all insulation is not an air barrier.  Let’s compare…

Cellulose has a tremendous advantage to Fiberglass. As it is 4x as dense, air simply can’t penetrate even a few inches of cellulose.  For this reason the industry considers cellulose to be the only blown in “air-barrier’ insulation. Boric acid can also be mixed with cellulose.  Boric acid prevents insect infestation and mold growth, and will provide resistance to mice, as boric acid irritates mice sinus cavities.

We recommend sealing the exterior and repairing with mice resistant cellulose to resist new invasions and new damage.

Basement insulation damage can be worse, as they are often used as living space, so the contamination from droppings and urine can create health issues.  It is estimated that about 40% of the air homeowners breathe is from the attic or basement.

In conjunction with repair, sealing to prevent further damage is recommended.

What can FVEPC do?

Fox Valley Environmental Pest Control has serviced, Kane, Dupage, and adjacent counties, near St Charles, Naperville, Algonquin, Elgin, and Aurora, over 35 years.  FVEPC and its contractors install only cellulose attic insulation, and have been providing insulation services in these cities over 25 years.

We can help with inspection, pest control, sealing, damaged insulation removal, decontamination/disinfecting, disposal to curb, and insulation replacement.  So only one phone call is necessary to eliminate the entire problem, and one company to deal with, once the job is done.

Being Intelligent creatures, mice will continue to find or create access, to do further damage, but with on-going maintenance to control pests, we also ensure the ‘seal’ isn’t compromised or bypassed, we provide an on-going materials warranty.

Basement Cold intrusion from Mice Damage