How Do Snakes Cause Power Outages?

Animals of all kinds can cause power outages. Birds and squirrels are typically the most common culprits but outages can also be caused by a myriad of different animals, including monkeys, raccoons, opossums, and even beavers. However, one animal you might not associate with causing power outages is the snake. Keep reading to discover how snakes can cause power outages and how Critter Guard can help!

How Snakes Cause Power Outages

From arboreal snakes in search of birds to terrestrial snakes after rodents, hungry snakes can cause a lot of havoc with electrical power. Below are some of the different ways snakes can interrupt your service.

• Snakes dropping onto electrical lines from an overhanging tree branch can cause the snake's body to act as an energy conductor, shorting out the lines and electrocuting the snake in the process.
• Arboreal snakes frequently climb utility poles in search of birds and their nests and can also short out the lines while hunting their prey.
• Snakes will frequently follow mice, birds, and other small prey into substations where they can get into transformers and other important equipment, causing power disruptions and outages in the process.
• Snakes crawling across or getting into a transformer can cause electrical arcing that can result in a loss of service.
• A snake slithering over a live wire can cause an energy surge that could cause an automatic shutdown, as happened in Japan where nearly 10,000 homes lost power due to a single snake.

Stop Snakes with Critter Guard

At Critter Guard, we know just how much trouble snakes and other critters can cause. Fortunately, our Line Guard, Pole Guard, and BirdBloc products have been designed to discourage snakes and other wildlife from hanging around power lines, crawling up utility poles, and entering substations, reducing the risk of animal-related power outages.

To learn more about how our humane wildlife control solutions can deter snakes from your property and keep your power flowing, contact us today!