hogheavenfarm wrote in news:5d8e21e4-071b-4321- snipped-for-privacy@i36g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
If the space under tha tfloor is not to be finished and used as a room, would it be possible for him to reinstall fiberglass, but then "drop" small-diameter wire mesh by nailing soem sort of "spacers" to every 4th (or so) joist, and then nail the mesh/hardware cloth to the "spacers"? It seems to me that would keep the fiberglass out of the reach of the rats. It'd be expensive, but less so than rat damage (and rat-related stress).
1) Conduction a. Providing the conductivity and temperature difference is the same the amount of heat will travel equally in all directions. Up, down, sideways or any other direction in between
2) Convection a. This is raising the temperature of a fluid (air is a fluid). As the fluid it heated the molecules get further apart and thus making it less dense. As a result it rises. Ie. Heat does NOT rise, only the fluid it heats.
3) Radiation a. Radiation will travel in all directions equally when the surface properties (Texture, emissivity, and temperature) are equal.
More than most would want to know about heat transfer
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As for the insulation and rodents. The first line of defense is get rid of the rodents. Find the holes and plug them. I understand they do not like copper mesh (no experience in this). 1/4 inch hard ware cloth will stop most rats and mice. A roof rat can get in through a hole the size of a quarter and mouse the size of a dime.
I've not seen an insulation a rodent will not chew through with the exception of vermiculite or Perlite. Good luck holding these in place. There is a 1" vacuum panel used in refrigerators. I can only assume they would not fit and be very expensive.
So this brings us back to go after the rodents. If you cannot find their entry point go to your favorite pet store and get a UV light. IT is use to show fresh urine and since rodents (mice and rats) urinate everywhere the travel you should be able to track down their entry points as well as determine if you have gotten the holes plugged. Fresh urine glows under a uv light.
I agree with all of the above except cutting down on drafts unless a spray foam or ridged sealed in place. Loose fill, glass or mineral wool do not stop air flow and normally will not even slow it down.
I have a thing about payback. What is the pay back on the boat, plasma TV, SUV, 6,000 sq ft house for one person, vacation, going out to dinner, remodeling the kitchen and the list goes on.
We are brain washed by marketing that we can spend thousands on a SUV but when it comes to making our homes comfortable and energy efficient we will not do it unless it has a payback better than we can get in out investments. I'm not saying we should give up all those other things just put the energy efficiency of our homes on the top of the list, not the bottom.
If I was into betting man I bet on much higher prices of energy.
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