new homeowner
 

I recently purchased a seasonal cottage on the lake, We now need to start the shutdown process. I have a Plummer coming to shut down water and blow out pipes. As far as inside with bedding and clothes what do people do.I was told to put drier sheets in drawers , critters don't like the smell. As far as mattress's go any thoughts would be great, What other tricks of the trade to discouraged critters in spending the winter in my cottage.

Close the doors and windows when you leave.

Seal all entry points, basically any point open to the outside. Use insulating foam for pipe penetrations, seal all cracks, plug up dryer vents. Basically keep the vermin out in the first place.

I use PestRepeller Attack Wave. Electronic. Plug in.
Two or three in house. One in crawl space. One in attack.
I've never had any rodent issues with these.
There is a minimum charge for electricity whether on or off.
These don't add much.

As far as humidity and moisture. Well, everything that is not wrapped up and sealed will obtain that "camp" smell.

Beds
 

Make the beds with clean sheets and blankets, wrap tight with plastic. Put pillows and bedspreads into ex large contractor trash bags. Twist end andclose tight with string or tape. Drape plastic over upholstered furniture.

Critters will not get into the bedding. Unless you already have a musty camp, the bedding will be nice and fresh in the spring. Keep extra bedding in plastic bags closed tight. Since the beds are made, one less thing to do the first night!

I wrap my dishes in clear plastic bags... One bag for all the plates, etc. then they are put back in the cabinets. Pots and pans, food that will keep, spices, etc. all go into large runner aid tubs with tight lids. I leave a gallon and some bottles of water in the sink in case I forget water in the spring.

Since we are on an island, I stock up on paper towels, toilet paper, etc. in the fall so I don't have to remember it in the spring. Take home anything that freezing will ruin.

Dryer sheets did not work for me. A couple of Decon things work well. Cat controls the critters during season! Yes, I remove the Decon first. I might try that electronic thing...

Good luck with your new home.

IG

Wish you had seen my camp after the first winter I owned it, mice went all through the beds and pillows as well as bureaus. Waste and acorns everywhere. Had to throw most out. I run DCon on bait stations all year long now. No more mice. All pillows go in trash bags and sheets go in plastic tubs. Learn how to drain your own plumbing. It is very easy to do. Leave your fridge doors ajar when you shut them off.

Make sure you take all containers holding liquids with you when you leave. Otherwise, they will freeze and burst and you'll have a mess waiting for you when you arrive in May. Lots of items in your pantry will fall into this category.

One Word—Cookie Tins...
 

Our place was built in 1955, and, except for a chipmunk following me through the front door during summer, never had any rodent indoors.

'Course, taking precautions with "edibles" couldn't hurt, even though the place becomes a deep freezer over winter. So, most things made of "tasty" plastic, like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and handy medications like "Unguentine", "triple-antibiotic", spare Triamcinalone acetonide and even shampoo (!)—we store in large cookie tins. (Or seasonal popcorn tins).

Mice won't hesitate to use any paper products as nesting material, so store those items away in tins, as well.

Slightly OT: With such temperature swings that can occur in a New Hampshire "camp", I've longed to buy a "Galileo thermometer" for over 20 years. (Still on my "want list"). But the liquid inside is alcohol in a water base, so how do I keep it from freezing and likely fracturing the glass enclosure?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...qL._SY300_.jpg

(Other than tying it to a rock, and putting it in the lake). :idea:

"One in attack", sounds like the most aggressive product for mice control—I want one! ;)

.

Septic Pump On or Off?
 

This might be controversial: do you leave your septic pump on or off?

Septic System on
 

Water seeps into the pumping chamber and perhaps the tank all year long. Keeping the system on ensures that the water gets pumped out.

A neighbor used to keep his off and the stench in the spring was overwhelming.

IG

The water issue in your area could be related to the high water table and springs in your area of the island. When the family had a lot & platform near your place, before yours was built, the hillside of ours and others would always be very wet in the spring and at other times of the year. Water was an issue even with the sono tube pilings and during one winter the ice pushed a couple almost out of the ground.

Repeating advice
 

Yes, Just Sold, we do get a lot of water on our part of the island. This advice was given to me by a neighbor on another part of the island who does not have the water issues we have. He said that just rain can get into the systems. I took his word for it and have always left the power on to the pump with no issues. We need to leave to power of for the webcam anyway! :)

IG

One of the things we did and you may want to think about doing eventually is insulate the floor. Once insulated we completely covered the insulation with luan plywood sheeting. We then took it one step further and went over all the seams with an exterior grade urethane sealant and wood strapping. We get zero critters entering our home now. The added insulation keeps the floors much warmer in the spring and fall and quiets everything down, especially wind noise quite a bit! Trouble and critter free going on 7 years now!

