Why Rats Chew Cables, and Why It Matters
Gnawing is not vandalism and it is not hunger. It is maintenance, and it is the reason rats in a roof space are worth dealing with promptly.
Teeth that never stop growing
A rat's incisors grow continuously throughout its life. If it did not wear them down it could not close its mouth, so it gnaws constantly, on whatever is to hand and of roughly the right hardness.
Much of it is that. A rat chewing a cable is usually not after the cable — it is working on something of the right size and hardness to grip, and cable sheathing fits. It also gnaws to get through things that are in its way, and to harvest material for a nest, so dental wear is one driver among several rather than the whole story.
What that means in a loft
A roof space contains, conveniently arranged at gnawing height, lighting and ring-main cable, water pipe, central heating pipe, and insulation that makes good nesting material.
Damaged cable in a loft is the reason we treat rats in a roof space as more urgent than the noise alone would justify. It is not a common cause of fires relative to everything else, but it is a real one, and it is entirely avoidable by not leaving an active rat population living on top of the wiring for months.
Water pipe is the other one. A gnawed plastic pipe in a loft does not announce itself until it has been leaking into a ceiling for a while.
What to do about it
Deal with the rats, then find and close the way up, then look at what has been damaged. In that order.
If you have had rats in a loft for any length of time, it is worth having the wiring looked at by an electrician once the rats are gone — not as a panic measure, just as the sensible last step. The same goes for insulation that has been nested in and contaminated, which is usually better lifted and replaced than left.
Before you book
Quick Answers
Can rats really chew through metal pipe?
Lead and soft aluminium, yes. Copper is harder and less often gnawed through, though it does happen. Plastic water and waste pipe is no obstacle at all, and that is what most modern loft pipework is.
Should I get the wiring checked afterwards?
It is a sensible last step once the rats are gone, particularly if they were up there for months. It is not a reason to panic, but it is worth doing rather than assuming.
More
Other Rat Questions
The full service page is Rat Control.
Rat or Mouse? How to Tell Which You Have
Read it →Rats in the Garden: Decking, Compost and Bird Feeders
Read it →Why the Rats Came Back
Read it →How Long Does Rat Treatment Take?
Read it →Scratching Under the Floor at Night: What Is It?
Read it →Rat Bait, Pets and Wildlife: How It Is Done Responsibly
Read it →Book a Rat Control Visit
Rats in the loft, the kitchen, the garden or the premises — tell us what you have seen and where.
Get in touch
Book a Rat Control Visit
Tell us what you have seen or heard and roughly where. If it is urgent, ring instead — the phone is faster.
- Phone
- 01908 465226
- Message us on WhatsApp
- sales@miltonkeynespestcontroller.co.uk
- Milton Keynes Pest Controller Service
- Address
- South Row
Milton Keynes
MK9 3DQ - Covering
- Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and parts of Hertfordshire