Cob: Re: rat runs in cob walls (fwd)

[David Knowlton]

the best advice i read recently regarded keeping clutter and trash away from 
your structure. rats are like roaches. if you can exclude them with a 
physical barrier you can keep them out without poison or traps.

if nothing in the area can support them they will stay away.






>From: "Sheila" <allan at direct.ca>
>Reply-To: "Sheila" <allan at direct.ca>
>To: <coblist at deatech.com>
>Subject: Cob: Re: rat runs in cob walls (fwd)
>Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 12:22:22 -0700
>
>I've heard that having a house lifted off the ground by a foot or so is 
>what
>prevents rats from finding a place interesting to burrow in.  Is the only
>way to build a cob house is to have a dirt floor or can you create a space
>under the structure and add a wooden floor?
>
>Sheila.
>
>
>
>
> > COB
> > BUILDING IN EARTH
> >
> > written and illustrated by Ron Edwards
> >
> > The Rams Skull Press  1997
> >
> > ISBN 1 875872 33 7
> >
> > p26-27
> >
> > "Rat Runs
> >
> > One unexpected problem in cob walls that sit directly on the ground or 
>on
> > foundations that are not lifted far off the ground is that of rat runs.
> > These occur when rats tunnel through the full length of a cob wall at
> > ground level.  There will be no sign of them on the outside of the wall,
> > but the whole weight may be balanced over a weak base.  While a single
> > family of rats may not do much damage, countless generations of them in 
>a
> > wall over a period of a hundred years can create quite large chambers, 
>and
> > I saw one where the greater part of the base of the wall was hollow,
> > although this was not visible from outside and had only been found by
> > chance.  It was possible to put ones entire arm into the hole right up 
>to
> > the shoulder, and the wall needed urgent attention.  This was done by
> > filling the cavity with lime mortar and stones.
> >
> > The old answer to this was to include broken glass in the cob mix...."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>


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