As a homeowner, you face loads of trials and tribulations. Home maintenance, jobs, relationships, and plenty more! Life is rough enough without adding the uninvited members of the animal kingdom into your home, and when you find a chewed wire, you’ve unfortunately got just that! But, hey, don’t stress. The experts at Kolb Electric are here to help!
The Skinny On Rodent Infestation: Electrical Dangers
Why do rodents chew on the wiring in my home?
Rodent teeth are very capable of doing serious harm to your wiring. Why do they even chew on wires? Well, interesting fact, that. A rodent’s front teeth never finish growing, so they chew on anything around to control the length of their incisors. Cool fact, but bad news for your wiring!
Rodents chewing on electrical wires can bring you a world of frustration at the minimum, but can be a source of serious harm at worst! An infestation left unchecked can cause:
- Permanent appliance damage. Chewed up wires create an opportunity for power surges and arcing, both of which can do permanent harm to your appliances.
- Costly wire damage. A single mangled wire can do enough harm on its own, but left unchecked, rodents can seriously harm nearly your entire electrical network!
- Risk of fire. The biggest threat of all, exposed wiring can make contact with flammables, triggering an electrical fire!
How Do I Stop Rodents from Chewing on Electrical Wires?
Well, traps are always an option, of course. But that remedy tends to be a little unreliable. The unfortunate fact is there’s no magical remedy here. There’s no magical rodent-proof wire coating, or specially crafted mouse vacuum. It really comes down to prevention, and failing that, quick action. To prevent a rodent incursion:
- Routinely clean accessible crawl spaces and other small areas. Attics, old cupboards, anything that may provide a nesting place should be kept clean regularly. This will deter nesting, and help you spot an issue early if one arises.
- Have holes and cracks repaired. Been putting off getting that crack in the door repaired? Don’t! Your home is temperature controlled, full of food, and free of natural predators. Prime real estate for rodents, and they want in!
- Limit access to your roof. Hanging branches and overlong structures provide an opportunity, so get out those shears and trim back the foliage.
- Avoid biodegradable storage. Store trash outdoors in a tamper-proof receptacle, or in a separate structure! Nothing says ‘come on in’ like a ready food source, and with a fresh bag full of last night’s leftovers, you’re basically ringing the dinner bell!
What do I do if I already have a rodent problem?
Call a pest-control specialists right away. It’s frustrating, and costs money you didn’t want to spend, but with each passing week you run the risk of paying more than a few lost cracker crumbs. Rodents chewing on electrical wires is no joke, and left unaddressed will leave you in a bad way, electrically speaking.
Once the nests have been handled, call on an electric professional (like us!) to inspect wiring as soon as possible. Damaged wiring can be caught and fixed before you end up with a real costly problem on your hands.
Rewiring and Electrical Repair in Maryland
If things don’t go your way and you end up with some damaged wiring, don’t stress! The experts at Kolb would love nothing more than to assist, bringing you the expertise and service you need to set your wiring right again. Contact us today to learn more about our repair and installation services, or to set an appointment!
