It would seem what kind of troubles homeowners can have in winter: look after the garden, remove snow and prepare for the next working season. But no, country estates do not allow you to relax for a minute and throw up new problems. To ensure that you are not disturbed by hordes of mice and rats during the winter holidays, so that in the spring you do not find dust instead of clothes and other things, you should take care in advance by providing protection for the foundation. walls and ceilings.

Frame house and mice

Forum members believe that the favorite wintering place for rodents is frame houses and houses made of timber. However, stone dwellings are not immune to this problem: mice nest in materials such as polystyrene foam, which is often used as insulation. As practice shows, gray animals do not disdain mineral wool and even glass wool, which, in theory, should irritate their skin and mucous membranes.

According to experts, it is still preferable to use mineral wool during construction, and carry out all thermal insulation work carefully, avoiding any cracks through which tailed animals can penetrate.

A participant in our forum talks about his successful experience of using ecowool:

id33637092 User FORUMHOUSE

For two years, I haven’t noticed any mice in my house made of timber (cookies for tea, sugar have been lying open for weeks, no one has chewed them yet in two years). Manufacturers of ecowool swear that no living creatures can live in it.

User of our forum am-b from Moscow got rid of mice during the reconstruction of a house: he tore off all the floors, walls and ceiling, finding numerous mouse passages and nests in the glass wool. During the subsequent installation of the floors, he tightly laid protection against mice between the subfloor and main floors - a 10 cm layer of expanded clay. In this way, the so-called "expanded clay castle", which has become a real obstacle to rodents getting into the house.

Then all the corners (ceiling, wall, floor) were covered with galvanized mesh with a fine mesh; it was important not to miss a single joint. Only after all these measures were the walls and ceilings insulated and finished. As the owner notes, for the third year now there has not been a single mouse in the house, neither a field mouse nor a house mouse.

tor28 also recommends using crushed stone to protect against rodents, spilling it during pouring strip foundation, and a fine-mesh metal mesh to protect the home from below and from the sides. If the house is already built, you can try burying mesh along the foundation - deeper than mouse and rat holes. Usually it is 20-30 cm, sometimes up to 80 cm. The mesh can be dug not near the foundation itself, but away from the house, the distance from the foundation to the mesh can be covered with a layer of crushed stone, the walls of the house a meter from the foundation can also be covered with mesh. As an option, make a narrow, deep ditch around the perimeter, which is filled with large crushed stone.

Protecting a frame house from mice

GrandAmigo during the construction of the frame summer house acted differently: the floor was made uninsulated, only the shield was a floorboard along the joists, which lay almost on the ground, on single bricks. To prevent rodents from crawling into the cracks between the edge of the floor and the outer cladding, he cut galvanized strips 10 cm wide, which he nailed to the floor along the edges along the entire perimeter (except for the doorway) so that the strip rests against external cladding. Then this strip was covered on top with insulation and sheathing from the inside. In his comment on our website, he talked about the result of these measures: mice sometimes squeak and rustle from under the floor, but they do not enter the house.

How to properly get rid of mice - old-fashioned methods

Forum members recall the following ancient methods of fighting rodents:

• add slag, tobacco dust, ash, dry burdock, pine branches, mint, wormwood, etc. to the insulation;
• place burnt logs under the floor - burnt wood repels mice with its smell;
• Scatter broken glass around the perimeter of the subfloor;
• along the walls and behind the walls wooden house add hot red pepper;
• catch a house mouse and singe it: rodents do not like the smell of burning wool;
• put a shred into an old aluminum saucepan sheep wool, make holes in the lid, set the wool on fire and place it in the basement: the smoke will spread slowly and evenly under the house.

To get rid of mice on your property:

• scatter cotton balls soaked in birch tar around the garden;
• fill the mouse holes with water;
• hang water and beer bottles on metal bars around the perimeter of flower beds and plants, occasionally rearranging the bars: the noise will scare away rodents;
• to dig in for the same purpose glass bottles: wind entering them will create noise interference for rodents;
• put rags soaked in Vishnevsky’s ointment into the holes;
• modern version: put a firecracker there, covering it with earth: mice cannot stand powder gases.

Read about rodent control using non-chemical means.

Poison and glue traps

Poisonous compounds are one of the effective ways to stop rodent infestations. However, it is also unsafe. In addition to the fact that such substances can be dangerous for people and pets, there is also a risk that a poisoned mouse or rat will crawl under the floor, where they cannot be reached. It is better to use a glue trap: rodents approach the bait and stick to the solution applied to some surface, boards, cardboard, etc. However, it should be borne in mind that large rats can escape from such a trap, and they do not get there right away.

Thunderstorm of mice

Those who cannot or do not risk using poisons will be helped to get rid of mice, rats and even moles by their natural enemies - domesticated stoats, weasels, hedgehogs and cats or even dogs.
Mice will feel like masters in a wooden house only if there is no cat in the house. However, not every cat will be able or willing to do such work. It is more likely that a mustachioed tabby will serve you well if it was adopted as a kitten from an outdoor cat. It was the neighbor's cat who helped Snickers overcome the arrogant mice, and the owner didn't even notice when the animal was hunting.

