PEX piping and rodents in the detached garage?

Justmee · 03-23-2020, 10:27 PM

Hi everyone,

Looking for any experiences anyone has running PEX piping in a detached garage around the lake. Had mice in my old house garage that was attached, could never get read of them. This is a new garage, so no mice for now.
Am I overthinking this!

WinnisquamZ · 03-23-2020, 10:40 PM

Yes. What are your concerns?

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JEEPONLY · 03-24-2020, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justmee

Hi everyone,

Looking for any experiences anyone has running PEX piping in a detached garage around the lake. Had mice in my old house garage that was attached, could never get read of them. This is a new garage, so no mice for now.
Am I overthinking this!

Not sure how the PEX comes into this, but...

I used to have mice in my attached garage and would have to trap them throughout the colder months.

Two years ago I set traps early, (the old wooden snap kind w/pb) before the colder weather started settling in. Haven't had any since!

Just lucky?

ApS · 03-24-2020, 06:56 AM

New anti-pest product from "Great Stuff":

https://www.homedepot.com/p/GREAT-ST...3993/207077796

tis · 03-24-2020, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEEPONLY

Not sure how the PEX comes into this, but...

I used to have mice in my attached garage and would have to trap them throughout the colder months.

Two years ago I set traps early, (the old wooden snap kind w/pb) before the colder weather started settling in. Haven't had any since!

Just lucky?

I have a feeling it is more that the mouse population decreased. Nobody had them like we had previously. They were awful for a year or two.

thinkxingu · 03-24-2020, 07:34 AM

Remember the Summer of Squished Squirrels?! We counted over a hundred coming off exit 13 in Merrimack—it was a bloodbath!

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Biggd · 03-24-2020, 07:42 AM

I have heard of mice chewing through Pex. I just installed a heater in my garage and the plumber suggested Pex but I went with copper just for this reason.

erick26 · 03-24-2020, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Remember the Summer of Squished Squirrels?! We counted over a hundred coming off exit 13 in Merrimack—it was a bloodbath!

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Yes, That was vile

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baygo · 03-24-2020, 09:00 AM

There’s a lot of PEX in my life. No problem with rodents eating through it yet. One thing we do is spread peppermint around the corners and baseboards of spaces that could be exposed to those little critters. They don’t like peppermint.

Barney Bear · 03-24-2020, 10:52 AM

We put peppermint oil on cotton balls in kitchen drawers at our place on East Bear Island. Visiting mice showed their thanks by leaving small tokens in these drawers. 🐭

Our old interior plumbing lines have been replaced with PEX piping. To date, no evidence of damage by mice.

baygo · 03-24-2020, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barney Bear

We put peppermint oil on cotton balls in kitchen drawers at our place on East Bear Island. Visiting mice showed their thanks by leaving small tokens in these drawers. 🐭

Our old interior plumbing lines have been replaced with PEX piping. To date, no evidence of damage by mice.

Do you still have the oil? Check to see if it was “pure essential” or “scented“ oil. Our success has been associated with pure essential.

tis · 03-24-2020, 03:15 PM

I also think if you are not there all winter the peppermint oil dries out so stops working.

JEEPONLY · 03-25-2020, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggd

I have heard of mice chewing through Pex. I just installed a heater in my garage and the plumber suggested Pex but I went with copper just for this reason.

About six years ago we had our kitchen COMPLETELY redone- floor to ceiling.
The final installation was the new dishwasher.

I tend to not bother service people when they work- just let them know I'm available for any kind of help- lifting/moving things- coffee- snack/sandwich.

Anyway, the plumber doing the install called up from the basement to let me know he was just about done.

I looked outside as he was packing his gear back into his truck, and I see about a half dozen, six foot lengths of copper pipe. I'm, like, WHAT?

I didn't even know what PEX was, and hadn't discussed replacing any of my then current plumbing with it- but that's what he did.

The damage (?) was done so I saw no value in getting into an argument with the guy- However, I still think he ripped me off for the salvage price of the copper piping.

Live and learn.

Biggd · 03-25-2020, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEEPONLY

About six years ago we had our kitchen COMPLETELY redone- floor to ceiling.
The final installation was the new dishwasher.

I tend to not bother service people when they work- just let them know I'm available for any kind of help- lifting/moving things- coffee- snack/sandwich.

Anyway, the plumber doing the install called up from the basement to let me know he was just about done.

I looked outside as he was packing his gear back into his truck, and I see about a half dozen, six foot lengths of copper pipe. I'm, like, WHAT?

