Mesh baffles are definitely the way to go—cardboard just turns into a soggy mess in my climate, and I’ve seen it collapse under the weight of blown-in insulation more than once. I get the urge to seal every little gap, but honestly, after crawling around up there for hours, I started to wonder if I was just making things worse. At a certain point, you’re right, you have to accept “good enough” and focus on the big stuff: airflow, moisture, and keeping critters out.
Had a raccoon nest tucked behind a knee wall last year. Not fun. Pulled out half a trash bag of insulation they’d shredded. After that, I switched to metal mesh at all the vent points—no more freeloaders so far. I’m still a bit skeptical about how much difference chasing every tiny draft actually makes, especially in these older houses where nothing’s square. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles.
I hear you on the “good enough” approach—sometimes chasing every last draft feels endless, especially when you’re trying not to blow the whole budget. Did you notice any difference in your heating/cooling bills after switching to metal mesh? I’ve been debating if it’s worth upgrading my old plastic vent covers, but I keep getting hung up on cost versus payoff. Also, how did you secure the mesh so critters can’t just push through or chew around it?
I swapped out the old plastic covers for metal mesh a couple years back after a squirrel chewed right through and decided to make my attic his winter condo. Honestly, I didn’t see a huge difference in my heating bill, but summer cooling costs dropped a bit—maybe 10%, tops. The airflow is better, so the attic doesn’t get as oven-hot, which seems to help the AC not work as hard.
Securing the mesh was trickier than I expected. Ended up using metal flashing around the edges and some heavy-duty screws. I tried just stapling at first, but it wasn’t sturdy enough—those little critters are determined. Haven’t had anything chew through since, though one raccoon gave it a good try (left some scratches but no entry). In terms of cost, it was more upfront than plastic, but I figure it’s a one-and-done deal rather than replacing chewed-up covers every few years.
If you’re on the fence, maybe just do the worst vents first and see if you notice any change before committing to all of them. That’s what I did anyway...
- Metal mesh is definitely the way to go for critter control. Plastic’s just too easy for them to chew through—seen it a hundred times after storms.
- Flashing and screws are solid choices. Staples never hold up, especially if you get raccoons or squirrels with attitude.
- Upfront cost stings a bit, but you’re right—it’s a one-time thing if you do it right. Way less hassle than patching holes every season.
- I’ve noticed the same with cooling bills. Not a massive drop, but enough to notice, especially during heat waves.
- Only thing I’d add: check the mesh after big storms. Sometimes wind-driven debris can bend it or loosen screws, and that’s when animals sneak in. Learned that the hard way after a nasty hailstorm last year...
Metal mesh definitely sounds like the smarter long-term move, even if it’s a pain up front. I went with plastic vent covers when I first moved in—mostly because I was trying to save a few bucks after closing costs—and yeah, that lasted about three months before something (I’m guessing a squirrel, but honestly, could’ve been anything) chewed right through. Ended up with insulation everywhere and a lot more hassle than just paying for the better material in the first place.
I haven’t tried flashing around the vents yet, but I’m curious: does it make much of a difference for moisture control too, or is it mainly about keeping animals out? My attic’s had some minor condensation issues during cold snaps, and I’m wondering if better sealing with flashing would help with that at all. Or is that more about ventilation than sealing?
Also, totally agree on staples being useless. I thought I could get away with them for a quick fix, but after one windy night, half the mesh was flapping loose. Screws are way more secure—even if it takes longer to install.
One thing I’ve noticed since upgrading my attic vents and sealing everything tighter: the cooling bills dropped a bit, but my heating costs in winter didn’t really change much. Maybe that’s just our climate (Midwest, lots of temperature swings), but I was hoping for more of an impact year-round. Has anyone else seen bigger savings on both heating and cooling after making these changes? Or is it pretty normal for the benefits to be more noticeable in summer?
Checking after storms is something I’ll have to get better at. We had a crazy windstorm last fall and I didn’t even think to inspect the mesh until weeks later... sure enough, found a couple screws missing and some chew marks starting up again. Seems like one of those “learn by doing” things—no matter how many tips you read ahead of time.
Curious if anyone’s tried any sort of mesh with coatings or rust-proofing? The stuff at my local hardware store rusts out pretty quick unless you paint it yourself, which is kind of annoying. Wondering if it’s worth hunting down something pricier that’ll last longer or just stick with what’s available locally and replace as needed...
