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I found some mouse droppings in a cabinet yesterday, I'm not very handy but best I can tell is the following -

There is a weep hole outside, which is maybe 1 centimeter wide wide, and it seems the mouse came through there, then crawled up to the pipe and squeezed through the gap around the pipe and eventually got into the cabinets. There are some holes for plumbing in the cabinets, where it has easy access to get in.

I put a very small amount of foam on the gap last night, and it looks like the mouse pushed it out, I found a few droppings again in the cabinet this morning.

What is a correct and safe way to close the gap around the gas pipe?

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    First, kill the mouse. Otherwise you'll just end up with more mouse in the house and you won't know where they are. Commented May 24, 2016 at 16:21
  • Yes, agreed. I should have done that last night.
    – Dave
    Commented May 24, 2016 at 16:38
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    I've seen steel wool suggested to fill gaps, since mice will not like trying to chew through it...
    – keshlam
    Commented May 24, 2016 at 17:03
  • Are you trying to prevent the mouse from getting into the house, or just this cabinet?
    – Tester101
    Commented May 25, 2016 at 13:11

2 Answers 2

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This is a common issue that is often ignored or dealt with in shoddy ways. First, yes, set a mouse trap and get rid of the mouse. Then deal with the hole.

You may find an escutcheon that will fit around the gas pipe. Gas pipes may be many different sizes. To keep the mouse from pushing it up you could use a pipe clamp above it and/or glue to secure the escutcheon.

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If you can't find an escutcheon, then you can make something to fit over the pipe.

Get a piece of plywood, maybe 6 inches square and cut it in half. Drill screw holes in the corners of the two pieces. Screw both halves down (butted together) onto another piece of plywood. In the center (on the seam) cut a hole the diameter of the pipe. Unscrew both halves an place the two halves on either side of the pipe (covering the mouse hole) and screw it down.

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tip: the reason we cut the board in half first, is because most circular saws will remove 1/8" as they cut. If you only have say, a 1/2 inch pipe, then after you cut the hole in half you will have a football shaped hole instead of a circular hole... and the mouse will probably start gnawing at the gap.

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  • Wow. What a great answer! Thank you so much.
    – Dave
    Commented May 25, 2016 at 2:09
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    Most rodents would have no problem gnawing through plywood. A metal escutcheon would probably work, but you'd have to be mindful of dissimilar metals to avoid corrosion issues.
    – Tester101
    Commented May 25, 2016 at 2:56
  • @Tester101 Corrosion? Galvanic issues should not be a realistic concern without water (or high moisture); if this was exposed/outside, then yes, it's a valid consideration. Commented May 25, 2016 at 13:02
  • @Tester101 Regarding mice- they are susceptible to psychology (I ran a biopsychology rodent lab for a couple years, and I have also owned a couple of mice- as pets). Mice (like most animals) aim for what looks like the weak spot... if it looks (and feels) solid, they will not spend time on it. Also, mice might try gnawing at the edge of the old hole, but they really can't gnaw at a flat surface. They need a corner or an edge to get their teeth on. Moreover, this (board) is something that I have used several times with 100% success. The only thing I might add would be paint. Commented May 25, 2016 at 13:04
  • @BenWelborn I'm assuming the mice are coming from the outside, so the escutcheon would presumably be exposed/outside?
    – Tester101
    Commented May 25, 2016 at 13:08
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It's common practice to use duct seal or other similar products, to seal around utility penetrations. Properly installed, it should keep all types of pests out.

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  • This sounds like a good recommendation. Commented May 25, 2016 at 13:08

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