Electrical Gremlins And Old Homes

One reason you may need residential electrical repairs is because of rodent damage to your wiring. Rats, mice, and squirrels can get in your attic and cause a lot of destruction. Rodents tend to chew and gnaw on things constantly, and they'll chew on electrical wiring in addition to anything else in your attic. Here's how to prevent rodent damage to your home's electrical system and some electrical repairs you may need to have done.

Get The Pests Out And Block Their Return

If you have a rodent infestation in your house, act quickly to get rid of all the pests. Eliminate the ones in your house and block all entry points so new rodents can't get inside. Blocking entryways is the best way to deal with rodents and protect your home and wiring. Keeping the pests outside means they can't get in and start chewing up everything they see.

Have Your Wiring Checked

If you had a bad infestation and had mice or rats in your attic, between the walls, or behind your appliances, call an electrician to check your wiring. It's worth it for your peace of mind so you don't have to worry over exposed wiring.

Gnawing strips the insulation of wiring, and that can expose wires that short out or heat up and cause a fire. An electrician can check the wiring for damage and then make repairs if needed. However, you'll want to eliminate the mice first, or the new wiring could be damaged, too.

Have Electrical Repairs Done

If your home's electrical system is old, the electrician may need to make some safety upgrades when they work on the wiring. For instance, wires that aren't hidden behind walls are often placed in conduits to keep them dry and safe. If the electrician has to replace a long run of wires in the attic, they may place the new wires in a conduit.

The number of repairs will depend on the type of damage. If you had a lot of mice, a run of wiring might have a lot of gnaw marks along it. In that case, the electrician will probably replace the entire wire. If the only damage is one gnawed area, the electrician might just cut out the damaged part and join the two ends together in a junction box.

The goal with the electrical repairs is to remove all damaged wiring and make your home safe from shock and fire caused by exposed wires. If mice were rampant in your home due to a bad infestation, the electrician might have a lot of work to do. The wires to your appliances, lamps, and electronic equipment might also be damaged and require servicing by a repair contractor.

Rodents can do a lot of damage to your home and leave behind droppings, odors, and germs in the process. Act quickly when you have a rodent problem so the pests don't have time to multiply, and you might spare your wiring and the need for expensive electrical repairs. Contact a residential electrical repair service for more information.