How the Risk of Fire Increases if You Have Mice in Your Home

Having mice in your home is more than an annoyance. Yes, they will leave droppings in your cabinets, get into your dry foods, and chew on paper and clothing. However, they can do much worse. In fact, if left alone, they can even cause your house to catch on fire. This makes mice one of the most dangerous pests to be in your home.

How Do Mice Increase the Risk of Fire?

Mice like to chew on things. If you have mice in the house, you’ll likely find chewed up paper in drawers or cabinets that they can get in to. They don’t eat this paper—instead, they take it back to their nests.

However, mice can also chew on wires and insulation. This is where the danger comes in. When they chew on the insulating sleeve on a wire, it leaves that wire exposed. If that wire becomes exposed to a spark or simply gets too hot, it can ignite anything near it. When building houses, electricians are very careful to ensure that very little flammable material is near the wiring, but if a mouse built a nest near the wiring using the paper it took, it can quickly lead to a fire.

The Dangers of a Fire Caused by a Mouse

All fires in your home are dangerous, but fires caused by a mouse can be more dangerous than others. This is because they often start inside the wall. You won’t know that there is a fire right away, and even if you hear or smell it, you can’t get to the flames to put them out. Once the fire starts within the walls, it can ignite the wooden framing and support beams. If professional firefighters don’t get to your home quickly, it’s possible the entire house could be destroyed. Even if it’s not, you’re likely going to have to do some major repairs.

Don’t Put Your Family at Risk

Experts believe as much as a fourth of all buildings that catch fire do so because of mice and other rodents. Don’t put your family and your home at risk. If you believe you have mice in the house, call Mice Mob Exterminators today.