Mice Damage to Plastic Fittings

[GCGeorge]

Fault: Complete loss of pressure in Central Heating system.
Located leak in a plastic fitting at radiator tail...chewed through by mice. See photo.
Has anyone else had this problem?
I am now replacing all fittings with copper!
I live in a detached bungalow in the country so lots of mice around....and before you suggest it...I already have a cat!!

 

[Last Plumber]

Seen it a few times.
They like putty too.
They also like carbolic soap.
Wierdo's

 

[townfanjon]

I would sack the cat !!

See this a lot , I am no rodent expert but they hear the water apparently .
Copper , its the future .

 

[kozak1968]

Ive seen it a few times in properties in the countryside.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Just had this problem today on a static caravan park , went through pipe insulation & 10mm heating pipe

 

[muggles]

Yep, very common issue. Back when I was working for a company, we installed a bathroom and 2 weeks later the kitchen ceiling came crashing down. Turned out to be mice chewing an elbow

 

[Best]

I still remember when the plastic pipes were JUST coming out as the new "modern" plumbing, beyond what had been a rarely used.
I took a careful look at the fittings, which I thought were very poor and then later heard that rodents can chew the plastic. I decided never to use any plastic fittings, if at all possible.
In country areas, rodents are more common, but any home can have mice, so nowhere is safe from rodent damage to plastic.
Maybe smug to say this, but if copper is going to be long lasting for a specific job, then why use plastic?

 

[Last Plumber]

I still remember when the plastic pipes were JUST coming out as the new "modern" plumbing, beyond what had been a rarely used.
I took a careful look at the fittings, which I thought were very poor and then later heard that rodents can chew the plastic. I decided never to use any plastic fittings, if at all possible.
In country areas, rodents are more common, but any home can have mice, so nowhere is safe from rodent damage to plastic.
Maybe smug to say this, but if copper is going to be long lasting for a specific job, then why use plastic?

Looks miles better in Copper too doesn't it?

More professional, (my opinion of course).

 

[Last Plumber]

I still remember when the plastic pipes were JUST coming out as the new "modern" plumbing, beyond what had been a rarely used.
I took a careful look at the fittings, which I thought were very poor and then later heard that rodents can chew the plastic. I decided never to use any plastic fittings, if at all possible.
In country areas, rodents are more common, but any home can have mice, so nowhere is safe from rodent damage to plastic.
Maybe smug to say this, but if copper is going to be long lasting for a specific job, then why use plastic?

I sent you a PM Best.

 

[Welder]

Its this time of year they come indoors so its peak time for this issue. Poison, loads of it, under floor & top up every year if you wish not to replace all plastic. NOTHING else works.

 

[Best]

Its this time of year they come indoors so its peak time for this issue. Poison, loads of it, under floor & top up every year if you wish not to replace all plastic. NOTHING else works.

Trouble is using poison means the mice go all over the house and die.
I prefer traps set at various places and regularily checked and reset if needed.
The 'Better Mouse Trap' is exellent, and easy to set.

 

[rpm]

See it a lot, thought they smelt rather than hear water but the end result is the same so it is a mute point at the end of the day.

 

[Welder]

Moot point or not, the only way out I'm afraid is dead mice or copper pipe all through - and I mean ALL through ;-)

 

[Stagman]

Copper is definitely best but as plastic is here to stay, with modern technology you would think they could develop a rodent deterrent plastic

 

[Best]

Here's a rodent deterrent plastic, -

 

[justlead1]

Mice, not surprised lots of animals are taking up plumbing now days, and they all like plastic.

 

[Ric2013]

Here's a rodent deterrent plastic, - View attachment 31462

Wait till they figure out they only have to chew through the spring first...

 

[zzzjim]

Here's a rodent deterrent plastic, - View attachment 31462

How gross would that be if it had a dish-washer safe symbol !

 

[oz-plumber]

Copper is definitely best but as plastic is here to stay, with modern technology you would think they could develop a rodent deterrent plastic

A few years ago I met a guy who was trying to develop a plastic pipe that would deter rodents. He was working for one of the global plastic pipe manufacturers.

They tried and exhausted all available avenues, even to the point of putting chemicals on the pipe that would cause damage to people who drank water from the pipe.

They would starve rats and mice for a few days and let them loose.
The outcome was, rats and mice will eat anything they can chew when hungry, even if it was killing them from the first bite.

 

[zzzjim]

....
rats and mice will eat anything they can chew when hungry...

They live to chew - (not having the luxury of dentist /VET )
Had pet gerbils once ..they do the nighshift--chewing at metal-bars !
They need to keep their chompers ground down !
(Watching TV vets , cracking tips off a rabbits teeth -an extreme-temp-fix, have a similar problem if have nothing to chew)
...Maybe we would eat more veg if humans had same problem...

 

[Old Account]

Trouble is using poison means the mice go all over the house and die.
I prefer traps set at various places and regularily checked and reset if needed.
The 'Better Mouse Trap' is exellent, and easy to set.

You are quite right. When using poison and the mouse is dead, and you are not aware of that it will start smelling very bad. How often I went out people thought the smell came from waste pipes etc. But ones checked under the kickboard dead mice all over the places.

I also agree copper all the way if possible. First of it doesn't look that flimsy and when polished it looks very good quality work. I also try not using as much fittings, always bend the pipes as much and as long as possible.