VladimirS doesn’t believe in magical stories about cats: a whole flock of these animals living nearby was of no use. Some cats sometimes brought mice into the house, after which, after playing, they were released.

Lilith offers to try a not very pleasant method for those who do not want to bother with pets: bring litter from the cat litter and place it in the corners. True, you too may run away from the house along with the mice, overwhelmed by the terrible smell.

And if the cat disdains “dirty work” and prefers to bask in the sun, thinking that “we are well fed here too,” you will have to decide on extreme measures.

Mousetrap

In this case, you have to trust your ingenuity and make (or buy) a mousetrap. The advantages of this method of catching rodents are obvious: there is no threat to the health of people or pets, and you do not depend on the mood or skills of your cat. All that remains is to choose an effective device and the right bait. With mice it’s easier: they eat almost everything, and cracklings or a piece of fried lard with skin will seem like a tempting delicacy to them.

It’s more difficult with rats. There are known cases when these animals entered food premises and gnawed not on food, but on packaging and other things that were inedible from a human point of view. Forum members say that rats “peck” well at dry dog ​​food and sunflower seeds.

You can make your own rodent traps.

Option 1
ivan.kulibin offers an automatic mousetrap: place a board on a bucket half filled with water so that the mouse can walk on it. Then nail the two planks crosswise. The length of one should be slightly larger than the diameter of the bucket, and the second should be smaller. Attach the bait to one side of a short board. The mouse climbs the ladder onto the bucket and, after walking along a short stick, falls into it, after which the cross under its own weight returns back, and the mousetrap is ready for use again. This way you can catch 8-10 mice per night.

When making such a trap, it is important to choose the right length of the short board so that it returns to its place on its own, and the rodent, having fallen into the water, cannot reach it.

Option 2
kpc recommends using glass beer bottles. Pour some in there sunflower oil, better - with a smell, unrefined, and leave it in places where you have seen rodents. Bottles should be placed at an angle of at least 30-40 degrees, secured with rope or wire so that mice can climb on them. After a week, you will have 5-7 pests in each bottle.

Option 3
serg-e presented another trap that can be made from a plastic floppy box. If there are a lot of such boxes, you can make disposable mousetraps. But they have one drawback: the “beast” gets there and remains alive, so you personally have to decide its fate.

How to get rid of mice in a frame house.

Ultrasonic generator

Some summer residents note that devices such as electric cats that operate on the basis of ultrasound can be effective. However, repellers have negative aspects: the results of their work are not immediately noticeable, the batteries run out quickly, and the barely audible sound of the devices irritates people themselves, so it is better to turn them on when no one is at home.

The forum of our portal reveals the topic in more detail fully and comprehensively - following the link you will find answers to all your questions.

Based on materials from participants of the forum "House and Dacha"

Frame houses are quite in demand in our country. The buildings are not only quickly erected, but also have outstanding performance characteristics. One of the disadvantages is rodents in a frame house. If the necessary measures have not been taken during the construction process, unpleasant guests are likely to settle in your home.

Today we will talk about how to protect frame house from mice. Let's look at the main reasons for the appearance of rodents, and also focus on ways that will help you forget about the problem forever.

Rodents in a frame house

Mice appear in a frame house, as well as in residential buildings of other types, while in search of food. If access to food is provided on a regular basis, mice will not only linger, but will also build a cozy nest away from human eyes, begin to actively reproduce and increase the population.

How to prevent mice from breeding.

Often mice appear in the house with the onset of cold weather - they are created indoors. optimal conditions for accommodation. Over time, pests begin to look for food and actively colonize the entire living area of ​​your frame frame.

Mice appear in a private house due to mistakes made by builders during the construction process. If there are gaps between the joints in the wall and floor area, rodents are likely to choose the frame as their home. Since the design implies, then optimal space is created between the panels for the movement of small rodents.

On a note

Mice often breed in the insulation of a frame house, so it is extremely important to choose the right material that is not suitable for rodents to live in.

Remember that there are absolutely no obstacles for hungry mice, especially if they smell cereal, flour, sugar, or bread nearby. Try to store any food not in bags or bags, but close everything in airtight containers.

Protecting a frame house from rodents

Protection against mice in a frame house will make all attempts by rodents to enter your home useless. It is extremely important to think through protection methods at the stage of developing a house project. There are several effective ways; controlling rodents in a frame house will not be difficult for you:

1. Choose as insulation mineral wool, the material not only saves wood, but also prevents rodents from settling in the frame;
2. Treatment building materials special solutions that repel pests;
3. Application of traditional methods: processing interior walls ash or tobacco dust, adding twigs peppermint or wormwood, the smell of which repels rodents;
4. A special metal mouse mesh is used in the frame house, which acts as a reliable barrier between the environment and your home.

