Neighbor's house burned down

[Sgt. Howard]

No shit- came home from what is now my normal shift (18:00 to 02:00) to see a gaggle of fire trucks surrounding the house right up the hill from me. To show how much of a social life I have, I only know that the guy's first name is Mike... and I moved here in 2002. Half of the house is still standing... sort of. I volunteered my services to check the firearms for safety once they got recovered- they were in part of the house that didn't fully burn. Also offered our surplus furniture and clothing. I hope their insurance is up to snuff- and that they don't give them a ration of shit, like most will. Kind of an eye opener... especially when you consider I HAVE NO fire insurance because NOBODY will insure a 1969 double-wide against fire.

[Dave]

No shit- came home from what is now my normal shift (18:00 to 02:00) to see a gaggle of fire trucks surrounding the house right up the hill from me. To show how much of a social life I have, I only know that the guy's first name is Mike... and I moved here in 2002. Half of the house is still standing... sort of. I volunteered my services to check the firearms for safety once they got recovered- they were in part of the house that didn't fully burn. Also offered our surplus furniture and clothing. I hope their insurance is up to snuff- and that they don't give them a ration of shit, like most will.

Ouch! I hope everybody got out OK?

Kind of an eye opener... especially when you consider I HAVE NO fire insurance because NOBODY will insure a 1969 double-wide against fire.

Indeed.

Some acquaintances of mine lost their home (also a double-wide) to fire... he, and their daughter got out OK, but she took some nontrivial burns and was in the hospital for a while. They lost everything.

The cause was determined to be damage to the electrical system. Rats had gotten into the lower portion of the structure, chewed on the wiring (as they often do), and a short circuit developed and the arcing set things on fire.

It would probably be wise for you to do a periodic under-structure inspection of the wiring, and double-check (and repair) your vermin-exclusion protection. We had a problem with roof rats getting into our home, and the exterminator we hired found several crevices through which they'd been entering, and taught me the trick of using rolled-up hardware cloth stuffed into openings as a very effective blockade. Two years hence, and no further rat problems.

[Alkarii]

I heard steel wool can do the trick, too. Apparently, it can cut up their insides after they chew through it, or something like that.

[TazManiac]

Yeah, whats 'Hardware Cloth'?

There is also some non-poisonous rodent stuff that seems to be based on salt or something. (It's little pellets that they eat, but it's not nerve poison or anti-coagulant like most current rat poison...)

I'll find out more i the next few days. As the bag is like $15 I'm looking to cobble together the equivalent with something like corn meal and other ingredients...

[Dave]

Yeah, whats 'Hardware Cloth'?

Think "galvanized-wire mesh"... larger openings and much heavier wire than for insect screen, smaller openings and heavier wire than "chicken wire".

The stuff that was recommended to me for rodent-proofing has openings, between the wires, of about 1/4"... too small for rodents to force their way through. The wire mesh is heavy enough that they can't chew through it effectively. You can get it in larger or smaller mesh sizes, but 1/8" or 1/4" seems to be best for rodent exclusion,

You can use it to cover large openings (e.g. vents in concrete foundations) with sheets of it, nailed or screwed or glued down at the edges.

For openings (around pipes or vents, or crevices around wallboards) you can cut a small piece, fold several thicknesses of it (or roll it up and flatten it out) and shove it into the opening. It'll usually spring back open enough that the cut edges will "catch" firmly on the opening and stick it in place. Too heavy to chew through and the sharp bits will discourage rodents from trying to force their way past.

There is also some non-poisonous rodent stuff that seems to be based on salt or something. (It's little pellets that they eat, but it's not nerve poison or anti-coagulant like most current rat poison...)

I'll find out more i the next few days. As the bag is like $15 I'm looking to cobble together the equivalent with something like corn meal and other ingredients...

Interesting - I hadn't heard of that one. A bit like Play-Doh (which is mostly water, flour, and salt).

Some people swear by a mixture of about half plaster-of-paris, and half something edible (sunflower seeds or dog kibble or something like that... small bits). The rats will eat the edible parts, swallowing a good deal of plaster of paris when they do so, and the plaster will harden up in their stomachs and block their digestion.. The lore (true or false) is that rats lack a vomit reflex, so once they ingest this stuff, they can't get rid of it.

[Alkarii]

That reminds me of an incident in my teens that resulted from eating a lot of KFC over the course of a couple days. They brought home a few buckets, and I hadn't really learned to cook yet. The resulting issues lasted for more than a week, until I tried prunes for the first time. Good thing they're tasty.

To this day, I try to avoid more than two pieces of KFC at a time. The grease (or something) gives me a stomach ache if I eat too much now.

[Dave]

That's a relief, guy.

For a moment there, I was expecting you to say that you ate a whole bucket of KFC hot wings, caught fire, and burned to the ground.

http://www.the-whiteboard.com/autotwb2137.html

[Alkarii]

Nah. I'm someone who has no problem with habanero salsa. I doubt KFC hot wings can do the trick.

[Sgt. Howard]

Everyone got out OK, including the dog. I will be checking the firearms as they were in part of the house that remained somewhat intact. Rodents are not an issue ay my place anymore- I managed to induce a gopher snake to take up residence, and she has nested at least once. Annie got the crap scared out of her when one youngling came up the side of a drainpipe, as their markings are similar to those of a rattler. Apparently, the field provides the mice and under the coach provides shelter from raptors- they are quite happy.
Meanwhile, the neighborhood is pulling together all the surplus wardrobe, furniture, foodstuffs, household stuff etc. to see about helping them replace items, even if temporarily. Mike's big mobile home was up in Conconully, so it got moved down here for temp residence while they haggle with insurance. Could have been much worse, I imagine.

[Dave]

Everyone got out OK, including the dog. I will be checking the firearms as they were in part of the house that remained somewhat intact. Rodents are not an issue ay my place anymore- I managed to induce a gopher snake to take up residence, and she has nested at least once. Annie got the crap scared out of her when one youngling came up the side of a drainpipe, as their markings are similar to those of a rattler. Apparently, the field provides the mice and under the coach provides shelter from raptors- they are quite happy.

That's an excellent solution, Greg! A good way of restoring balance to the ecosystem, with benefits all around (except maybe for the rodents). I imagine that the smell of snake probably makes the mice and other rodents reluctant to come anywhere near the place.

[Catawampus]

At least nobody was hurt. Everything else can be rebuilt or replaced, but not so much people.

That's an excellent solution, Greg! A good way of restoring balance to the ecosystem, with benefits all around (except maybe for the rodents). I imagine that the smell of snake probably makes the mice and other rodents reluctant to come anywhere near the place.

Now he'll have to import some mongooses to balance out the snakes. . .I wonder if Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is interested in a vacation to the Pacific Northwet?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

At least nobody was hurt. Everything else can be rebuilt or replaced, but not so much people.

That's an excellent solution, Greg! A good way of restoring balance to the ecosystem, with benefits all around (except maybe for the rodents). I imagine that the smell of snake probably makes the mice and other rodents reluctant to come anywhere near the place.

Now he'll have to import some mongooses to balance out the snakes. . .I wonder if Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is interested in a vacation to the Pacific Northwet?

Gopher Snakes are nonvenomous and not really all that dangerous to humans. No need.

[TazManiac]

Raptor Birds and the nature of Nature take care of Snake Overpopulation- they have a hard lot in modern times...