Exposed Wires in the Roof – The Weirdest Fault I’ve Seen Yet
As sparkies, we come across some pretty strange faults — but this one was next level.
I got called out to a home in Adelaide’s northern suburbs after the customer said their power kept tripping randomly. At first glance, it seemed like a standard fault, but what I found up in the roof left me shocked.
⚡ The Insulation Was Completely Gone
There were three bare copper cables running right through the roof space — completely stripped of their insulation. No tape, no damage from install — just bare copper lines sitting there like it was nothing.
Turns out, it wasn’t a wiring issue… it was rats.
🐭 Rats Had Chewed Through the Cables
Rats had gnawed through the insulation on all three conductors, likely trying to sharpen their teeth or searching for food. The cables were exposed and ready to arc, and it’s honestly a miracle the house didn’t catch fire.
This kind of damage:
Can cause random tripping
Is extremely dangerous for fires or shocks
Can go completely unnoticed for years
And you wouldn’t know unless you were up there having a proper look.
🔧 What We Did
We:
Removed the damaged section of cable
Ran a brand new feed safely through the roof
Did a full test on the property to check other circuits
Verified everything else was up to standard
The customer was relieved — and honestly, so was I. I’ve never seen rat damage that extreme, and I wish I took a photo to show how serious it was.
🏡 Why It Matters
If you’re experiencing:
Power tripping for no reason
Strange burning smells
Buzzing outlets or lights dimming randomly
…it might be time to get someone to check the wiring — especially in older homes or roof spaces that haven’t been looked at in a while.
📍 We check and repair wiring across:
Craigmore, Blakeview, Hillbank
Gawler, Evanston, Roseworthy
Elizabeth, Davoren Park, Munno Para
Salisbury, Golden Grove, Kapunda, and nearby rural areas
📲 Don’t take chances with unknown faults.
We’ll find it, fix it, and make sure your home is safe.
👉 Book Online Now
📞 Call Ben at Feltus Electrical: 0490 383 605