How Do Squirrels Cause Power Outages?

Did you know that squirrels are ranked as one of the main causes of power outages? That's right, those little rodents were even responsible for a whopping 15,000 of all animal-related power outages in 2019 alone! Keep reading to discover three ways in which squirrel power outages are caused.

1. Chewing Through Power Lines and Electrical Insulation

Squirrels love chewing on power lines because they are made of an ideal material for their teeth - soft enough to chew through but tough enough to provide a good workout for their jaws. When squirrels chew on power lines, it can cause damage to the electrical insulation. Without the proper insulation, the power line can easily overheat and catch fire or short circuit, which often leads to a squirrel power outage.

2. Getting into Substations and Other Electrical Equipment

Another way that squirrels can cause power outages is by causing damage to substations and other electrical infrastructure. Squirrels like going inside substations because they offer a warm, quiet, and dark place for squirrels to nest. These rodents are capable of causing a great deal of harm if they break into substations. They can gnaw on cables, topple over equipment, and trigger transformer fires and explosions, all of which can lead to a squirrel power outage.

3. Tunneling

Squirrels are responsible for a significant number of power disruptions due to their habit of tunneling. When they dig their burrows, they often cause damage to the electricity lines that are buried underneath the ground. Due to this, the lines can experience a short circuit, which often results in a power outage.

Contact Critter Guard for Squirrel Guard Solutions

At Critter Guard, our squirrel guard solutions can help prevent power outages and costly damage to your electrical equipment. Our Line Guard and Pole Guard products help prevent squirrel power outages by providing a physical barrier that squirrels can't get through. These barriers prevents squirrels from accessing power lines and getting into substations and other electrical equipment. To learn more about our squirrel guard products and how they can help prevent squirrel power outages, contact us today!