Squirrel Damage In Loft Complete Rewire?

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Slipslate, Oct 1, 2016.

  1. Slipslate

    Slipslate New Member

    In my parents bungalow a squirrel has chewed most of the cables in the loft down to the metal cores. To be honest it was lucky the electricity was off when i went up there to look at the roof battens.

    How do i fix this??

    The bungalow was fully and professionally rewired in the early 1990s and has recently been fully redecorated...

    All the circuits go up to the loft and drop down:- Storage heaters 5X, Ring Main, Lights and Cooker, and most are damaged. All the cables go down behind the plaster with (i suspect) channel trunking.

    Will i need to have it fully rewired? will the plaster have to be chased out?

    Thank you for any help you can give me.
     
  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Rewire I reckon:(, not repairable in my opinion.

    No need to chase, as old cables should be in conduit hopefully.
     
  3. If it was rewired properly they would have put in conduit for all the socket and switch drops.
    If it is getting rewired like for like the cables should be able to be pulled down the conduit with minimal damage.
     
  4. Peterdevon

    Peterdevon Screwfix Select

    I think you need to stop the access for the squirrels first
     
  5. seneca

    seneca Screwfix Select

    If you can get to undamaged parts of the cables there's nothing wrong with joining in new sections of cable providing it's done properly.
    As for "If it was rewired properly they would have put in conduit", what twaddle!
     
    leesparkykent likes this.
  6. Anyone who does not use conduit is not taking enough pride in the job.
    It is the I was taught many years ago when I served my time and to me it is the only way to do the job.
    I would never dream of not using it.
     
  7. Rulland

    Rulland Screwfix Select

    Huh!, I'm with Sen, or are some confusing conduit with capping?.
    To chase out enough for conduit is just not viable against other quotes that will invariably use capping if not nothing at all, no regs against it particularly, just a plasterers trowel!.
     
    BigEverz and seneca like this.
  8. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Taught the same way 30 years ago plus.
     
  9. stateit

    stateit Screwfix Select

    Replace the damaged runs of cable with fresh using suitable joint boxes. No need to rewire it all. If channel trunking has been used there will be breakout of the plaster, and there's no need to cause unnecessary redecoration.
    And mesh up all the rodents' access areas - presumably the soffit area. Use chicken wire.

    A 'gold plated' install may well use conduit bushed into the accessory back boxes, but if I was doing that it would pretty much double my price on an install.
     
    FatHands, seneca and Rulland like this.
  10. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Put a notice up in the loft "Squirrels Prohibited"
     
    Risteard likes this.
  11. BigEverz

    BigEverz New Member

    i found the same in a shop in Manchester turns out the fire alarm went into fault every time they was on the cable creating a short
     

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  12. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Rats or squirrel!:eek:
     
  13. JP.

    JP. Screwfix Select

  14. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  15. JP.

    JP. Screwfix Select

    Oh right that's the one which was chomping the cables Mr K..:)
     

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