Have Damaged Wirings in Your Home? It Might Be Rodents!
The word “rodent” means “to gnaw” in Latin. Rats or mice are certainly to blame if you have ever seen the telltale sign of bite marks on your Mansfield home’s electrical wiring. Along with the costly damage done, it can be hazardous. What can be done to stop rodents from chewing electrical wiring, and how and why do they do so?
It is essential to act quickly if you believe there may be a rat infestation in your house or place of business. The Exterminator Services in Mansfield can help you eliminate rodents from your home.
Why do rodents like to damage the wiring of our home?
The reason why rats tend to find electrical cables appealing is part of multiple theories.
It is possible that, in some cases, rats gnaw on wires to travel from point A to point B, trampling through whatever is in their path. When it comes to locating an appropriate nesting site, rats are stubborn and unlikely to be deterred by a few wires in their way.
Some have suggested that rodents gnawing on wires is also related to a shift in materials used in the last ten or so years to renewable ones. Nowadays, soy or other plant-based substances are used to cover most automotive wiring, which naturally makes them more pleasing.
Rats and mice chewing wires are most likely doing so to keep their teeth in good shape. Rat teeth grow continuously, much like human nails do. A rodent’s basic instinct is to gnaw in order to grind down and sharpen all of its teeth at once because possessing too many teeth can make it hard for the animal to feed.
What happens when rats gnaw through electrical cables?
Although having mice and rats on your property is never acceptable because of illnesses that they might spread, there are a lot more issues that arise if they decide to eat your home’s electrical wiring. Live wire can be left exposed for a very long period because sharp rodent teeth easily break the insulation that covers the electrical wire.
A short circuit is likely to result from the neutral and live wires getting into contact at that point. This will likely trip the circuit and leave you without electricity. However, that is minor compared to the expensive damage that a short circuit may cause on devices and the increased danger of electrical shocks.
Luckily, there are more common indicators of a rat infestation to be aware of in order to stop future rodent damage before it becomes out of hand and detect the problem early on.
Watch out for signs of mice and rats:
- When fresh, rodent droppings are about 1-2 cm long and have a dark brown appearance comparable to raisins. The droppings turn dusty and white as they get older.
- Rubbed-up walls and flooring might have grubby stains from rodents rubbing up against them.
- Paper, food packaging, and loft insulation—among other materials that can be scavenged from your car or property—can be utilized for building rodent nests.
Ways to stop rats from gnawing on electrical wire
It is certainly better to prevent rodent damage than to try to heal it. In order to prevent rodents from entering your building and eating through your electrical wiring, as a property owner, you need to think about taking preventive steps.
Close-off points of entry and exit.
Rats do not need a red carpet to get into your house; they are going to find a place to hide, especially in the winter, and a mere crack or gap a few centimeters wide would be sufficient.
Use traps and/or deterrents
Traps do not have to be deadly to be an acceptable alternative for many people. A specialized sonic deterrent is a more humane way to drive away rodents.
Take out any attractive food trash.
Rats will build their nests as close to a food supply as possible, so it is essential that you periodically dispose of food waste and shut it securely to keep their curious noses out.
