Classic Hifi Care

Well, I know what I will be doing this weekend.

Made the horrible discovery yesterday that mice had successfully gotten behind the siding of the garage and then gnawed their way through the old masonite backer into my uninsulated garage.

I'm really hoping nothing was damaged otherwise. I blame the extreme cold snap we had a few weeks ago followed by this unseasonably warm weather now. I have a lot to move away from the walls (good thing there is no drywall) to fully inspect. Already seeing a debris and poop field....

I'll rent you my terrifying girl cat, Doc. If it moves, Mittens is on it.

Greg,

That's a beautiful cat. It reminds me of "Jack", my sister and brother in law's old cat. I always said he "looked classy 'wearing' his tuxedo".

It's been mentioned I should get a cat, but pets aren't right for me at this juncture.

Well, on to clean-up and inspection today....

We have owned three tuxedo cats, all females. Mittens is the friendliest. I got her out of the engine compartment on a Ford Focus and she was a sweetheart from the first second I saw her. She had a really bad burn on her left side, but it's hard to kill a kitten. The only remnants of her ordeal is three white hairs in her black coat, probably in the scar.

You've certainly aged yourself. I haven't heard that phrase in over 50 years.

we have a bad habit of leaving the garage door open most of the day... we pay for it , we have caught mice, moles, and frogs, in our traps...

19&41 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:58 pm You've certainly aged yourself. I haven't heard that phrase in over 50 years.

I supposed I have. But at 43, I don't think I'm that ancient.

Well guys,

Not great news. Last weekend after cleaning up, I ended up doing exploratory work on the siding. It seems there was a fatal flaw in the installation of the new siding 9 years ago. The bottom "U" channel or whatever it is called provided a nice open ended conduit for mice to enter and gnaw on the styrofoam insulation built into the back of the siding. All 4 sides of the garage had damage. Lots of turds and damaged foam, and the "soft" masonite fiberboard.

I was quite unhappy. I did some temporary stuff of steel wool in the entry points until I can muster up enough time and energy to redo a lot.

Did you hire someone to do the work? Do you have any warranty? There should have been some caulking to seal it better. Or that expanding foam. What are your plans for repair? Sorry you have to go thru all the extra work.

I saw a Pixie and Dixie cartoon video on a DVD at Walmart the other day.

Ok Doc, at 43 you are just a child, and I could actually be your dad.

Bill

William wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2024 12:01 am Ok Doc, at 43 you are just a child, and I could actually be your dad.

Bill

Um, ok Bill. Good to know.....but I won't ask your age.

electra225 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 11:59 pm Did you hire someone to do the work? Do you have any warranty? There should have been some caulking to seal it better. Or that expanding foam. What are your plans for repair? Sorry you have to go thru all the extra work.

I saw a Pixie and Dixie cartoon video on a DVD at Walmart the other day.

I don't think watching the cartoons will make feel any better about the situation Greg....

Yes, I had the siding professionally installed. BUT, I don't think I really have a case against the contractor as I don't think I can prove improper installation as it seems it was just a design flaw with how the channel lays out with open ends. There are no "caps" to be installed that I know of. Even if I were to gripe up a storm, they would probably just send out a 19 year old with a caulking gun and call it a day.

Luckily, I saw no entry or damage to the Chevy in the garage. I have put a number of sticky traps baited with peanut butter in the garage just in case....

First, mice hate the smell of mint so you might try putting drops of mint around your garage. I buy my mint at Walmart. They have mint in the spice isle and in home goods where you would find the other smelly things that you would use to make your house smell better. I also use this product. I put them around the storage shed, the garage, and in the Metro just to keep the mice away. It seems to work; I have seen no signs since using this product.

https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Cab-Botani ... 02&sr=8-17

Bill

PS...I'm 30 years your senior doc.

....and I'm older than Bill.....

I put a pan with moth crystals on the engine of the Buick. I put it there while the engine is still warm. It makes the storage locker smell like Aunt Betty's spare bedroom closet, but it keeps critters out. I hadn't heard that mint works. I may try that.

My grandmother had flowers all over the yard around the house and she would always plant garlic around the foundation, where there was exposed soil. A plant every 10 inches or so. She said it kept the bugs and varmints out. She would also put pouches of pipe tobacco like they used to sell as opposed to cans, in her "cold room", where she'd keep her flour and sugar and the other staples. She said it'd keep the bugs and varmints out there too. Either the varmints didn't like her company, or it worked. I don't ever remember her throwing out any bug infested items, nor seeing a mouse or their friends.

But not by much, Greg.

Bill

William wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2024 12:34 am First, mice hate the smell of mint so you might try putting drops of mint around your garage. I buy my mint at Walmart. They have mint in the spice isle and in home goods where you would find the other smelly things that you would use to make your house smell better. I also use this product. I put them around the storage shed, the garage, and in the Metro just to keep the mice away. It seems to work; I have seen no signs since using this product.

https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Cab-Botani ... 02&sr=8-17

Bill

PS...I'm 30 years your senior doc.

Thanks for the Amazon link!