Mice, for example, love the warmth and shelter electrical equipment can provide them. They love to chew on wires and build nests in these places which leads to damage of your wiring and ultimately their death.
Bugs, like mice deliberately wander into the dark warm spots with electrical wiring. You may find them in your outlets where they even give off chemicals than can create electrical hazards in that location.
If you find animals or suspect that they have invaded your electrical system you would need to call an electrician but usually after you call a pest control specialist or animal control specialist. These professionals help to deal with the animals first and eliminate any possible infestation.
When the animal situation has been handled, you can call an experienced and licensed electrician. The electrical technician will check for damages and fix any fault they find.
There is every possibility that the invasion can reoccur by the same species or other animals. Take the following steps to protect your home.
Clean up your surroundings
Animals thrive in areas that give them spots to hide and they can proceed from these areas into your home. Clean up your surroundings by removing vegetation overgrowth, trash, and more. Pests can attract other pests so this is vital.
Insulate
If you would like to prevent the animals’ exposure to the voltage you can insulate conductors by covering them. Materials such as tape and silicon boots come in handy for this task.
Seal all openings
Seal all the openings in your home and around electrical equipment. Remember animals like rodents or bugs can fit into the tiniest holes. Spray foam insulation can be used to seal an outlet or switch.
Electrical maintenance
You don’t have to wait to hear the critters moving in your wiring. You can look out for easy signs like droppings, marks, or nests.
Schedule regular maintenance with an electrician. This way you can keep your wiring protected or find the invaders before any damage is done.