Rodent Proofing Your Rig

Triber

Member
My wife and I took delivery of our '09 Big Horn 3670 RL in May of 2008. We are fortunate enough to have a beautiful spot on Shuswap Lake in BC where we have spent our last seven summers in our RVs, right beside the Lake. Last year, we towed our shiny new rig out to "the spot" and got set up. Because there is forest all around us, there are lots of chipmunks and squirrels. We always take precaution agains letting these opportunists into our unit such as not leaving storage doors open and so on but last year we were invaded by mice.

We don't like mice because they are so destructive and they spread disease as well as the fact that they are messy. I don't like them but it is fair to say that my wife really hates them! When she discovered "mice rice" in one of her drawers one morning, the hunt was on! We cleaned out all the cupboards and found evidence in all of the kitchen cupboards but no where else in the rig.

After looking at the cupboard set up, I decided that they must be coming up from the basement by means of the access hole for the water lines and sink drain. I sealed the opening around the service with expansion foam, which can be removed fairly easily if the lines needed to be accessed. After sealing every tiny hole and cranny where I thought they might gain access, I removed the false panel at the back of the end cupboard and discovered more openings where the electrical wiring came into the cupboards. These too were sealed. I was pretty confident that they couldn't get into the cupboard now.

The next step was to find out where they were gaining access to the basement. After crawling around under the rig, I discovered that there were a lot of possibilities. I am not pointing the finger at Heartland. The design of these rigs necessitates lots of access points. For example, where the front jacks move in and out of the floor of the rig, there was a large opening (probably an inch or more) all the way around the jacks. I made up gaskets from high density rubber carpet underlay and installed them snugly around the jack posts. Ditto the service access for the water and cable lines. I constructed a "diaphragm" gasket out of the same material.

Where the sewer line exited the sub basement, I discovered that the foam that is sprayed in around the pipe had a gap about one inch wide in it. What a superhighway for the rodents! Straight up the sewer pipe and into the basement. Once they are in the basement, there are any number of routes for them to get into your home. Electrical lines. water lines, sewer vents. All require access holes and the mice use them. I carefully went around and sealed up any gaps between the poly road covering below the frame and the frame itself. I even plugged any access holes through the frame with foam. I was pretty proud of myself and thought I had done a good job of sealing the little buggers out.

We had a running battle getting rid of the existing invaders, using traps and when that didn't work, poisoned mouse seed in the basement. We set out across Canada in September and it took 9 Provinces,4500 miles, sixteen boxes of mouse poison and numerous emptying of cupboards, disinfecting of cupboards before we finally felt we were free of the invaders. We had no more problems through sixteen States to Yuma where we wintered.

This May, we arrived back at the Shuswap and set up again. All was well until last week. A loud shriek introduced me to a new invader. I couldn't figure out how he got in but after I crawled under the rig again, I discovered that I had forgotten one important opening! The holes in the frame where the hydraulic rod for the slides comes in and out has a large opening around it. Duh! I have now made up 3 removable gaskets of the rubber underlay material and secured them around the rods. By golly, I think I've got it now!

If any of you are staying in a rural environment, you might want to take a look at your rig. You will be surprised at how many openings mice can get into and believe me, they are opportunists who are always looking for food and a place to raise their families! Better to keep them out than try to get rid of them after the fact!
 

sailorand

Past British Columbia Chapter Leader
Berk,
thanks for the mice hole story. We were on the Shuswap last we and found a little hobo had traveled with use from there to Kettle Valley RV park. I bought a couple ultra sonic mouse scare things. He did not pack his bags and leave. Snap trap set, next morning he was caught and I gave him a new home somewhere else. now to go home and do further mouse proofing
 

SmokeyBare

Well-known member
<<<< GRIN>>>>>

Just breaks my heart hearing of so many Homeless Mice.... Where's PETA at??? when they could do so much good....
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Hopefully, any rodent that makes the mistake of crawling inside our rig will be needing CPR. But you are correct, there are some major holes in the frame that lead directly into the underbelly.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
This is our mouse trap and she is good at it.
 

Attachments

  • crazy cat 016 (Large).jpg
    crazy cat 016 (Large).jpg
    119 KB · Views: 29

chris60

Member
I had a post on this earlier. You may want to check the hole that provides access to the hydraulic slide override , from the storage area. Its about 1.5" in diameter & is lined so the mice can`t hurt themselves! Once the critters are in the storage area, its easy access into the basement & under the fridge.. Mine is a 09 3055 BH so it may be a little different. Also above the enclosed propane tank storage area is a gap about 1" by 10 ''that leads to the front storage compartment, from the middle storage, and its a mouse freeway ! One more point is between the control center & the storage area. When it is opened at the bottom & cables are running thru, there is a gap between the compartment & the storage of 3/4 inch , I have added a piece of aluminum angle iron from top to bottom, to close that off. It's only a problem when hooked up to shore water & cable. I am always looking for more access points. Thanks for your tips !

Chris
 

Erma

Member
Since reading about the homeless mice, I checked out our trailer and where the water lines come in, there are collars. Our old trailer did not have the collars and I had to use the foam. One thing I have done recently is buy a screen for the furnace vent on the outside of the trailer. My bud told me that wasps will get in there and make a home.
 

SUNNY59

Member
our storage facility is close to an open field and we were invaded during the winter months, took quite a few traps loaded with peanut butter to rid them,was told that sealing all the cracks with spray foam and steel wool works great as they will not bite through this.
 
Top