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Squirrels have caused many power disruptions. So much so that the American Public Power Association (APPA) are tracking “squirrel attacks” on the electrical power systems. Did you know that the NASDAQ has went down in 1987 and 2014 because of a couple squirrels?
Squirrels can be a nuisance around the home and garden. Not only do they build nests in attics, they can also gnaw on electric lines. In this article, we will explore some DIY methods to deter squirrels from chewing the cables. Read on to find out some ideas on how to stop squirrels from chewing wires.
How To Stop Squirrels From Chewing Wires
Method 1: Using Hot Pepper Spray to Deter Squirrels from Chewing Outdoor Wires
Option 1: Using a squirrel deterrent hot sauce
Squirrels can get at outdoor lights, like Christmas lights. One way to keep the light string safe is to spray it with a powerful pepper spray.
You may get hot pepper spray that is made to deter squirrels. You can also use it around bird seed to deter squirrels from the bird seed. This hot pepper spray tastes hot to mammals like squirrels, and act as a supplement for birds.
Option 2: Making your own DIY hot sauce spray
You can also make your own hot pepper spray with hot pepper plants grown in your garden. You can create a spicy hot sauce if you get a good harvest of the hot peppers. It can be sprayed on covered cables. Because squirrels find the spicy taste unpleasant, the wire-chewing behavior ceases.
How to Make the Hot Sauce Spray
In a spray bottle, combine the finely ground up hot peppers with a few drops of water. Then cover your weather-proof cables with it.
If it’s rained, you may need to reapply the spray every few weeks or so.
Method 2: Use motion activated sprinklers
You can send a quick spray of water to send squirrels away, depending on the location of the wires.
Method 3: Use Peppermint to Stop Squirrels from Chewing on Wires
Squirrels are not fans of anything with peppermint. However, peppermint essential oil and cotton balls soaked in the combination may be used to dissuade squirrels from trespassing in the area where your lights are located.
Peppermint oil rodent repellent spray is a good option if you’re searching for a ready-to-use product. In addition, it contains pure peppermint essential oil, which is the principal component.
Method 4: Squirrel Repellent Scents
For many homes, the best approach is to get scent repellents that make squirrels uncomfortable and uneasy. So, squirrels are opposed to what scents?
Unfortunately for squirrels, there are many scents they do not like! Squirrels may be deterred by putting the smell of mace near the wire.
If squirrels are chewing on outdoor wire, the application of scented repellents is one of the effective strategies.
Method 5: Conduit the Wiring
Another option how stop squirrels from chewing wires is to use conduit to cover electrical cords. Conduit can be used to cover electrical cables and it is a tube constructed of solid material that shields the wire from the environment. PVC, metal, and flexible plastic tubing are all examples of conduits.
A licensed electrician may be required to work on your home’s power lines. Also, consider that you’ll need a permit if you intend to install permanent outside lighting, so check with your local authorities before you get started.
Method 6: Use Direct Buried Wires
There is an alternative to wiring a conduit with wire, using a submerged cable.
Even if they aren’t enclosed in a sturdy outer conduit, direct buried cables are approved as watertight. So squirrels can’t get to them when they’re securely buried.
An outdoor ethernet cable is a good option if you don’t want to install the cable in a long conduit and need the internet, phone, or even an external camera set-up connection.
If you need to run a power line, I recommend using a direct bury power cable.
You should seek the guidance of a licensed electrician and adhere to local building requirements when installing a new electrical system.
Method 7: Relocate Using a Live Trap
A live catching squirrel is a another way to regulate squirrel populations and keep them in check. Another thing to keep in mind is that removing squirrels from your property may eventually result in the introduction of new ones moving into the space, necessitating a re-application of the method.
- Find out much you can learn about wildlife removal in your area by consulting the regulations in your place.
- Before attempting to catch squirrels, familiarize yourself with the guidelines.
- A violation of the law might result from releasing wild animals into a property that you don’t own or have the authority to do so. In other words, before you go out and set traps, make sure you have a place where they may be legally let go.
- Look for a decent live trap and set it in an area you that you will always see. This visual indication is important because it isn’t as humane to live trap an animal that lead to their starvation.
Why Do Squirrels Destroy Electrical Wires?
To maintain their teeth at an appropriate length, squirrels and many small mammals like mice and rats must eat various hard-to-chew foods to keep their incisor teeth in good condition, which requires regular chewing. Our man-made wires have a resemblance to things they often chew through, like tree roots and small branches. Some unwelcome victims include telephone lines, landscape lighting fixtures, Christmas lights, and automotive engine wiring.
Takeaway
That was our guide on how to stop squirrels from chewing wires. Although squirrels can’t always be stopped from chewing through wires since each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. Hot pepper deterrent spray is one of the most effective way to keep squirrels away. A short rain shower from a motion-sensor garden spray may knock it out of the gardens, although it’s not always 100% reliable.
If squirrels are gnawing through your phone lines or power lines, you may want to consider placing the cables in an electrical outdoor conduit.
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