Dan

new homeowner
 

Thanks for all the good advice, we on on the mainland and plan on some renovations this fall and winter and among other things plan on insulting floor as it is a seasonal cottage now. great help. keep it coming

Hey there, I was in the same boat as you a few years ago.

Before I had work done on the house I had tons of entry points and critters all around, now that I've patched and shored everything up I have no visitors. I still put out decon, but since the work it hasn't been touched.

I bag up all the linens, wrap the mattress and my biggest rookie mistake was not looking through the pantry for water based items that could burst. Aside from that, you should be good.

Winter prep
 

Our family built in 1960. We've done different prep over the years. We used to remove the septic pump, but no longer bother. Some water seeps into the containment, but not a problem. It pumps out when we turn power back on in the spring.

We do turn off all power when we close. Linens go into plastic storage boxes, but some clothes and blankets have been OK just hanging in the closet. We remove bedding and cover mattresses with newspapers, on the understanding that mice don't like the noise.

Several years ago, we forgot the D-Con and had some critters. They didn't bother the beds or stuff in the closets, but they tore up 5 rolls of toilet paper and spread it all over, making nests. Lots of acorns brought in and consumed Now, D-Con is the last thing in and the first thing out, after the pets and kids are in the boat. Don't know if it helps, but we put mothballs around the perimeter to discourage critters when they are home shopping. All dissolved by spring, so no lingering odor.

Best thing ever? We started hiring Island Support Services to turn water on/off after doing it ourselves for decades. They also open the shutters, move the lawn and deck furniture back out, dust, shampoo carpets and wash windows. We figure we gain three weekends of enjoyment that we used to spend doing plumbing and cleaning.

Ya gotta rodent proof
 

We built in 2001 and have never had a rodent in the house. We did get one in the exterior wall in the one electrician-created hole I missed when scouring the house for entry points. Electricians are generally not thinking about rodent-proofing when drilling for wiring in the wall base plates. Before walls get closed up it's great if you can go around to all through-floor holes and stuff steel wool tightly where anything passes through. Same holds true for plumbing openings. If you don't get it before closing walls up, you'll have to crawl under the camp, unfortunately. But if acorns are getting in, the holes are at least the size of acorns! And yes, it there's a hole, a rodent WILL find it, and they do like to nest in beds.....my neighbor found out when she crawled into bed in Spring.

Wow. This has all been so very helpful since I'm in the same boat (pardon the pun). We just purchased on Pine Island this fall and I'm in the midst of closing down at least the two none insulated cabins. Hoping to come back a couple more times to spend weekend in the main cabin with the wood stove going ;)
We already had chipmunks leave some gifted acorns in our bed since last weekend lol so I'm not holding out much hope in regards to a rodent free sleeping cabin... but that's part of island living I guess.
I love all the great advice shared on this forum!! Can't wait for spring already!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

I can guarantee you there is no such thing as never having a mouse in your house especially if built in 2001. I can guarantee you if you went into your walls and ceilings you would find plenty of rodent activity. Not taking a jab at anyone but rodents get in everywhere and you don't always know they are there.

Rodent Proof
 

Really the only way to keep rodents out is not rocket science, but modern science. As others have said, don't allow them in, in the first place. If building new, seal literally every possible crack, opening, or hole with silicone, great stuff, or some other chemical sealant. Rodents do not like spray foam as it is toxic to them. If placing insulation use roxul, spray foam, or some type of cellulose insulation that small critters don't like. Fiberglass is like a winter condo for mice and will never keep them out. Cellulose is slightly more money, but is rodent proof, and gives a greater insulating value per inch than fiberglass.

Winter closing and Mice...
 

My place is closed for winter and I have only had mice in my basement in the fall. I usually find their remains in the spring as they freeze during the winter. They have never gotten into the main house. I place moth balls in the drawers in the basement, along with a bucket of water, which they seem to find very appealing before it freezes; however they can't get out of the bucket and drown. Neighbors on both sides of me that keep their place heated and use in the winter; have never been successful in keeping the mice out, just under control.

Winter closing and mice
 

We have been relatively successful with using steel wool to seal cracks. Our cottage is over 100 years old, so there are many.

Hope this helps,
Bill

"new" Great Stuff
 

There is also a new "Pest Block" version of Great Stuff that has some chemical in it that keeps the mouseketeers from gnawing on it... just tried it this year on a couple of areas, we'll see how it works over the winter!

-PIG

"Steel" wool
 

Use BRONZE "steel" wool. No rust stains or other deterioration over time.

I'm not a safety Nazi and you probably know this but for those that don't, please be careful where you use steel wool as it is highly flammable!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MDH92VxPEQ

Dan

Not really any more than the wood we're putting it into, especially since it's highly compacted as it is jammed tightly into the cracks and holes. And, it really requires a direct flame to ignite it, and if that happens, you've already got other problems. But if concerned, yes, use bronze wool.