Mouse tight

Mausproof is an expression from the building construction industry .

definition

Although not regulated by building standards, the term is still sufficiently clear in usage to be used in tenders and building specifications .

A mouse-proof structure (or a part of it, e.g. a dormer window ) must:

be made of sufficiently resistant material (against gnawing): concrete, stone, metal or suitably hard wood.

be permanently protected against the penetration of mice into interior spaces or spaces (e.g. insulation) by:

unavoidable openings (due to tolerances during construction or necessary air circulation) are kept so small that they remain impassable for mice (as the smallest building pests). The local fauna may have to be taken into account: While field mice usually require openings of 10 mm or more, gaps of 5 mm or more are often sufficient for young shrews.

remaining gaps are filled with non-gnawable sealing material. Silicone or styrofoam are only suitable to a limited extent here; Construction foam must be mixed with appropriate additives - which are not gnawed by mice due to the unpleasant taste for them.

Larger openings are typically closed with metal or plastic grids.

Simple buildings

In very simply built buildings - e.g. B. the wooden houses customary in the USA - pest infestation is a permanent phenomenon, as the buildings as such are rarely considered mouse-proof .

Problems with new building materials and processes

External insulation made of Styrofoam is generally at risk from mice: The material is easy to gnaw and thus invites you to build caves, which are also heated by the building. In areas with a high mouse population, minor damage to the external plaster can quickly lead to mouse infestation unless it is repaired quickly or closed by protective measures - such as plastic nets plastered in during construction.