Just read a report on cable damage from rodents in older homes

I was looking at a city maintenance report for the older neighborhoods in Portland, and it said rodent damage to in-wall coax and ethernet is the cause of over 30% of service calls in houses built before 1980. I had no idea the number was that high. I always check for chewed lines in attics and crawlspaces, but now I'm going to be way more thorough from the start on those jobs. It explains why some signal issues just keep coming back if you don't find the main nest. Has anyone else started carrying specific deterrents or sealants they recommend for this?

2 comments

2 Comments

john_dixon6113d ago

Makes sense, it's the same reason old car wiring gets eaten up. They just love that older insulation.

michaelnguyen12d ago

Yeah, the old car wiring thing is a perfect example. It's not just the taste, it's that the older plasticizers and soy-based coatings are basically an invitation to chew. Once they start in one spot in a wall, they'll often follow the whole cable run like a highway, so you can have damage spread out over twenty feet that causes a dozen tiny signal leaks.