Rats Chew On Wires and Pipe Lining in the Attic
Here we see a typical example of the type of chewing rats do. Rats are rodents, and like all rodents, their teeth grow non-stop. They must chew all the time in order to wear down their teeth, similar to the way a cat must wear down its claws. Unfortunately, rats often choose to chew on electrical wires, which can and has caused fires in attics.
Here is another photo that I took of rodent chewing on wires. It doesn't happen in every attic, but
when it does, it causes several potential problems. The worst problem is the risk of a fire hazard.
The next problem is that the chewing often causes a short. I've had customers tell me that all of a
sudden half of their house lost power. The other risk is that the rodent is electrocuted and dies,
(fries) causing an odor problem.
Rodents also chew on pipes and pipe insulation in attics. I see this quite often. Sometimes they like
to chew on something soft. Rodents also chew on vulnerable water pipes, if you have them in your
attic. I've been to several homes in which rodents have caused leaks in the pipes, and water damage.
Rodents in Central Florida seek out a warm place to spend the nights, and so they go in attics. They then seek out things to gnaw on, because that's what rodents do. These disease-ridden critters are nocturnal, and can often be heard scampering up the walls and in the attic at night. They chew on electrical wires, contaminate food, and spread disease. Check out my Orlando rodent control page for more information on our permanent rat control techniques. We also deal with mouse problems, which you can read about on my Orlando mouse control and mice trapping page, but the truth is that mice are far less common than rats in central Florida.