Warning!rats In The Attic.....

[registeredfalang]

A request to the mods to put in a builders or construction sub forum as there are a lot of us expats that are stumbling thru the maiz of thai building techniques. A forum with building costs, techniques, materials, labor costs, etc would be most helpful. maybe something along the lines of www.coolthaihouse.com would be a good model.

now, on to my post.....

This is a warning for anyone putting up that fiberglass insulation that is foil on both sides. At the time [3yrs ago] I thought i was the smartest guy on the block when i invesed a few thousand bhatt into installing that fiberglass insulation. Sure, it helped with the heat, but over time, the rats found that it was the perfect nesting enviornment and set up home in the nicely insulated areas between the aluminium foil backing. So, now we are doing the miserable job of removing it with all the fiberglass dust mixed in with rat droppings.....fun project and hopefully others will heed my warning and use another substitute.....but what to use??

I've seen rat dammage with styrofoam and have heard that the bubble blister foil breaks down over time, so i will probably go with the standard foil sheets under the roof tiles and over the ceiling....unless someone can recommend a rat proof, time tested, cost effective alternative available here in LOS.

[jackspratt]

A request to the mods to put in a builders or construction sub forum as there are a lot of us expats that are stumbling thru the maiz of thai building techniques. A forum with building costs, techniques, materials, labor costs, etc would be most helpful. maybe something along the lines of www.coolthaihouse.com would be a good model.

Seconded. While I am sure the state of the condo market in Bangkok is important to a number of TV members, it would be nice, for those who wish, to be able to go straight to a section dealing with the issues RF raises above.

[gregb]

So, now we are doing the miserable job of removing it with all the fiberglass dust mixed in with rat droppings.....fun project and hopefully others will heed my warning and use another substitute.....but what to use??

I've seen rat dammage with styrofoam and have heard that the bubble blister foil breaks down over time, so i will probably go with the standard foil sheets under the roof tiles and over the ceiling....unless someone can recommend a rat proof, time tested, cost effective alternative available here in LOS.

Out of curiosity, have you ever contacted these guys? They seem to have some interesting cellulose based products. I was considering calling them when I get around to designing my dream house here. Don't know anything about them other than their website. Seems a better alternative than fiberglass though.

http://www.thaicoolcell.com/

[londonthai]

rats are everywhere where the humans are - only a few meters where we live.

if you have a private house than a cat is a must - to scare all the rodents around the property. Not only the smell of the cat deters rodents from co-habiting with people but the bacteria in the cats weewee effectively kills them.

[chownah]

A tokay (that obnoxiously loud lizard) in the attic will keep the rodents out...and the birds too!!!

[Naam]

Sure, it helped with the heat, but over time, the rats found that it was the perfect nesting enviornment and set up home in the nicely insulated areas between the aluminium foil backing.

because you provided openings for access. an absolute must in most countries is to block access of the attic to keep animals out yet still maintain enough protected openings to ventilate the attic.

p.s. my neighbours in Florida had a racoon family dwelling in their attic

[dsfbrit]

Did you seal the ends, or did the foil just rot?

I was about to install this in my loft.

Curiously I had a couple of rats living up in the loft for a few weeks last year.

Killed them with that sticky glue matting you can buy and some poison pellets in some food!

Mind you my wife had just bought a new Karaoke machine at the time - so they may just have left on their own accord!

Edited August 9, 2007 by dsfbrit

[tangoll]

The most effective rat remover/killer is still the old fashioned spring trap that snaps the U shaped bar onto the rat when it tries to remove the piece of cheese or bait from the trigger. That way you know you've got one kill, one rat. Make sure you the trap is tied securely with rope or string so that a wounded rat can't drag the trap away before the rat expires. After the kill, removing the dead rat is not for the queasy (there's blood as well) but doable with gloves. Make sure you get a big, sturdy trap because I've seen some monster sized rats on Sukhumvit. Of course, you need to get into the attic each morning after hearing the lovely "twang" the night before.

Using poisons is OK, but if the rat doesn't die right away, finding his death bed may be a bit difficult, and if you don't find the dead rat, it begins to decompose unless the other rats use it for food.

