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Hello one and
all,
We are hoping to dig
our rubble trench next week for our home and greenhouse. I am trying to figure
out if rodents "gophers and woodchucks"
could work their way
through a rubble trench. We have a fair amount of these guys cruising our land.
I read that woodchucks like to make burrows on knolls under rock walls. The
trench would be 4'. I heard that these rodent can cruise that
deep.
We will be doing a
deep heat sink floor system in our house so those trenches might feel warm and
tempting. Our greenhouse will have a graywater and blackwater drain down inside
the greenhouse so there is no slab to keep the intruders out other than the
rubble trench.
I have gathered
plenty of field stones and I was going to fill in the voids with gravel or small
stone and compact with the backside of the escavator bucket. I know rats won't
dig through that stuff but I am wondering about the proffessional diggers
mentioned above. I am thinking of pouring down one side a three inch thick
concrete mix to serve as a rodent barrier, unless I don't need to which is why I
am writing you all to hear from those who have thought about such things and
those who are living in the trenches so to speak. I thought about wire as a
barrier, stainless steel is too pricey and galvanized doesn't seem to hold the
promise of the long haul. I would rather not do anything for a barrier but I
don't want my greenhouse etc to be a winter resort either for those who should
be hibernating or toughing it out.
On top of the trench
will be a Nearing style grade beam. I would love to hear any tips from
those who have worked with this type of masonry wall/beam.
Please include me in
your reply as I am on digest, thanks for any of your
thoughts.
Chuck
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