I was warned "Don't pick up hitchhikers".

[Marcel Huijser]

Maybe add some steel wool before spraying the foam? Steel wool reduces the appetite of the rodents when they chew the foam...

[shadetreevanman]

Originally Posted by Marcel Huijser

Maybe add some steel wool before spraying the foam? Steel wool reduces the appetite of the rodents when they chew the foam...

The problem with the steel wool or the foam is they both can trap water. Which is the reason for the use of undercoating to seal the product from the elements. I need to crawl under the van and see if I can get inspired.

[gahamby]

Originally Posted by shadetreevanman

I need to crawl under the van and see if I can get inspired.

That should be the forum motto

[wltrmtty]

Originally Posted by shadetreevanman

If you've ever ran wiring from the taillights to the interior, there are gaping holes leading from under the van to inside. Haven't had a problem yet with rodents, but it's inevitable and I need to get those holes blocked.

Considering spray foam like my Jeep Wrangler has stock from under the cowl to behind the dash. Maybe shoot some undercoating on it from the outside after foaming. Any better ideas?

Be careful about the spray foam you use. Some spray foams absorb moisture which can result in rusting. Which foam to use? I have no idea.

[Pntyrmvr]

1 lb open cell foam absorbs water. It is easily compressed in the palm of your hand. It's like the stuff in cans used for sealing wall openings in homes.

2lb and up is closed cell foam that is hard to crush. It is used in spray form and is commonly known to most people as the blue sheet foam from the building supply store. It doesn't readily absorb water. It seals up leaks well and will even help stiffen any structure as it sticks like snot on a screen door. It will also resist punctures much better than 1lb.

Avoiding voids against sheet metal will help eliminate spots where condensation might lead to rust.

If I were to insulate a van with foam it would be 2 lb sprayed 2" thick onto a layer of heavy paper taped to the walls between the ribs. I'd also spray a 1 1/2" void along the wall base and jam a piece of sheet foam in there to act as an inspection port. Any moisture or rust showing up at the wall base and the section of spray foam could be cut out at the ribs and easily peeled off the wall because of the cardboard underlay.

Recall I live in a cooler and wetter part of the world where condensation hangs around and rust never sleeps.

If I was in Arizona I'd use the same foam, but ignore the work allowing for inspection and easy removal. It's just too dry to worry about.

Cheers,

G.

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by gahamby

That should be the forum motto

I spend a huge amount of time under there. After every trip it gets pressure washed and inspected. The inspection almost always reveals more work, even if it's just more rust treatment (primer and paint).

[Marcel Huijser]

Of Mice and van


Possible port of entry blocked: When preparing for a trip I put the fridge on shore power. Mice could climb up the power cord, and enter the van through the small port for the power cord. I block this with steel wool.


https://www.marcelhuijserphotography...c7ba#hc83fc7ba

https://www.marcelhuijserphotography...c7ba#hc83fc7b7

[JWA]

Re: Residual Scents

On occasion I've used household ammonia diluted about 50/50 with water in a hand sprayer bottle misting the mixture onto surfaces or passages I'm sure rodents have traveled or are known to hide or nest. Eventually that slight smell is no longer noticeable to humans, it does seem to keep them away.

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by JWA

Re: Residual Scents

On occasion I've used household ammonia diluted about 50/50 with water in a hand sprayer bottle misting the mixture onto surfaces or passages I'm sure rodents have traveled or are known to hide or nest. Eventually that slight smell is no longer noticeable to humans, it does seem to keep them away.

They do follow scent trails, which makes varmint control problematic. Here in NM (“land of the flea, home of the plague”—not to mention hantavirus virus and rabies), they’re a serious issue. I’ve used most if not all controls around the house but mostly rely on snap traps. They work and usually kill quickly, peanut butter being the best bait. Live traps become gross when successive waves of mice get caught and feed on their predecessors. Poison is slow acting, unduly cruel and may affect other animals though I’d think “relay toxicosis” could be minimal unless another critter is feeding on a lot of poison-killed critters. It’s quite lethal, however, when your dog decides to dine on the bait directly. Rats can be immune and love to sprinkle bait around their holes along with cholla pieces and dog feces. Catch and release just lets the guys go find their friends.

One of the best preventative measures for a vehicle is to drive it, even while camping. Anything left parked more than a couple of days is fair game. Leaving the hood open helps discourage engine attacks. (We try to remember to look under the hood before firing the engine up after an extended stay without driving. It’s amazing how quickly they can move in. They love the wiring insulation. I’ve even decapitated a rabbit though though that was at home rather than on the road.) Febreze dryer sheets seem to work for extended parking if you handle their stench. We leave them in the 4Runner at home when we travel.

Bottom line: if you’re lucky they just poop or eat wiring insulation. If you offended the powers of the universe in some lifetime or another, you might have an extended hospital stay in your future. Or worse.

Don

[Jack K]

I have found glue traps work best, my experience as well as a friend's. Had a rat in the house who'd gotten in through a hole in the screen door. Lived in the kitchen for a few days, placed snap and live traps baited with nuts and peanut butter without success. Glue trap with a nut in its center: fifteen minutes after we turned out the lights, a commotion and the thing was splayed out spread eagled not able to move a fraction of an inch. Downside is you have to finish the critter off. But it gets the job done. I've used Victor snap traps in the van to good effect as well. The idea is to have multiple tools in the toolbox.

Outside is their turf. Crossing the line into van or house is another matter.