[FerrumFatum]

Hi, everyone. I just bought my first home, which was built in the 60s, and I'm removing drywall in the garage so that I can insulate the walls with either fiberglass or rigid foam. I have found widespread damage to this black material due to mice that found a way into the wall, and I have two questions:

1. What is the black material? Vapor barrier, weather proofing, something else?

2. Does the material need to be replaced after removal? If so, what is the proper material to replace it with?

I haven't found this exact problem in the searching I've done, since people usually seem to be dealing with bare wood. It seems to me like it might be safe to simply remove the material as best I can, and either replace it with plastic sheeting or add spacers between the wood and insulation to prevent any wetness from making contact with it. I live in Houston, so it's definitely a wet, humid climate.

 

[Nealtw]

It is tar paper much like house wrap and it is there as a water mamgement for any water that gets post the siding. If you are not seeing any water damage the siding is doing well and missing the paper is not a big deal.

 

[Dave Sal]

I had some mouse holes at the base of my detached garage a few years ago. I decided to cut pieces of plywood and fit them in between the joists, butted tightly against the sill plate to prevent entry. So far it's worked well and mice haven't gotten back into the garage in years.

 

[Old Thomas]

When I was young we wanted to keep mice from chewing their way into grain bins. My father got some rolled material that looked like white felt paper; he called it asbestos paper. We lined the grain bins with it. Mice would not touch the stuff. Eventually we learned from the mice. I now own that farm and I found a roll of it in a barn. It is probably not acceptable to use it now.

 

[NeoHawk]

If rodents are still an issue, you might to a YouTube search for videos of a rat trap made from an empty plastic 5 gallon paint can, with bait suspended over the center of the open can, and a rod on ball bearings such that the rodents begin running along the rod toward the bait then it twists freely causing the rodents to fall in water that holds the can stable. They do not escape. Sad for the rodents but a chemical free way to reduce the rodent population.

 

[joecaption]

Looks like a half a** build garage to me.
Why would anyone build any building with the 2's laying flat like that?
That going to be a royal mess to build out the studs and add nailers in the corner to finish it out.
By code you can not just leave exposed foam.

 

[Nealtw]

Looks like a half a** build garage to me.
Why would anyone build any building with the 2's laying flat like that?
That going to be a royal mess to build out the studs and add nailers in the corner to finish it out.
By code you can not just leave exposed foam.

Joe, take another look, to me it looks like a 2x4 wall with a let in angle brace and then strapped for vertical siding.

 

[soniamann]

What's the best way to get rid of these things?