mice in front locker

[mark_374323028]

Hello everyone,this is only my second posting I hope you can help.We keep our van on a storage farm and last weekend we found field mice had set up home in the front locker, i cleared them out, but they soon returned!. I was thinking of blocking up the gap between the floor and front panel with a strip of loft insulation while in storage, does this sound like a good or bad idea? any other ideas would be great thanks, Mark

 

[AnnM1]

Mothballs!

Can't be em for getting rid of rodents. However, don't use too many as they do tend to smell rather.

 

[Brum1]

Hi Mark

Mothballs are well known to deter rodents (I hope). I had mice in a previous van and was recommended by Rent'o'kill to use wire wool to block off large gaps.

Brum

PS get rid of them before they move into the van.

 

[Essexeddie]

They will use the loft insultion for nesting. They wont believe their luck.

Fill all holes with mastic, and staple metal gauze over vents.

You must stop them getting in in the first place !!!

Edd

 

[Essexeddie]

Foregot to add at the begining that if they are getting in the front locker its only a matter of time that they will be in the van.

They cant do much damage in the front locker.

Edd

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Mark,

When you say the front locker, I assume you mean the gas bottle locker.

If so, then the gaps are there for an important safety reason, they ventilate the gas bottle locker, which allow any gas spillage when changing bottles to dissipate, and also the free exchange of air to provides the heat in the atmosphere to keep the gas bottles supplied with energy to keep boiling the LPG.

If you need to block the gaps, it must be with grille that will still allow the free flow of air.

 

[Brum1]

The gaps in the front locker are usually where the GPS front panel wraps around the locker's base. These gaps are not for ventilation, I have lost Aqua-roll filler hoses through these gaps in the past.

Brum

 

[ProfJohnL]

The gaps in the front locker are usually where the GPS front panel wraps around the locker's base. These gaps are not for ventilation, I have lost Aqua-roll filler hoses through these gaps in the past.

Brum

Hello Brum,

These gaps may appear to be the result of poor fit, but as they are not on open display the manufacturer may have chosen not to "dress" the finish for cost and functionality hence its untidy appearance.

The regulations for the storage of LPG bottles requires ventilation at both top and bottom of any containment space for the reasons I gave above.

In you have any doubts as to this please contact the caravan manufacture and ask for clarification.

 

[AnnM1]

If you want to deter rodents from entering the caravan, especially during the over wintering storeage period, I found the best method was to hang a couple of mothballs in the 4 mesh bags (the ones that hold the soap tablets in the washin machine). Using the draw string(s) you can attach these to each corner, underneath the bunks and, if you have a rear bathroom, by hanging them as close to the carpet as possible, without actually touching.

Be aware that you need to ventilate the van well when in use, particularly at the beginning of the holiday, in order to get rid of the smell. Don't over use the amount of mothballs.

 

[mark_374323028]

If you want to deter rodents from entering the caravan, especially during the over wintering storeage period, I found the best method was to hang a couple of mothballs in the 4 mesh bags (the ones that hold the soap tablets in the washin machine). Using the draw string(s) you can attach these to each corner, underneath the bunks and, if you have a rear bathroom, by hanging them as close to the carpet as possible, without actually touching.

Be aware that you need to ventilate the van well when in use, particularly at the beginning of the holiday, in order to get rid of the smell. Don't over use the amount of mothballs.

Thanks for all the advice everyone,been up to the van this evening and put the mothballs in the front locker fingers crossed they do the trick.The gap they are getting into the locker is as brum described, not to sure what to temporarily or permanently block it with while in storeage.

 

[Happy-Lappy]

Dear All, I would just like to add a small suggestion to this thread, when we store the Van for more than a month, I cover the air vents with 'Bounce' sheets (these are the sheets that you add to the washing when using the tumble drier), the mice don't like the smell and they are cheap to buy, also the air will still pass through them, if you forget to take them up when you use the van next,

best regards, Martin

 

[Rodone]

Mousetraps - either the friendly catch them alive type or the real old fashioned back breaker!

 

[Brum1]

Thanks for all the advice everyone,been up to the van this evening and put the mothballs in the front locker fingers crossed they do the trick.The gap they are getting into the locker is as brum described, not to sure what to temporarily or permanently block it with while in storeage.

Wire wool