If mice live in your house, then you might have noticed that their nests consist of the same fluffy pink substance you use to insulate your attic. Rodents are notoriously hard on almost all types of insulation, and many people start to wonder if the insulation itself might attract them. Here are answers to some common questions about mice and insulation, including the best type to install after you have accomplished humane mouse removal.
Do Mice Eat Insulation?
Mice do not consider any type of commercial insulation to be a primary food source. It is not edible and does not give off a smell that attracts them. Most also contain toxic chemicals that would make mice sick. However, fiberglass does contain limestone, which may serve as a calcium supplement for rodents who nibble on it.
The primary reason mice destroy your insulation is that it makes ideal nesting material. Anything designed to keep a house cozy in the winter will do the same for a family of small animals. It makes such good nests that one scientific study found mouse populations to increase by 300 to 400% when allowed to live within the insulated panels of a barn.
Is It Dangerous for Mice To Live Inside Insulation?
Adult mice use the bathroom in the general area of their nest, depositing up to 50 droppings per day. They also urinate frequently, partly to mark their trails as they make their way around your house. All this waste builds up quickly, creating an unsanitary mat of insulation and debris that can harbor bacteria and viruses.
Besides spreading disease, mice can also damage your house. They dislodge pieces of insulation, causing it to shift and leave drafty areas. They chew on woodwork and widen any openings they find. They are also prone to gnaw on electrical wiring, potentially creating a fire hazard.
Which Types of Insulation Attract Mice?
Any mouse who wanders into your home will be thrilled to find an attic full of almost any type of insulation. If they can get their little teeth around it, then mice will gnaw on it, tunnel through it, and use it to create nests. People have observed rodents damaging all the following types of insulation:
- Expanded and extruded polystyrenes
- Loose-fill perlite and vermiculite
- Mineral fiber
- Pressed sawdust
- Fiberglass
Is There Mouse-Proof Insulation?
Spray foams such as polyurethane and Icynene are the only types of insulation that resist mice infestations. The foam completely fills empty spaces, making an airtight seal and blocking out rodents. While a stray mouse might attempt to gnaw on it, the mouse would not get very far in any attempt to eat it or burrow inside.
Because spray foam forms a hard solid when dry, it does not appeal to rodents as a potential nesting material. While nothing is ever completely mouse-proof, spray foams are a good option for preventing rodent infestations.
Does Skedaddle Provide Milwaukee Mouse Removal?
Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has been in the mouse removal business for over 30 years. We know from experience that mice love the insulation and that no amount of traps or poison can keep them away from it. Instead of providing these short-term solutions, our plan is to keep mice out of your house for good.
Our team will search the outside of your home until we find every place that a mouse might come in. We will then install one-way doors that exclude the mice when they leave to get food. With all the mice gone, our technicians will get to work sanitizing the infested area and evaluating the current state of your insulation. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your mouse and insulation problems.
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