Yes, mice often chew through insulation and use it for bedding. This is true for fiberglass batts, foam board, and spray foam.
It’s common to imagine the walls of a home as solid things with fluffy insulated interiors. In reality, there’s a void in there that rodents like to live in. And the insulation that happens to be in the wall is no obstacle to reaching that void. In fact, it’s more of an amenity because they can use that insulation to build their nests.
You’re not going to be able to stop mice with insulation. This is true no matter what kind of insulation you use. Mice can chew it and use it. This is part of why mice-infested attics often need to have insulation replaced as well.
In order to keep mice and other rodents out, you will need to seal off your home’s exterior gaps. Mice can squeeze into spots about the size of a dime. They have lots of options for getting inside, such as settling cracks in the foundation, gaps under doors and garage doors, openings where pipes, wires, and cables pass through walls, dryer and exhaust ports, roof and gable vents, and seams along rooflines and soffits. It’s a long list, and a professional can help you find out how rodents are getting inside and seal the gaps properly.
The openings that rodents use need to be properly sealed with chew-proof materials. That means things like metal flashing, hardware cloth, and chew-resistant sealants. Any rodents that already got indoors need to be dealt with as well, which is where traps and bait stations help.
If you think rodents are going through your home’s insulation, Mosquito Squad of Rhode Island can help. Mosquito Squad finds rodents’ entry routes and helps block them and deal with the existing rodent population. All that plus annual inspections is available through Complete Home & Yard coverage.
