pex and rodents

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have I seen this happen.

In my case the mouse went down a 4" PVC sleeve I had installed in a slab radiant job.

It looked like the mouse went in head first, got stuck and could not back out. So he, or she, started trying to chew it's way free.

I imagine it had quite a surprise when he broke through to that 12PSI water inside the tube.

hot rod

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ed wallace

pex and rodents

Anyone have any problems with rodents chewing on pex tubing had a customer ask about this today

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DanHolohan

Hot Rod

had something on that a while back I think.

Kevin O. Pulver

Ed I asked the same thing

when I first started using it. So far, I've had no problems nor heard of any. I don't know why rodents wouldn't like it. They like everything else. In the same way, do they chew Romex wire? If not, why? Kevin

Tony_23

Oh yeah,

They chew Romex, alright. But only just so far

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Robert O'Brien

Went to a Wirsbo class at Wales-Darby last night and according to them. No, it is completely inert and contains nothing that would entice vermin to snack

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Cosmo_3

I remeber a post

from hot rod, something to the effect that there may be microbic bacteria that feed on it. I have to look for it


Cosmo Valavanis

Cosmo_3

I remember a post

from hot rod, something to the effect that there may be microbial bacteria that feed on it. I have to look for it

This is from that thread;

" Date: June 14, 2005 11:08 PM
Author: hot rod
Subject: I have seen insect

bore holes in some EPDM tube in my area, on a few occasions!

Maybe it's time for a PAPA pex/aluminum/pex/aluminum tube Seems like an outer metal layer would be the only surefire way to stop this. Or a borate treatment before covering

Although I have heard rumors that some aggressive termite species will bore through aluminum siding to get to a food source. I saw an article about that in JLC once, years ago.

hot rod "

Cosmo Valavanis

[Deleted User]

Nothing except water...

and during a drought, they can SMELL the water, right through the wall. They look at that long tubing as a straw...Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw SSSSSIIIIIIiiiippp GULP GULP, OK, THATS ENOUGH, YOU CAN SHUT IT OFF NOW... RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, THERES A FLOOD DOWN HERE!!! (Mice scurying everywhere putting on their little yellow life jackets...)

Yeah, I've seen holes in PEX put there by rodi .

The one about the organism eating PEX was probably promulgated by the copper pipe mentality. THey do that to each other, all the time.

ME

Alan(OnVacationInOregon)Forbes

Rodents

We had a job, probably been 20 years ago where some polybutylene was installed in the attic for a future radiant zone. We call them roof rats here and they ate right through it; looked like swiss cheese.

The tubing wasn't charged with water, so they kept right on eating the stuff.

Craig_8

rodents have a strange dental problem that is not found in other mammals. Their teeth grow continously. eventually they would grow right through their head. to prevent this, they have to chew on things to wear their teeth away. They will chew on anything thats convenient, whether or not it has nutritional value.

Ron Schroeder

Rodents are attracted to the salt and oils deposited on the PEX (and wires) from our skin. I have seen it many times. I now always weare gloves when I handle PEX, plastic tubing or wire installed anywhere that rodents might get to it.

Aidan (UK)

PEX and rodents

Craig's right, they will gnaw it, not to get any nutrition or water.

It is mentioned in all the UK PEX & PB manufacturers' literature. They will also gnaw on electrical PVC insulation, which would cause me more concern.

Paul Cooke

Fat Mice

Here's what I have found: Mice get into a crawl space and nest in the fiberglas insulation. They use romex and PEX as runways to get around. Sometimes they get to a hole in a joist that is not big enough for them to fit through. They chew on the wood at first. At some point they decide that the romex or the PEX is softer than the wood. I have seen all the insulation chewed off of romex until the bare copper wire is exposed. Occasionally you find the electrically fried rodent nearby.

On one job we got a call because of a leak in the joist bay where half inch PEX was run through an inch and three eighths hole. The fat mouse chewed through the PEX until he made the opening big enough to squeeze through. It was a small opening in the pipe....just a fine spray.

I still haven't seen a mouse chew through a copper line.