Applying a grid

Metal grid from rodents in a frame house is installed both at the construction stage and after construction frame structure. The material is quite easy to use and allows you to protect the frame from small and large pests (mice, moles, rats).

Rodent mesh in frame.

The mesh is absolutely safe for environment, while it copes with high and low temperatures, and is inexpensive. Remember that the anti-rodent mesh must have small cells, and the wire thickness must be at least 2 mm. Otherwise, pests will easily bite through the mesh and still get into the home.

Floor protection

No less effective method floor protection - use of expanded clay. The material, which is baked clay, is poured when arranging the subfloor, a layer of at least 300 mm. An ordinary polyethylene film is laid on top of the material, then two OSB boards are laid, the final stage is another layer of expanded clay. By making a subfloor using this method, you can protect your home from pests.

In some cases, the “sandwich” of the subfloor is also added particle boards, soaked boric acid and wax. The substances actively repel rodents.

Wall protection

Often future owners of a frame house are interested in what material is best to use for cladding a frame house to prevent rodents from chewing through the wall and entering the house.

To prevent mice from infesting the walls of a frame house, you can use special profiled metal sheets made of steel. The thickness of such a sheet is more than 1.5 mm. For mice this coating is too slippery, so they cannot get into the room. Another effective option is to use a metal mesh.

Choice of insulation

If, during the construction of a frame house, ordinary polystyrene foam is chosen as insulation. The material has excellent performance characteristics, it reliably insulates the room and is inexpensive. Foam insulation has significant drawback– mice and rats often choose foam plastic as a place to create their nests.

Application of ecowool on the external walls of a frame house.

But how to protect a frame house from rodents? To protect your home from pests, opt for ecowool, which is sold in loose form. You can work with the material only if you have the appropriate skills; it is advisable to entrust the process to a professional who will lay the cotton wool using special equipment, securely close all the cracks and eliminate the possibility of rodents entering.

On a note

Mineral ecowool will protect your frame house not only from small and large ones, but also from insects, mold, mildew and other troubles. Vata creates an antiseptic environment. Another advantage of insulation is excellent protection from cold and sound.

Ecowool is prepared on the basis of wood cellulose, it does not contain hazardous substances, and can be used even if there are allergy sufferers and small children living in the house.

Foundation Features

If you use a metal mesh, then there are no specific requirements for the foundation. At the same time, strip and pile foundations are considered the most protected from rodents.

Rodent control

If the stage of protecting your home from pests was skipped, and mice still appeared in the frame, you can fight them in several ways. How to get rid of mice in a frame house? The most common methods used are mousetraps, snares and chemicals to kill rodents.

Mechanical methods

If there are mice in a frame house, you can resort to the most popular method - installing mousetraps. Remember that the method will bring the desired effect only if all the cracks and holes through which the mice initially entered the room are sealed.

Mousetrap.

Mousetraps have a number of advantages over chemicals: they are safe for children and pets, a rodent will not die in the partitions of a frame house and will not cause an unpleasant odor.

Traditional methods

No less effective are numerous folk methods of pest control:

• Wine cork. The material is cut into small pieces, mixed with any cereal, and a small amount of unrefined sunflower oil is added to the resulting mass. The bait that is eaten by the mouse ends up in the stomach, where it swells and gets stuck.
• Naphthalene. Rodents simply cannot stand the smell of the substance. To prepare a repellent, you need to mix naphthalene with sawdust and scatter it in the area of ​​burrows and pest passages.
• Semolina. The cereal is mixed with dry plaster or putty and scattered near mouse holes. Once in the stomach, the substance hardens and causes the death of the pest.
• Quicklime is mixed with sugar and placed near the burrows. Rodents happily eat the bait. In the stomach, lime reacts with gastric juice, causing severe burns and causing the death of the mouse.

Ultrasound methods

It has been established that rodents react painfully to high-frequency ultrasound. Modern electronic repellers that operate on mains or battery power. They emit sounds that cause panic in mice, a feeling of physical pain, and force them to hastily leave the room.

Cat hunting for mice.

Pay attention to the working area of ​​the device; if the power is not enough, rodents will only leave certain rooms.

Cat

Most faithful assistant in the fight against rodents - an ordinary house cat. The method is safe from an environmental point of view, the cat will become a good friend for children and adults.

Even in the conditions of modern civilization, in his home, a person coexists with other representatives of the animal world. But these are not only pets, but also uninvited guests- mice and rats. It is difficult to protect yourself from such a neighborhood, but there are many ways to protect yourself from rodents - both at the stage of building a house and during the operation of the building.

1. Rodents are eternal companions of humans

What attracts rodents to our buildings? What contributes to their settlement in our homes?

First of all, these are, of course, food sources. We rarely think about how much waste remains from our feasts, not needed by a person, but very suitable for abundant food for rodents.

Secondly, this is the comfort created by a person for his own living, and most importantly - warmth, dryness, reliable hydro- and thermal insulation of the home.

