Got mice?

"Fawkes" is all set up for the Chicagoland winter; and during my weekly spot check, lo and behold. . .mouse droppings.  From the size it was a very small field mouse (as opposed to a larger gray house mouse).  Traps caught five after two weeks of setting them out.  The weather cleared temperature wise several days ago, and in order to find the way they were getting in we turned on all the lights in Fawkes and opened every cabinet, closet and other access areas.  I crawled under the PC and saw light bleed coming from the round opening where the fresh water tank drain goes through.  There was no coping or other attempt at covering, resulting in a 1/4" crescent shaped opening where the tube protruded.  I stuffed a bit of coarse steel wool into the opening and viola!  No more light bleed except through the semi-opaque drain tube; and, after a week, no more mice in the traps.     Easy schmeezy except for returning this 74 year old back to the upright in the driveway.   

Another way we found to isolate the entry gaps is to intentionally drive on dusty dirt roads and look for areas where the dust is intruding into cabinets and other areas. Early on after delivery my DW nearly blew a gasket when all the clean items she stored in the cabinet under the sink in the kitchen area were coated with dust. As you noted we also found gaps around different pipes that went thru the floor. I spent an hour or so with a can of expanding foam sealing the gaps. Problem solved. We reported the issue and our solution to the plant.

Another option is the take steel wool and use a screwdriver or small diameter dowel to pack this in the area around your water lines.  Mice have particularly difficult time in gnawing their way through steel wool.

Another option is the take steel wool and use a screwdriver or small diameter dowel to pack this in the area around your water lines.  Mice have particularly difficult time in gnawing their way through steel wool.

Yup. . .that's what I did with Fawkes' FW tank drain opening.   

Don't forget those "A" pillars. They are hollow and mice are able to get into the front overhead cabinets and ceiling from the engine compartment. Ask me how I know. We store our unit in a barn.