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Rodents! A word of warning for heat pump owners

 
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Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)
Last Post by Transparent 3 months ago
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Toodles
 Toodles
(@toodles)
Famed Member Contributor
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 2727
29/01/2026 8:16 pm  

@majordennisbloodnok I believe there is a stainless steel ‘wire wool’ - I don’t think I imagined that! Toodles.


Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.


   
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Transparent
 Transparent
(@transparent)
Famed Member Moderator
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Posts: 3178
29/01/2026 8:26 pm  

Let me take that thought a step further.

FH Brundle is a metals wholesaler who specialises in perforated sheet materials.

They are available in galvanised steel, stainless steel and aluminium.

A thin perforated metal sheet could be wrapped around the outside of exterior pipe insulation,
or a slightly thicker sheet with larger holes could be bent by hand to make 'boxing' that's a centimetre or more away from the insulation.


Save energy... recycle electrons!


   
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 David Smith
(@david-s)
Active Member Contributor
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 14
29/01/2026 8:30 pm  

@majordennisbloodnok, To stop rodents from entering holes, it's very important to make the holes as small as possible and seal them up to stop moisture and energy loss 

i learn this the hard way when rodents used the trunking, the pipework was fitted to get inside the property, and take over the house 

literally hundreds !!!!

The core holes we made were too big and sealed with expandable foam and then pointed up !!!!

They still got in 

 

If you have holes where a pencil can fit, the rodents can use to get into the home/property 

. You're spot on with wire wool, as they don't like it at all 

But it rusts, 

So the solution is to use copper wool!!!! and use a good sealant as well ( plug 😂  Primary Pro BOND & SEAL ) 

works a treat 

 


Creator of Primary Pro and Condensate Pro


   
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 simonwig
(@simonwig)
Active Member Member
Joined: 7 months ago
Posts: 9
29/01/2026 8:41 pm  

Thanks all

Looking at answering my own question, there are a number of meshes available that I could use to wrap the insulation, some galvanised steel, some stainless steel, and some copper, with varying prices!!

Not quite sure which to go for, but will let folk know if my final choice seems to work.

Simon



   
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 simonwig
(@simonwig)
Active Member Member
Joined: 7 months ago
Posts: 9
29/01/2026 8:46 pm  

 

"I had an issue with water rats and used the same rat eyre and that sorted them"

Can I hope these were Australian rather than our native ratty, AKA water vole, and seriously endangered, and quite wonderful, rodent.

 



   
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 madbilly
(@madbilly)
Active Member Member
Joined: 1 year ago
Posts: 17
29/01/2026 10:12 pm  

Hi @david-s,

Good point about nothing being rodent proof. However, it also looks like the insulation is degrading anyway, presumably from UV, so I've asked them to change it or cover it up. It's only been on just over a year, it shouldn't be degrading so much already.

As for rodent-proofing @majordennisbloodnok, I quite like the wire-wool idea. Stainless steel wire wool does exist, which wouldn't rust.

Cheers 🙂



   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 4550
29/01/2026 10:15 pm  

Posted by: @madbilly
↑

Stainless steel wire wool does exist, which wouldn't rust.

We had copper wire around a stop cock that might have been a rodent entry point, and it lasted for years without any degradation. 


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 David Smith
(@david-s)
Active Member Contributor
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 14
30/01/2026 4:02 pm  

@madbilly   👍 its not just UV deterioration 

One area that is massively overlooked is water diffusion resistance ( what protection does the insulation have to absorb water ) 

This is so important not just because it speeds the deterioration, but also because moisture will affect the thermal conductivity (efficiency) 

This is known as the µ -value say anything under 10,000 µ obsorbes what quikly but we founf on live tests even some sayting >10,000 obsorbed moisture

this is allso why sealing joint , gaps and the insulation to the heat pump is very important 

see some info for another insulation manufature that i found when doing all my reserch around 10 years ago  when i was see issues with my installation when i owned a heating company 

JUST ONE POINT , please please dont point the finiger a the pro installers as untill i stsrted to highlight these issues they were never mentioned or advise , profecinals needed product and tools to help them as time and wether are never on there side 

 

Screenshot 2026 01 12 at 15.35.58

 This is why when i was looking at all the issues to the make a exsternal insualtion (Primary Pro & Condensate Pro ) to help installers the main focuse was theremal conductivity / UV protection and the best mosture protection 

then make sure it coule be maintained and looked afetr over the lifetime of the heat pump 

 

 


Creator of Primary Pro and Condensate Pro


   
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 David Smith
(@david-s)
Active Member Contributor
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 14
30/01/2026 4:07 pm  

@editor, yes, it's perfect for any gaps and holes. I've used it for many years professionally and around my home as it's a stone building built in the 1800s 

stick it in and sealed the round hole with Bond & Seal to stop moisture getting in  and heat getting out 


Creator of Primary Pro and Condensate Pro


   
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 David Smith
(@david-s)
Active Member Contributor
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 14
30/01/2026 4:16 pm  

@simonwig Geoff Eyre,w ho invented the rat eyre, is my wife's uncle 

We used to talk about rodents and the issues all the time, as he is a farmer andIi live in the next village in the Peak District. 

He has invented many things,

Screenshot 2026 01 30 at 15.15.11

like the bale eyre and other great things 

 


Creator of Primary Pro and Condensate Pro


   
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 David Smith
(@david-s)
Active Member Contributor
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 14
30/01/2026 4:21 pm  

@simonwig you better look at removing the problem, the rodents, as that is better and easier 

they will move on to other things if not 


Creator of Primary Pro and Condensate Pro


   
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 David Smith
(@david-s)
Active Member Contributor
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 14
30/01/2026 4:24 pm  

@transparent asking for more problems IMO , holding moisture, water, and other creachers useing for a home 

Trust me, as looked at all areas in my 43 years in the industry 👍

 


Creator of Primary Pro and Condensate Pro


   
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