In addition, the design of our houses, helping to create warmth, coziness and comfort, creates additional features for settling mice in our homes:

The presence of all kinds of cavities where small animals can hide. This is the space between the partitions of the internal walls (and in frame houses and in the walls themselves)

• Gaps between house elements
• Ventilation gaps created during cladding
• The use of insulation that warms not only the house, but also mouse nests
• Leaky trash cans with food leftovers

2. Ways to control rodents

It is clear that mice and rats have been annoying people for thousands of years, and no matter how many years our “neighborhood” has existed, people have been trying to get rid of it for so many years. But, probably, this task is not a priority - not one for which a Nobel Prize is given - and the results of the fight against rodents are not very successful.

There are two main ways to protect against this scourge:

1. Maximum protection against rodents during the construction stage of a house
2. Fighting pests that have already settled in the house

There are several types of protection at both stages, which we will discuss in more detail.

3. Protecting your home from rodents during construction

To prevent small animals from appearing in your home, you need to understand how they enter your home. This:

1. Various gaps between elements of the house
2. Layers of soil in contact with the house that are easily traversed by mice
3. Storing within the home space of things and crop products where mice have already settled - grain, hay, straw, etc.

As for the ways of rodents entering the house, it would seem that the best protection is the maximum solidity of the house. These are stone and brick walls, poured floors with complete insulation from the ground. Ideally, this should protect the house from rodents, but in reality, it will still not be possible to create a completely closed shell. Besides, brick houses are often inferior in many respects to buildings built using other technologies, in particular, frame houses on a wooden base. And the tree is not too good protection from the teeth of rodents.

However, during any construction, you need to carefully ensure that the presence of various holes and cracks in the house is minimal - besides, this is also required by proper thermal insulation of the building. The most problematic areas are:

• Gaps in the floors
• Slots in openings, ventilation gaps
• Ventilation holes in the foundation

It is even more difficult to deal with the ground, where mice can easily dig through their passages, trying to get into the house. If the foundation and lower floor are in contact with the ground, then mice will definitely get to the inside of the house.

A good solution is to use screw pile technology for the foundation. By the way, this is one of its advantages. A pile-screw foundation raises the base of the house above the ground, and the lower floor of the house rests on a framework of screw piles. In this case, there is no contact with the ground, and it is impossible for mice to climb up the piles. Even if they gnaw or crawl through basement cladding pile-screw foundation, they will have to build their nests on the bare, frozen ground under the house - they will most likely look for another place.

If the house is on a traditional reinforced concrete foundation, that is, another way to protect against mouse “tunnels” in the soil. Along the perimeter of the house, at some distance from the foundation, a metal mesh with small holes is buried vertically into the ground. The recommended installation depth of the fencing mesh is at least 80 cm. Mice usually cannot make moves below.

Finally, in order not to bring mice into the house along with the harvest, you need to carefully control each portion of it stored inside the house - sift grain, hay, straw, etc.

All these measures are only the first stage in the fight against rodents entering the house.

Among other things, you need to understand where it would be best for them to nest. This is usually:

• Voids in cladding, partitions, etc.
• Insulation thickness
• Places where garbage and old items are stored
• The same productive “bins” stored in the house
• Pockets of heat, such as cavities near radiators or a stove

Obviously, mouse comfort should be disturbed, and as harshly as possible. The use of insulation itself is considered a particularly big problem, especially in frame houses, where it makes up up to 75% of the total volume of the walls. There is even a prejudice that the use of insulation leads to the “breeding” of rodents in the house and is almost a breeding ground for them. There are also legends about foam in the siding of a house being eaten by mice. There is, of course, a grain of truth in this. It is doubtful that polystyrene foam is a means of feeding mice, but they settle in it quite comfortably - warm, dry. And it’s very easy to break through passages, so sometimes they destroy the entire thermal insulation shell.

In order to repel mice from such “cozy” places, the insulation must have certain properties, and also possibly be processed additionally, which we will discuss in more detail below.

Summarizing what has been said, we note that at the stage of building a house, protection from rodents means creating the densest possible shell of the house and monitoring the places of their possible nests.

4. Rodent control products

Preventive measures to prevent rodent infestation have a fairly high effect, but most likely will only reduce, but not completely eliminate the problem. Eventually, mice will still find their way into the house.

Today, rodent control uses both ancient methods and some modern methods. Let's tell you more about them.

Since ancient times, people have used the following folk remedies:

Adding ash, mint, wormwood to the insulation, in short, anything that repels mice. These can be pine branches, furnace slag, dry burdock, metal shavings

• Laying burnt logs under a wooden floor
• Laying broken glass around the perimeter of the subfloor
• Sprinkling hot pepper powder outside and along the walls

To more modern methods can be attributed:

• Chemical substances
• Ultrasound
• Traps of different types
• Special glue

5. Chemical poisons against rodents

Of course, exterminating mice is inhumane. But it’s worth thinking about - after all, they not only violate our comfort, but are also carriers of various dangerous infections, and what’s more, epidemics. There's no time for sentimentality here.