Don't know whether these traps are available in Homepro, but I made sure to bring the trap I bought in Switzerland of all places, with me to Bangkok. Looking forward to using it when I move into my new condo (which doesn't have an attic), but I'm sure rats will find a way into the condo. I'll offer the trap as a community service to the other residents in the project.

[pumpuiman]

I used blown in (Styrofoam?) insulation on our new house. Guys came in space suits to apply it.

Pricey, but works great. Adds strength to the roof as well, binding everything together.

I don't know the R factor....but the upstairs stays cool.

I can get you the name of the company....they came up to Isaan from BKK.

PM me if you'd like more info.

Eric.

[stiggy]

Had the same problem with the same insulation (works well however)

I just let my two bstd Cats have some fun up in the roof ,popped the roof hatch give them light for an hour (to get used to surroundings) then had two coax the gits down three days later. Afterwards no rats and alarmingly a rather large chewed up snake.

The only problem is cant get any sleep first night as the mean machines are running everywhere having fun.

Repeat every month and presto..

Oddly the cats didnt seem to poop up there either.

[Beachbunny]

So, now we are doing the miserable job of removing it with all the fiberglass dust mixed in with rat droppings.....fun project and hopefully others will heed my warning and use another substitute.....but what to use??

I've seen rat dammage with styrofoam and have heard that the bubble blister foil breaks down over time, so i will probably go with the standard foil sheets under the roof tiles and over the ceiling....unless someone can recommend a rat proof, time tested, cost effective alternative available here in LOS.

Out of curiosity, have you ever contacted these guys? They seem to have some interesting cellulose based products. I was considering calling them when I get around to designing my dream house here. Don't know anything about them other than their website. Seems a better alternative than fiberglass though.

http://www.thaicoolcell.com/

We used this in our house here in Sattahip, as did one of our friends and another plans on using it. The difference between installation here and in the states is that here in Thailand they blow a sealant over the insulation once it's all blown in. We've had it about two years no problems and it helped a lot. We do have an enclosed attic with large vents in all the gables, backed with screening to keep critters out. Only one place any animals can get into the attic is in the gas bottle/tool room attached to the house.........no problems there either, but we have a cat.

You can bargain a little with cool or cosy too. They came out from BKK.

Beachbunny

Edited August 13, 2007 by Beachbunny

[Screws]

A request to the mods to put in a builders or construction sub forum as there are a lot of us expats that are stumbling thru the maiz of thai building techniques. A forum with building costs, techniques, materials, labor costs, etc would be most helpful. maybe something along the lines of www.coolthaihouse.com would be a good model.

now, on to my post.....

This is a warning for anyone putting up that fiberglass insulation that is foil on both sides. At the time [3yrs ago] I thought i was the smartest guy on the block when i invesed a few thousand bhatt into installing that fiberglass insulation. Sure, it helped with the heat, but over time, the rats found that it was the perfect nesting enviornment and set up home in the nicely insulated areas between the aluminium foil backing. So, now we are doing the miserable job of removing it with all the fiberglass dust mixed in with rat droppings.....fun project and hopefully others will heed my warning and use another substitute.....but what to use??

I've seen rat dammage with styrofoam and have heard that the bubble blister foil breaks down over time, so i will probably go with the standard foil sheets under the roof tiles and over the ceiling....unless someone can recommend a rat proof, time tested, cost effective alternative available here in LOS.

Pardon my shouting, but as I posted on coolthaihouse a couple of years ago; (Shouting in an attempt to counter a well entrenched disinformation campaign - )

REFLECTIVE INSULATION IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE,

AND BY FAR THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE,

INSULATION FOR TROPICAL CLIMATES.

2 layers, from eave to eave, double sided, tight one on top, loose one under, forms air spaces & helps prevent dust build up.

Nothing else is better, or cheaper.

[dsfbrit]

Sure, it helped with the heat, but over time, the rats found that it was the perfect nesting enviornment and set up home in the nicely insulated areas between the aluminium foil backing.

Did you seal the ends, or did the foil just rot?

How did the rats gets inside the foil?