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[Weaver]

Rats got into my garage and did £2k worth of damage to my car. Thomas let me down that time, although he killed around a dozen rats in recent years. Some years ago they got into a small wooden shed and destroyed everything that was in there. I’m thinking that it’s possible that released rodents have caused damage to electrical wiring in the house itself.

Looking at the picture at https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,25446.msg433982.html#msg433982.

So my question: Do FTTP users need to be worried about rodent attack?

[burakkucat]

So my question: Do FTTP users need to be worried about rodent attack?

In general, no.

That said, a few years ago B4RN suffered from rodent attacks in one of their ducts. After repairing the damage, they plugged the duct ends with wire-wool and applied a copious quantity of foam-sealant. There were no further problems.

(Of course there is nothing that can stop the destructive power of the sharp teeth of the haggis . . .    )

[Alex Atkin UK]

Definitely more worried about electrical wiring.

[niemand]

They need to be aware but not worried. It happens but isn't likely. JCB-related incidents impact far more people.

[Weaver]

Perhaps rodents actually like chewing metal? Is it the case that some varieties of fibre cable may have a metal wire outer layer for strength ? They might like just chewing plastic anyway, which seems to me likely, as it seems in my case(s) that the beggars have always had to chew through plastic first to get to the metal inside.

In the picture I linked to earlier I saw something that looks like some kind of sponge blocking a pipe or duct. Anyone shed a light on it?

Good to know about the B4RN incident, and it seems a sensible move using wire wool and gap foam both. Wire wool is very hard work I suppose, and gap foam gives you a lot of distance, and having to chew through all of that long distance through very unappealing stuff is going to be no fun.

[Alex Atkin UK]

In the picture I linked to earlier I saw something that looks like some kind of sponge blocking a pipe or duct. Anyone shed a light on it?

Would that perhaps be the wire wool mentioned earlier or the expanding foam?

[Weaver]

Is the use of either or both of these materials a standard thing then, not just a B4RN ingenious invention?

[bogof]

The duct in the photo in question is 54mm diameter.  The bung is just a piece of closed cell foam I think from what I can see. 
This duct goes back to a small chamber, from where another small duct goes back to the street.

I guess if anything you're more likely to see vermin in the larger diameter main ducts? 

[tickmike]

 They plugged the duct ends with wire-wool and applied a copious quantity of foam-sealant. There were no further problems.

Note It must be Stainless steel wire-wool because when ordinary wire-wool gets damp it will rust away to dust !.

I think the Rats teeth are constantly growing so the have to bite on things to wear them down.

[jelv]

Give them an alternative - smear a little peanut butter on old tent pegs or similar and leave them lying around.