Stone foundations are generally pretty old so it’s likely that at some point, homeowners will need to do some maintenance on them. So, if mice have dug their version of the Ted Williams tunnel into your stone foundation, what can you do?
Narrator: It's time once again for the Crackman Podcast hosted by A1 Foundation Crack Repair. I'm Darren Kincaid, and I'm here with the crack daddy himself, Adam Tracy. Adam has 20 years of experience in the construction industry, and as a civil engineer is A1 Foundation’s resident engineer on staff, solving a plethora of unique foundation problems every day. This podcast provides expert basement waterproofing, concrete repair, and preventative maintenance tips for homeowners and businesses. A1 Foundation’s valuable insight will help avert the disaster of a flooded basement, health problems from water infiltration, and protect your biggest investment, your home. The topic of today's podcast: Mice are getting through my stone foundation. What can I do?
Adam: So, when stone foundations are generally pretty old, it’s likely that at some point they’re going to need some foundation maintenance. If mice have dug their version of the Ted Williams Tunnel into your stone foundation, what can you do?
This is the time of year when mice want to come in from the cold fields and into the warm house. Once they’re in, they like to stay for the winter and are very good at procreating and causing chaos in the home with multiple generations over a single season.
This is also the time of year when we start getting a lot of phone calls about mice coming into homes and wreaking havoc. With concrete or block foundations, the problem areas are usually easy to identify and relatively easy to manage with a pest control company. However, when it comes to stone foundations, it’s much more challenging.
Most stone foundations in the New England area haven’t been addressed in well over 50 to 75 years. Over time, the mortar begins to decay and becomes soft and crumbly. As that happens, mice and rodents are able to dig right through it because they are burrowing animals—and when they come through, they bring all their friends.
The challenge with a stone foundation is that you can set traps all over the place, but you essentially have infinite pathways where mortar has decayed and mice can enter. Simply plugging a few holes with steel wool usually isn’t enough, and putting bait traps out alone typically doesn’t solve the problem.
With these types of foundation issues, rodents can actually undermine and tunnel through the stonework itself. We shared a photo for today’s podcast, and it’s pretty troubling because the opening is wide open. Not only will you have mice and rodents entering, but you’ll also have water infiltration. Stones can become loose or dislodged, which can eventually lead to structural issues.
So, even though these little critters are usually more of a nuisance than anything else, they can actually cause major structural problems—especially in a stone foundation.
So, what can you do? It’s not very pretty, but it really comes down to repointing and properly maintaining the stone foundation. As we talked about earlier, most stone foundations have never been touched since the day they were built, and the mortar is often nothing more than compacted dust between the stones.
That old mortar has to be removed, and then we install a lime-hydrated mortar between the stones to re-establish structural integrity. This creates a solid physical barrier for rodents, instead of the soft, sandy material they can easily dig through.
Because of this, we’re able to pinch off the main points of entry—usually just a handful of locations, such as where the sill meets the foundation or gaps around windows and doors. From there, a pest control company can stay on top of things and keep pests outside, helping keep your home rodent-free.
So, a big part of the equation—especially with stone foundations—is making sure mice stay out and your home stays rodent-free.
Narrator: Thanks, Adam, for explaining how mice and rats tunnel through stone foundations and what can be done about it. A1 Foundation Crack Repair isn’t a pest control company, but they can certainly help stop those furry rascals from coming in through your foundation.
Narrator: If you have a basement water problem and think you need a professional, or if you'd like more information on foundation crack repair and basement waterproofing topics, please visit a1foundationcrackrepair.com or call Adam at (866) 929-3171, or you can email Adam at info@a1foundationcrackrepair.com. Thanks for listening and keep that basement dry.