When rodents find their way into our homes, they can do more than destroy our food, spread disease, and be a nuisance. They also have a tendency to chew on everything, including electrical wires. This may seem like an odd habit as they get no nutrition or seemingly any benefit out of this act. So, why do rodents chew on electrical wires?
What is it about Wires?
It turns out that rodents aren’t necessarily attracted to electrical wires, they just so happen to live in places that these wires are run. Rodents prefer warm quiet places to make nests and call home. Attics and crawlspaces are the perfect places for them to do this, they just so happen to also be the perfect place to run our homes wiring.
Rodents teeth never stop growing. This means that they have to constantly chew things in order to wear them down. They will chew on just about anything they can to keep up with the rate of growth. Wires offer a unique advantage over other materials they may find in your attic. They are easy to chew because wires are easy to hold with their hands. No matter what rodents decide to chew on in your home it’s going to cause damage. But your electrical system can be more of a hazard than any other.
Electrical Safety
The number one cause of concern for rodents chew wires is that could cause a potential house fire. Once the insulation has been removed around the wire there’s nothing stopping sparks of electricity from escaping and lighting the surrounding materials on fire. Even if this doesn’t happen, damaged wires can shut down an entire system, which will then require a call to professional electrician. Sometimes these can be costly, especially depending on the type of wire and location.
Signs of Rodents
There are some telltale signs that you may have rodents living in your attic or your crawlspace. If so, it’s best to go ahead and have a professional come out and remove them for you. This prevents them from doing any damage to your electrical service or any other system in your home. There are several signs to look for if you suspect that a rodent is living in your home.
- Moved insulation. Rodents like making nests inside the insulation and will push it out of the way to create a hole.
- Droppings in the house or in the attic or smells of urine.
- Anything that appears to have been chewed. They may shred cardboard or any other material found in or around your home.
- Teeth marks on any hard surface. Rodents will chew any material they can but prefer hard surfaces to grind their teeth.
If you suspect that rodents are in your home, you can also just call a professional to come take a look around for you. After all, who really wants to crawl around in an attic or crawlspace?
Rodents are a hazard to both you and your home so make sure that you use a professional to take care of any rodent problem you may have. We work with you to find any problems and address them in the most responsible and effective ways possible. Don’t wait for a rodent to cause damage to your home before you call us.
