It’s no secret that rodents are a nuisance if they get into your home or your kitchen and nibble at the boxes of food in your cupboards. Did you know, though, that rodents can cause untold (and unseen) damage to the electrical wiring in your home and that can lead to a fire hazard? (Check out our photo gallery of “critter” damage on Facebook.) In many cases, you might not discover the damage until the wires short out and a fire ensues.
Rodents of all sizes can get into your home, scurry through the walls and ceilings, set up their own nests within the walls and not only spread disease but damage the home’s insulation, pipes, structure and more importantly the electrical wiring. It is easy to repair the obvious damage caused by rodents but it’s not as easy to repair the unseen damage caused by them gnawing the wires in your walls. And one missed, frayed wire can lead to an electrical fire.
While you may not think that electrical wiring would be an item that would be a draw to rodents to chew, consider that rodents will chew on anything and everything. Because their teeth are constantly growing, they need to gnaw to keep their teeth filed down. Whether your home is plagued with mice, rats or squirrels, they will find the insulating exterior of the electrical wires in your home a treat they cannot resist.
The reason the wiring in your home is covered in plastic insulation is because the wiring is hot and the plastic acts as an insulation to protect the walls nearby. When the rodent begins chewing, it exposes the hot metal and that can eventually lead to a wire short circuiting, sparking or heating up, and igniting its surroundings. Whether the wires are against insulation or wooden support beams, the fire exposure is there.
It’s estimated that more than 25% of all house fires that are labeled “unknown origin” are caused by rodent damage. One of the best ways to protect your home from this damage is to prevent rodents from gaining access to your home in the first place. When you consider that a mouse can squeeze through an opening of less than one-quarter inch, you will want to work with an extermination professional to seal your home and make it impossible for rodents to gain entry. If you see evidence of rodents in your home (ie in the kitchen) then you will need to eliminate them immediately. Ask the exterminators if they see evidence of damage caused by the rodents within the walls or the crawlspaces. Calling an electrician would be a next best step because your home could already be the victim of gnawed wires and rodent damage that you’re not even able to see.
Diligence is key to locating and exterminating rodent infestation but remember, simply cleaning the debris they leave in your kitchen or other visible traffic areas is not enough – be safe and protect yourself and your home by having the experts at Cirtcele Electric check the electrical wiring in your home.
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