Cabin filters and mice

[Bobiam]

My past 2 cabin filters have been home to mice and they have chewed minor amts of the filter material, but do not appear to have gotten into the heat/AC system. I'm doing all I can to kill mice and last year killed 26 between my 2 garages.

I need a metal screen reinforcement or guard on my cabin filter to prevent serious damage. Some intake air filters have them, but I can't find a brand of cabin filter with wireprotection. Ideas???

Also, a screen above or below the filter would do well if I mad or purchased one. Any knowlege of such a product?

Thanks......... Bob

[Mark_T]

Throw a couple of moth balls into the filter housing - it should keep the mice away.

[thstone]

My suggestion is to replace the stock paper cabin air filter with the same size K&N engine air filter. The K&N engine air filters have a thin metal screen built in which should help keep mice from damaging the filter material.

Don't try to use a K&N engine air filter for a Boxster because the cabin and engine air filters are different sizes.

Instead pull the stock cabin air filter and measure it. Then use this link below to find an equivalent size K&N filter.

http://www.knfilters.com/search/univ2.aspx?ID=S0005

[schnellman]

In Germany we had a problem with shrews chewing hoses in our cars. We used moth balls to get rid of them. --- If you can stand the smell.

[Spinnaker]

Originally Posted by Mark_T

Throw a couple of moth balls into the filter housing - it should keep the mice away.

Not so sure I would try this unless you like the smell of moth balls everytime you drive the car. I think I would just spread the moth balls all around the garage to (hopefully) keep them from entering the garage and to drive the ones camping there out.

[Bobiam]

We could build an entire forum around mouse control. They're little bastards and perhaps smarter than us! With moth balls you have to place them right where the mouse wants to build a home....then he builds it 6" away. They inhabit my tractor engine in the exact place each year until I actually piled the mothballs where they build the nest.....them it's almost as difficult to get the moth balls out as the nesting!!! I have 6 traps set all the time in winter, but I guess the same will apply to summer. Last week they enjoyed my new bag of grass seed. How the hell does a mouse hold an acorn and climb up into my car's cabin filter area to eat it?? Sounds like I have to start setting traps inside there as well.

[blue2000s]

I don't think they'll be deterred by a metal screen that's on the fliter paper. They can chew around the holes. I think you need space between the screen and the filter element. You might think about getting a sheet of screen door and seeing if it can be fashioned into some kind of a removeable lid for the cabin filter.

[nnewell]

my neighbour had mice chew up the wiring in his truck , $1,500. damage.
These pests can do some real damage , I don't have a problem with them in my
garage but they used to get into my shop ( different building ) there I use a sonic
deterent like this one http://www.electronicpestrepeller.com/ultrasonic.htm

Or you could get a cat......................

~ Nick

[RandallNeighbour]

I live in the inner city area of Houston, and we have serious rodent issues here. However, by utilizing rat bait stations all around my fence line, I have managed to poison anything small and furry enough to get into the boxes and eat the waxy green poison.

I'd love to find some bait stations for squirrels next. They're just more socially accepted rats with pretty tails, yet they do just as much damage with their gnawing and nesting in homes here.

[Dale_K]

I was at a quick lube place a few months ago and a guy with a big Ford truck was talking about how the mice tore up the trucks wiring. He said he started using Coyote urine - I don't know where you get it but the guys working on his truck didn't care for it, lol. The thought of it in the cabin air filter makes me smile.

If you don't mind paw prints on the hood you could go with this. They love Boxster trunk trim.

[WhipE350]

+1 Dale...I live the in the country outside Charlotte, cats do the trick. I still have some mice but they stay in the smallest places so the cats can't find them, climbing up tires will expose them a little too much to my sharp toothed furry friends.