I didn't even know what PEX was, and hadn't discussed replacing any of my then current plumbing with it- but that's what he did.

The damage (?) was done so I saw no value in getting into an argument with the guy- However, I still think he ripped me off for the salvage price of the copper piping.

Live and learn.

This is the reason many are going with PEX because the cost of copper and the ease of PEX installation.
I would think under normal circumstances PEX would be fine but if it's a vacation home and only used on weekends I prefer copper, esp if you close it down for winter.
A friend of mine told me about one of his neighbors that closes their place for the winter. When he turned the water on in the spring water was shooting out of the walls. Mice had chewed through the PEX over the winter.
If it wasn't for hearing that story I probably would have just let the plumber use the PEX.
A couple years ago during the rodent infestation I had mice chewing through things I never thought they would chew through over the winter months.

swnoel · 03-25-2020, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justmee

Hi everyone,

Looking for any experiences anyone has running PEX piping in a detached garage around the lake. Had mice in my old house garage that was attached, could never get read of them. This is a new garage, so no mice for now.
Am I overthinking this!

I've had to repair pex many times over my career due to rodents chewing holes through it... if you have rodents you WILL end up with holes!

Hillcountry · 03-25-2020, 07:43 AM

A bit off topic but still relevant, some family in Canada with a sizable maple sugaring operation had to walk the lines every day all season with a repair kit because squirrels (rodents) would chew their plastic tap lines...they hated squirrels and killed each one they saw!

03-23-2020, 10:27 PM	#1
Justmee Junior Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 7 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	PEX piping and rodents in the detached garage? Hi everyone, Looking for any experiences anyone has running PEX piping in a detached garage around the lake. Had mice in my old house garage that was attached, could never get read of them. This is a new garage, so no mice for now. Am I overthinking this!

03-24-2020, 06:56 AM	#4
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,788 Thanks: 2,084 Thanked 742 Times in 532 Posts	Help is on the Way... New anti-pest product from "Great Stuff": https://www.homedepot.com/p/GREAT-ST...3993/207077796

03-24-2020, 10:52 AM	#10
Barney Bear Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 962 Thanks: 495 Thanked 273 Times in 174 Posts	Sweet and Sour We put peppermint oil on cotton balls in kitchen drawers at our place on East Bear Island. Visiting mice showed their thanks by leaving small tokens in these drawers. 🐭 Our old interior plumbing lines have been replaced with PEX piping. To date, no evidence of damage by mice.

03-23-2020, 10:40 PM	#2
WinnisquamZ Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 1,890 Thanks: 192 Thanked 593 Times in 398 Posts	Yes. What are your concerns? Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

03-24-2020, 07:34 AM	#6
thinkxingu Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 5,943 Thanks: 1,153 Thanked 1,962 Times in 1,212 Posts	Remember the Summer of Squished Squirrels?! We counted over a hundred coming off exit 13 in Merrimack—it was a bloodbath! Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

The Following User Says Thank You to thinkxingu For This Useful Post:
erick26 (03-24-2020)

03-24-2020, 07:42 AM	#7
Biggd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Waltham Ma./Meredith NH Posts: 3,749 Thanks: 1,961 Thanked 1,070 Times in 675 Posts	I have heard of mice chewing through Pex. I just installed a heater in my garage and the plumber suggested Pex but I went with copper just for this reason.

The Following User Says Thank You to Biggd For This Useful Post:
JEEPONLY (03-25-2020)

03-24-2020, 09:00 AM	#9
baygo Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 695 Thanks: 187 Thanked 531 Times in 227 Posts	There’s a lot of PEX in my life. No problem with rodents eating through it yet. One thing we do is spread peppermint around the corners and baseboards of spaces that could be exposed to those little critters. They don’t like peppermint.

The Following User Says Thank You to baygo For This Useful Post:
Barney Bear (03-24-2020)

03-24-2020, 03:15 PM	#12
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,405 Thanks: 719 Thanked 1,379 Times in 955 Posts	I also think if you are not there all winter the peppermint oil dries out so stops working.

The Following User Says Thank You to swnoel For This Useful Post:
Biggd (03-25-2020)

03-25-2020, 07:43 AM	#16
Hillcountry Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: In the hills Posts: 2,346 Thanks: 1,590 Thanked 763 Times in 457 Posts	A bit off topic but still relevant, some family in Canada with a sizable maple sugaring operation had to walk the lines every day all season with a repair kit because squirrels (rodents) would chew their plastic tap lines...they hated squirrels and killed each one they saw!