Chemical agents against mice have been used since ancient times. Even the name chemical substance there is “arsenic” - the strongest poison.

All kinds of poisons for mice can be bought at any hardware store. To use them, be sure to read the instructions. And remember poison - it is poison, but not only for mice.

It should also be noted that the effectiveness of “chemical” rodent control will appear only when you seal at least part of the cracks and holes where mice penetrate, otherwise new ones will take the place of the poisoned ones, and the fight will be endless.

In addition, toxic substances have other disadvantages:

1. Poisoned mice need to be cleaned out periodically, which is a rather unpleasant procedure.
2. Poisoned mice remaining in the thickness of the insulation or cracks decompose and are sources of an unpleasant odor
3. Decomposed poisonous substances are a danger not only to sea lizards, but also to pets and sometimes children.

Concerning unpleasant odors from ruined rodents, then scientists came up with what they probably thought was more humane way: a seizing agent, such as cement, is added to the poison, which hardens in the stomach of mice or causes asphyxia - the rodents rush to open space, where they die. Of course, this helps to cope with the smell, but you will constantly come across the results of the action of such poisons - the corpses of mice - in your own yard. But your dog might also be interested in them...

In a word, poison mice in residential buildings undesirable - it would be more suitable for warehouses or some kind of production premises.

6. Application of ultrasound

Ultrasound is a great way to repel mice and rats, as well as moles and other small animals. Today there are a lot of different devices - from simple to “sophisticated” ones, which have special control systems, uninterruptible power supplies and other means that increase the selectivity and accuracy of the impact on animals.

It is recommended that such devices be installed in several places both in the house and on the property. Repellers should be placed along each wall of the house and in the corners. Not only will pests strive to leave the area unfavorable for them, they will gradually learn to avoid your entire area. Conditioned reflex in action!

7. Mousetraps and special glue

The use of mousetraps makes the process of fighting rodents creative in a sense - the owners acquire a sporting interest. A lot of devices for catching mice have been created, and they can also be purchased at hardware stores. Some of them immediately exterminate rodents, others only capture them, and the hunter himself will have to deal with the pests caught in the trap.

The same can be said about special adhesives that are applied in places where mice are expected to migrate - a mouse stuck to the floor will have to be removed and destroyed with your own hands.

8. Seals are the best way to protect against mice

No matter how many ways they come up with to exterminate small rodents, nothing better than having their natural enemy - cats - in the house has yet been invented. Firstly, cats cope well with hordes of mice and will clean your house in a couple of days, even if you decide to “rent” a cat from your neighbors. Secondly, the smell of a cat repels rodents better than any poison or pine branches. And your cat will most likely have to hunt mice not in the house, but in the surrounding area.

9. Cleanliness is the key to health

10. Conclusion

The fight against rodents and other pests can be long and persistent, but it will certainly end in human victory, albeit incomplete, if the basic conditions are met. Build with the Possible unpleasant neighborhood. Create unbearable conditions for pests that have settled in your home. And keep the house clean and tidy.

Noise and squeaking at night, eaten away insulation in the floor, bad smell? Apparently you have mice infestation. These, at first glance, harmless favorites of Disney cartoons are a real headache for all homes in all countries, for the sake of which new technologies are invented every year, and even new breeds of animals are bred. What are the general methods of dealing with them? And how to secure a bathhouse or country house left unattended? Now we will find out everything.

What are the dangers of a mouse infestation?

So, let's see what difficulties ordinary house mice can create under the floor:

• Constant noise at night.
• Chewed cables, wires and pipes made from certain materials.
• Insulation materials turned to dust.
• A specific and not very pleasant “mouse” smell in the house.
• Found mouse waste in the morning wherever possible.
• Danger of contracting rodent-borne diseases.

And also such unpleasant phenomena as a dead mouse under the floor, which is not easy to find and pull out.

Now imagine that in a year a female gives birth to up to 7 mice in each of 10 annual litters. Those. in 12 months there will already be 60-70 new rodents in your house! And each mouse matures within just three months, and also begins to reproduce. At the same time, mice are fast animals: they can reach speeds of up to 12 km/h, jump up to 75 cm in length, and up to 40 cm in height. Just don’t let this problem take its course - they will eat the house too.

Where do mice come from under the floor?

The main goal of mice is food. The secondary goal is to build nests and reproduce in the house where the food is. And mice can smell food two kilometers away! (Note that the bear is only a little larger - for five). That is why, if you leave your country house or bathhouse closed for the season, remove from there everything that could attract these animals.

Frame houses are especially targeted because of their design. Such a house can be built very quickly, quite inexpensively and at the same time fully meets all the requirements. But mice in its walls and floor are a real problem. An invasion of rodents into such a house can begin at the construction stage, but it is difficult to get rid of such pests.

