Mice and possible rats

[Delboybully]

I have inspected a house in the middle of nowhere (nearest neighbours is 1/2 mile away). New owners going for a complete refurb. Floorboards not screwed down in places due to plumbers being in. One of the many things I found was evidence of mice and maybe rats chewing the cables in the void beneath the ground floor and the void between the ground and 1st floor (loft ok). The customer is deciding on the what to do. I have recommended a rewire. I suspect the house will have regular problems with mice due to its location.

Option for customer are

1- Rewire in T+E etc
2- Rewire in metal conduit
3- Rewire in Copex

With 2 and 3 the installation costs is going to be considerably higher than option 1

I have phoned doncaster cables to see if they have any other cabling solution and they suggested looking at multiuse cable (they didnt say it was mouse proof- they suggested I have a look and to make a decision). They sent me a free sample (its a bit like FP200).

Welcome to Doncaster Cables - Multiuse

My question is have any of use any experience with this cable and also do you think it is mouse proof?

 

[dan86]

never used it tbh. I would have though a decent pest control company would take care of the actual infestation though.

 

[ferg]

It's probably easier to work on getting rid of the mice.

Apparently those sonic thingumies work well.

If it's a refurb then sealing the entries for the mice is a good idea.

Get a cat from the local rescue center. They usually have outdoor cats for this reason.

Mice can get into just about anything if they want to so it's probably better to work on getting rid and staying that way.

 

[davesparks]

If you want rodent proof wiring then really you can choose either steel conduit or MICC.
The tin foil in FP/multiwotsit isn't going to cut the mustard I'm afraid.
SWA, despite what people seem to think, is no good either. They'll nibble the sheath away and leave the armour exposed which is not acceptable ( if it was they would manufacture it without the sheath, like they used to with paper/lead cable)

But as stated above the best option by far is to take the opportunity to keep the blighted out!

 

[Delboybully]

Obviously the owners will getting pest control in to get rid of the rodents. However I can see a time in the future where they may come back, the owners will be spending up to 3 months away (they have other houses). They are also going to be putting expensive wood flooring down throughout, which is why they want me to look into mouse proofing the cable while keeping the cost down.

Good point on the amoured cable

 

[dan86]

so they have, and are resigned to the fact they will probably always have 'visitors' but are still going to put down expensive wooden flooring. I personally think a permanent solution could be had to keep em out but obviously haven't been there and seen the property. that said, if they go down the route of micc or the likes, could be a nice little earner for you!

 

[tazz]

Most of the homes were work in, are plagued by rats, mice and squirrels........And the only solution we could find, was galv conduit, and security 10mm steel conduit for data, nurse call etc............Even the Micc we had installed, earlier, had been chewed through.

 

[7029 dave]

Micc the buggers won't go through that.

 

[7029 dave]

Most of the homes were work in, are plagued by rats, mice and squirrels........And the only solution we could find, was galv conduit, and security 10mm steel conduit for data, nurse call etc............Even the Micc we had installed, earlier, had been chewed through.

Micc they got through that I find that hard to believe.!!

 

[shanky887614]

Micc they got through that I find that hard to believe.!!

I think he means the pvc coating, personally it wouldnt bother me if they had because the cable is contained, the only thing the pvc does is prevent corrosion to the copper but it shouldn't make that much difference.

after all its no different to copper water pipes and we all know how long they have been used

 

[tazz]

Micc is only copper, they nibbled through it like nobody`s business....pvc and all

 

[shanky887614]

Micc is only copper, they nibbled through it like nobody`s business....pvc and all

surely they need to get rid of the pests before they have a lot of water leaks, if it can bite through micc.

have you got any pics because I find it hard to believe

 

[micknew]

Research has shown that mice/rats chew pvc cables to sharpen their teeth.

 

[davesparks]

surely they need to get rid of the pests before they have a lot of water leaks, if it can bite through micc.

have you got any pics because I find it hard to believe

I have only seen it once on a properly infested farm, and i'm pretty sure it was the tree-rats who were responsible for it. They hadn't gone all through the copper but they'r got a fair few teeth marks into it.
They'd had the plastic coating of one of the oil pipes too and scratched the copper a bit, never seen any marks on a bare copper pipe though so I think its more a case of they got carried away when eating the PVC than actually going for the copper.

 

[shanky887614]

Research has shown that mice/rats chew pvc cables to sharpen their teeth.

not all micc has pvc. some is just bare copper

 

[jaypp]

If live, they only get part way through it!

 

[tazz]

Wish I had taken photos now, but if you find it hard to believe that soft copper can not be chewed through....then fit it in a loft full of squirrels and see for yourself.....copper water pipe is a lot thick and stronger, that a few thou covering micc.

 

[shanky887614]

If live, they only get part way through it!

you sure? barely touch the conductors before they would probably die as the sheathing is earthed through the pot and to the gland through the olive

 

[micknew]

They don't eat it, it has no nutritious value, they ain't that stupid.

 

[7029 dave]

Conduit it is then. (steel) lol