Mini split outdoor condenser rodent guard advice

[massimofinance]

Hello all. I have a wall mounted outdoor condenser for my Cooper hunter mini split unit. Mounted last year. Picture below as a reference. The mice got in, destroyed it and now I need to replace it. Not wanting to experience that ever again, I’m going to build a cage to go over it with easy to remove mounts for service, cleaning, etc. it’s mounted to brick facade. I’m thinking of making an aluminum frame with chicken wire. Maybe wing nuts to hold the frame to the brick? Or mount rails to the brick and the cage can slide up and down? I can’t find any examples of one online and was hoping for this groups advice. Thanks in advance.

 

[flashback]

That unit looks pretty tight the mouse might have entered it from inside the wall..in any case I feel your pain but I think I would look for the entrance rather than cage the entire unit.. The chicken wire I'm familiar with is too big to stop a mouse, hardware cloth would be a good choice.

 

[Bob_VT]

You do realize the size of a space that an adult rodent can penetrate is the size of a dime. Chicken wire will keep out the chickens but not the mice

 

[Scott Danforth]

agree with above that mice can get thru chicken wire without any issue
expanded metal would work, however reduce air flow.

mounting the unit up from the ground would help, however those little buggers can climb some siding types.

 

[massimofinance]

Thanks guys. Fair point on the little guys getting through anything. It’s mounted a foot off the ground and they got it. I was going to put poison down but we have hawks and I don’t want to poison the hawks if they eat a poisoned mouse. A cage will be a paid to build but I’ll get some real tight mesh or hardware cloth.

 

[alldodge]

Just a guess but are they getting in where the line set attaches?
If so get the line set covers and seal it up

Course steel wool also keeps them out

 

[04fxdwgi25]

This S/S mesh on Amazon did it perfectly for me in stopping mice.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZGM8FJ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[massimofinance]

Thought I’d close the loop here. Spent last weekend building my cage. Not the prettiest thing, however it is behind the garage and no one sees it and I’d rather not replace it again. I drove four studs into the brick for easy removal for service. If I did it again, I think I would have designed it not as one unit, but as 5 panels.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[alldodge]

Looks good but might ask the manufacture if putting the screen around it will reduce the flow enough to cause an issue