As full-timers, we constantly work to keep mice, bugs, scorpions and other creepy crawly creatures from entering our house on wheels. One of the easiest openings for these critters to ingress is your wet bay around the sewage discharge pipe. While wet bay configurations differ, in most RVs there remains as much as a .75” to 1” inch opening around the diameter of your dump hose. This hole is an open invitation for critters to migrate to other areas of your RV. So how can you prevent them from hitchhiking?
No freeloaders, please!
After hearing many suggestions from twisting towels to steel wool around the pipe, what worked best for us was EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) foam rubber. This closed-cell foam is typically used as a weatherproofing sealant around doors or windows and in the automotive industry. It comes in many sizes and shapes. We chose to use square, non-self-adhesive, as it is easy to press-fit around the pipe and we can soak it with insect repellent. If we chose the foam with a self-adhesive strip, the insect repellent would eventually dissolve the self-stick adhesive.
Where can you obtain it?
You can get it at the usual big box stores such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. Also, most reputable hardware stores carry it. We purchased approximately three feet of 2” EPDM foam with no adhesive. It’s also available on Amazon.
Force fit works perfectly
We simply cut it to the approximate length and manually stuff it around the pipe at every setup. And from time-to-time, we refresh it with insect repellent to keep freeloaders from the snacks in our pantry. When we pick up to travel once again, we merely set it to the side in the wet bay until we stop at the next destination.
##RVT1172
I extended my pipe to just below the opening and then cut a ring of out of plywood and soaked it with paint to seal it. Then used screws to attach it around the pipe making a permanent seal so there is no opening for critters.
A plumbing closet flange works great in this application. With its rubber seal and hole size made for plumbing you just remove the screw on base currently in the bay, put the plumbing closet flange in its place, and extend your plumbing so the stinky slinky connector is outside your RV wet bay. Now you can leave your sewer hose connected and securely block invaders.
I leave the opening closed until needed to drain the tanks. Never had any issues since doing this. When done, put back screw cap and you’re good for another 60 gallons! Same idea applies to those who leave their dump hoses out all the time. If you leave it out, they will come!
Steel wool into large openings followed by spraying Great Stuff Pestblock in and around each opening.
I use stainless steel mesh along with the Pestblock. Finished it off with Gorilla belly tape. No more mice or other critters.
Don’t use steel wool as it rusts and falls apart fairly quickly. Instead, use stainless steel or bronze pot scrubbers and spray foam them in place. Problem solved.
Good story but I wish Kate would leave out her comments about Home Depot and Lowes. It served no purpose and only took away from your credibility to be unbiased.
Thanks, Carol. That was a recycled post and it was left as she had first written it. I’ve removed her personal comments. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks for that!
Thank you, Kate! 🙂 Excellent suggestion! Thank you for sharing the suggestion! Have a great week, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
I’m glad this works for you, Kate! So the insecticide also keeps the rodents away?
I worry about rodents being able to gnaw thru the foam if the smell doesn’t ward ’em off.