But even the most durable, serious building made of bricks or blocks also rarely manages to avoid the proximity of tailed animals - after all, they love to settle under the floor. And, if the walls can still be protected somehow metal sheets, then it is more difficult to drive the mouse out from under the floor. And with the arrival of cold weather, this beast will find any opportunity to get underground.

Although the mice themselves are different. Thus, in the warm season, voles make their nests in the open air - under boards, near garbage. Until autumn they actively reproduce, and at the first cold weather they go into any enclosed space. Moreover, they can get under your floor even through a slightly open front door and right in front of the owners! But domestic mice don’t really peek out from under the floor at all. Moreover, cats easily get used to the smell.

Insulation and rodents: is there a solution?

Let's be clear right away - most modern floor insulation materials really don't eat mice, but at the same time they live quietly in them. And they also build nests in soft ones.

Fun fact: Mice's teeth grow throughout their lives. Moreover, if the mouse does not constantly chew something, then these teeth will grow into its upper jaw. Therefore, gnawing is a daily need for this animal. And the mouse can even sharpen concrete walls.

Oddly enough, mice are especially often found in polystyrene foam. Moreover, they gnaw on it - but not with the goal of getting enough, but with the goal of building comfortable nests in it. And therefore, manufacturers recommend insulating walls and floors with ecowool, which is looser and creates an antiseptic environment. But mice also gnaw on it, although not so willingly.

After all, as practice shows, mice can live under the floor in ecowool, foam plastic, and almost any other insulation. Even in glass wool! However, it is worth noting that it is very difficult, almost impossible, for a mouse to chew through ordinary plywood and OSB boards. All because of the structural features of her teeth. Like slabs that have a layered structure with wood chips directed in different directions.

The secret of the survival of these animals in any conditions is their extreme unpretentiousness. That’s why they gnaw holes for themselves in anything, in a word.

Traditional methods of protecting floors from mice

If you still have mice under the floor, you can also contact a professional service. They carry out special treatment that allows you to forget about rodents for a long time. whole year. This is the simplest, although not the best option. There are other traditional methods.

Frightening aromas: from mint to burnt wool

When laying the floor, add ash, slag, tobacco dust, dry wormwood or mint to the insulation - mice really don’t like all of this. Some also add red hot pepper or a lot of broken glass.

Moreover, the smell of dried mint has a suffocating effect on the mouse. While you are away from the house, you can even hang this plant in different corners - this really helps.

Underground mice don’t just like mint, but in general anything that smells strong and unpleasant. The aroma of burnt wool is especially disgusting for them - some even use it to fumigate the room, and throw the burnt remains under the floorboards. Mice do not like this smell and usually retreat from such places.

Also, when building a house from blocks, builders often treat them with borax or lime solutions. Everything is the same.

Traps: modern and homemade

Glue traps are the most popular today. So far the most best reviews about ALT glue, not expensive and quite sticky. It needs to be applied to a piece of plywood in the form of a circle, and a drop should be left in the very center. We put bait on it, and even if the mouse touches the glue with just the tip of its tail, it won’t go anywhere.

Note that wire spring traps are least suitable for a private home in the fight against mice - if there are already a lot of holes and passages near the house, you will then have to dig out these pieces of iron on the site for a long time.

But, if the rodents have already multiplied, such a fight against them can be exhausting.

Pesticides: the main thing is not to poison the cat!

But pesticides have a significant disadvantage: firstly, they can accidentally poison a pet, and secondly, no matter how the sellers claim that mouse carcasses quickly mummify and do not emit odors, in fact they decompose for quite a long time in hard-to-reach places, and it is impossible to live in the house during this period.

Therefore, if you use pesticides, then scatter them under the floor only in early autumn - when rodents gather to stay.

Ultrasonic repellers: both mice and cats

This is a new word in the fight against mice under the floor. After all, there are no barriers to ultrasound. So, they are small devices that, when turned on, produce a sound of a frequency inaudible to humans, but for rodents it is quite unpleasant and affects the nervous system.

When choosing such a device, you should carefully choose the manufacturer and not save money, otherwise the cat may escape from the house. And ultrasonic repellers are not always safe for people. We can say that this issue has not been fully studied, and yet some part of the population hears a thin squeak when the device is turned on, which a priori should not be heard. Therefore, this method is more suitable for a bathhouse or a country house, where you do not come too often. When we left, we turned on the device, when we arrived, we turned it off for a while.

The range of modern repellers themselves is very diverse - and among such devices there are many that have a noticeable effect, but do not give 100% results.

Thus, the most powerful repeller today is “Spectrum”, which covers up to 300 square meters. For the underground this is the most the best choice: works without interruption for several years, tolerates well high humidity basement and voltage in the electrical network. If the electricity is turned off, then the device will turn on itself, and therefore it is convenient to install it in country house or a bathhouse where you are absent for months. But the most important thing to do is to close all the cracks in the house and completely isolate the food. After all, even nylon lids on jars can easily be chewed by mice - more reliable protection is needed here.

Also, ordinary people recognize such repellers as “Typhoon”, Weitech WK-0300, WK-0600 CIX, “Grad A-500” and “GRAD A-1000 PRO” as quite effective. They have a fairly powerful and expensive base, a wide radiation pattern and a constantly changing ultrasound frequency, which ensures that rodents do not get used to it. Pestchaser 360 M+, Pestchaser 360 and “CHISTON-2 360” are already less popular.

And the cheapest repellers have weaker technical components and low power. Rodents get used to them quickly and on the very first day. These brands are Weitech WK-0220, Pestchaser LS-968, Pestchaser AC/DC and Weitech WK-0240.

If you decide to fight mice under the floor in this way, be sure to study the certificates included with your purchase. Otherwise you may end up buying a fake.

Predators - biological weapons

So, the most terrible animals for mice are cats and ferrets. Moreover, the latter are much more experienced and dexterous in this regard! Get such a pet - you will be surprised.

As for cats, not all breeds of this family like to catch mice. And cats are completely lazy. But rodents are more afraid not so much of the rare chance of getting caught as of the smell of the predator itself. That’s why some craftsmen scatter cat hair under the floor – and this is an excellent and effective method.

You will also be interested to know that a cat is not just a predator that likes to eat mice. This is a real biological weapon against the latter. So, in cat excrement there are special substances that act on the consciousness of rodents, and they already behave more fearlessly - and are easier to get caught (which is why cat owners who are not very hygienic often, having lost the same sense of danger, end up in accidents more often than others - there are such research).

A breed of dog such as the American Staff Terrier is also bred in America. These are real rat catchers, and they are bred specifically for farmland instead of cats. They are also great at catching mice, although they don’t eat them. Speaking of breeds: the more decorative a cat is, the less prone it is to natural hunting, and therefore it is better to give preference to an ordinary yard Murka. And finally, it's worth noting interesting fact: What mice are most afraid of is not cats, but rats. And in the house where there is one rat, there are usually no mice.

Protection against rodents during construction

Why at this stage? Yes, because it is much easier to prevent a rodent invasion than to fight them later. And the myths that there are no barriers for mice who want to get into the house are still myths. With a creative and attentive approach to this issue, you can completely ensure that such a misfortune never occurs in your home or bathhouse.

But first, you can carefully study the current building codes, which list grilles, metal screens and other methods of protection. But remember, when installing a metal profile against mice, you must leave a gap so that the insulation does not get wet from condensation.

Method #1 - expanded clay castle

Here we are talking about the so-called “expanded clay castle”, when a layer of expanded clay is laid especially tightly and at least 10 cm thick. Here standard pie floor, which is protected from mice during the construction of a house:

• 1st layer: lay expanded clay (fired clay) directly on the ground. The layer should be at least 30 cm thick. Cover with plastic wrap.
• 2nd layer: lay OSB-3 boards in two layers.
• 3rd layer: put expanded clay again.
• 4th layer: cover with oriented strand boards impregnated with synthetic wax and boric acid. These substances are good at repelling rodents.

As you can see, nothing complicated.

Method #2 - fine mesh

The simplest and most sufficient in an effective way Mechanical protection against mice even at the construction stage can be called galvanized mesh. It should be made of durable metal and with small cells. Much smaller than you now imagine. Now we will explain why: the mouse’s skull has the property of “folding”, like that of a newborn, and therefore this animal will really fit where a pencil fits, as biologists like to say.

So, it is advisable to lay the metal mesh along subfloor and additionally wrap around the base if you live in a private house. And how to arrange floors with it, you can take a closer look at our photo instructions:

If possible, cover all corners (floor, wall, and ceiling) with mesh, which is usually used for plastering. Don't miss a single joint.

Sometimes this material is used to protect against mice even after construction, when a problem with rodents becomes obvious. To do this, bury it around the foundation to a depth of 80 cm. If you notice already dug holes, then go even deeper. And place a mesh at least a meter high under the plinth sheathing.

The foundation of the house is also sheathed with a 1.5 mm profiled sheet of structural steel. This is also good additional protection.

Method #3 - leaving mice under the floor

If you are satisfied that there will still be a small number of mice under the floor, but will not penetrate into the house itself, then make a cake like this:

• Step 1. Forget about insulation. A floor without mice is a floor without any cotton wool or polystyrene foam. Just make a shield - floorboard right along the logs.
• Step 2. To prevent mice from getting into the gap between the edge of the floor and the outside sheathing, cut 10 cm strips of galvanized steel and nail them on top of the floor.
• Step 3: Cover these strips at the top with insulation and sheathing.

These are the simple, proven recipes. The main thing is don't give up!

Let's try to add a fly in the ointment to the barrel of honey described in.

TO shortcomings frame houses it is customary to include the following:

Fragility

One of the main and most unpleasant shortcomings for the future owner of the house.
And this is an absolutely real drawback of a frame house.
Indeed, the chance that a frame house will last several hundred years is extremely small.

Strictly speaking, the supporting frame of a high-quality built house can only be prevented from standing for 100 years by a physical impact on it, such as meteorites, battering machines, Mel Gibbson crashing into your house in a jeep at full speed...

Seriously though, what is most susceptible to the effects of time in a frame house is the insulation, which is embedded in external walls. Approximately once every 30 years it is changed, for which the internal lining of the frame and the vapor barrier film are removed, the old insulation is removed, a new one is installed, and the film and finishing are installed back.

That's all, after this the frame continues to delight its inhabitants with warmth and comfort.

Fire hazard

And it is true.
Wood burns really well.

However, and this has already been written about hundreds of times in many articles, almost any finishing material, which we would not use in even a very stone house. The only difference is the remains of the house after the fire. In a wooden house, immediately after sweeping away the ashes and clearing the site (by this time we will receive insurance compensation), you can begin to build anew, on a ready-made foundation. In a brick or foam block house, you will have to carry out complex dismantling of the burnt stone frame, remove tens of tons of construction stone scrap, etc.

And a frame house is certainly less susceptible to fire than, for example, a timber or log house due to the use of the same non-flammable insulation. Try it, tear off a piece of high-quality insulation and throw it into the fire. An impressive sight, believe me.
In combination with processing wooden frame At home with fire-retardant compounds we will get a house with extremely high resistance to combustion.

Of course, regardless of the fire safety measures taken, insurance of any country house from fire - an action that any civilized homeowner should take.
Then you can definitely sleep peacefully.

Rotting of wooden structures

This is a drawback, rather, of careless frame builders and others wooden houses than the tree itself.
Install into the frame unprotected from weather conditions wooden structures and hoping that they will remain bright and white for a long time is stupidity and naivety. Any wooden structures must be protected. And this is a mandatory event that must be carried out during the construction of the power frame of the house itself. Then, after the frame is covered with external and internal finishing, it will either be too late or extremely expensive to protect anything.

In the near future we will publish an article devoted to modern antiseptics, with the help of which you can effectively and permanently protect your frame house from mold and rot.

Noise insulation

Indeed, if you compare any wooden house, with a house whose walls and floors are made of blocks, brick or concrete, then a wooden house will have lower noise insulation. However, it is also true that using modern soundproofing materials and special technologies In the construction of a frame, this problem can be solved almost completely. Moreover, you can get rid of both “impact” noise and “air” noise.

The most varied measures are used for this, from “untying” interfloor ceilings and load-bearing frame, which can significantly reduce impact noise, before using sound-absorbing floor coverings(carpet, thick linoleum, etc.).

This topic is interesting, we will definitely talk about it in detail.

Environmental friendliness

It would seem that.
A wooden house, where is it more environmentally friendly?

However, a frame house is not a completely wooden house. Inside the frame we have insulation that does not grow on tree branches; the outside of the frame is lined with OSB (oriented strand board) which consists of shavings and glue. Often when interior decoration The frame uses plasterboard, which also does not consist of eucalyptus leaves.

The position of the site’s authors is that “environmental friendliness” modern house- nothing more than an advertising ploy, a trick used by sellers of houses made of timber, logs or cylinders to improve the image of their products. True, they forget to mention that the volume of impregnations, antiseptics, fire retardants and other things used in the construction of such houses puts the issue of the “environmental friendliness” of the house far from being in first place compared to the fire safety of the house and maintaining its attractive appearance.

Termites, insects and mice can live within the walls of a frame house

Well, since most of our readers live in Russia, the termite problem is not as acute as, for example, in North America. There, by the way, since the problem is still acute, and more than half of the houses in the USA and almost 90% of the houses in Canada are frame houses, they have learned to deal with termites at once. Specialized companies, wood impregnation, and that's it. Demand has given birth to supply, and now termites only spoil the lives of owners who saved on special measures when building a house, or owners of old frame structures built at a time when there were simply no specialists in protecting houses from insects.

Mice are a more real threat, especially relevant for frame houses with cheap polystyrene foam chosen as insulation. True, as practice shows, this problem also relevant for stone houses.

In a frame house, one of the ways to combat rodents can be considered the use of ecowool in the floors of the first floor. Ecowool consists of 80% cellulose of wood origin and 20% borax, and in addition to the antiseptic effect on wood, it creates an environment in which mice and other rodents do not grow.

Increased requirements for the qualifications of builders

This is where the main problem lies.

A modern frame house is an extremely technologically advanced structure and its construction requires highly qualified builders. Errors in the construction of a power frame can be extremely expensive when operating a house. Whatever type of frame house you are building - a classic platform, timberframe (also known as half-timbered timber) or a cylinder - the highest demands are placed on the qualifications of the builders.

In Canada, America, and many European countries, frame houses are widespread not only because of their consumer properties, but because there are a sufficient number of qualified companies that own the correct frame technology.

Russia will also come to this point, of course, it’s a matter of time.

And of course, improve your own skills in construction, since the Russian reality is that even very expensive construction companies do not always provide quality construction that is adequate to the cost of their work.