As pressure for a fully reliable grid grows, the need to deter climbing animals including squirrels, opossums, racons, etc., from climbing up power poles and interfering with the system is more important than ever. Plus, birds like woodpeckers also pose a risk to the stability of a power pole. Using a pole wrap to keep animals away from the power pole is a simple and cost effective solution for most distribution poles.
Why Use Pole Wrap?
Pole wrap stops squirrels and other climbing animals from being able to climb up a pole as if it were a tree. Made from a very thick and durable plastic, pole wrap disrupts the natural texture of a power pole. Power Line Sentry pole wrap is glossy and slick - squirrels and animals with similar climbing habits, including opossums, raccoons, mice, rats, etc., cannot grip it. Woodpeckers also cannot get a grip on a pole wrapped in Power Line Sentry pole wrap for the same reason. And while the interior of the pole wrap has an orange-peel like texture to prevent accelerated pole rot, the exterior is so smooth and sleek it is proven to deter climbing animals from scaling power poles and interfering with energized components.
Preventing squirrel and woodpecker pole problems
Installing pole wrap onto a distribution power pole is simple and fast but the beneficial effects are long lasting. In addition to deterring squirrels from scaling power poles, accessing energized components, and causing potential power outages, pole wrap is a great solution to woodpecker problems.
Woodpeckers often like to attach to and peck at wooden distribution poles; however this can cause serious damage. In fact these birds can render a power pole completely structurally unsafe. Using Power Line Sentry pole wrap prevents woodpecker attacks - it prevents them from being able to grip the pole and prevents them from being able to peck at it.
Squirrel Caused Power Outages
Squirrels are credited for interfering with power reliability more than most animals.
A few of the largest utilties in the US have reported some staggering numbers.
Entergy, for example, has "reported 15,000 of the 22,000 animal-related power outages in its Mississippi service area. The company said squirrels are its “undisputed” top animal offender, easily outpacing outages caused by raccoons (over 600 outages) and birds (1,200 outages)."
While Unitil, a "utility company serving over 107,000 in the northeast U.S., says squirrels cause an average of 8.5% of its outages each year. Unitil says since the animals use power lines for travel, it’s easy for them to inadvertently cause electrical trouble."
“When a squirrel climbs onto an electrical transformer, it may cross the bare wire that leads from the high-voltage line to the transformer,” Unitil said in a blog. “If it were to simultaneously touch this wire and a part of the transformer with sufficient electrical ground, an electrical short can cause both a power outage and the electrocution of the animal.”
Squirrel and Woodpecker Deterring Pole Wrap
provides up to 30 kv insulation per layer
widest coverage in the industry
quick and easy to install
precut sheets or in 100' rolls
lineman can climb with no issue
We Are Here to Help
Our products are known as best-in-class for many reasons, from our thorough design process to our high quality materials to our continuous research, and our team of experts loves nothing more than making electrical systems as reliable as possible - so please do not hesitate to reach out. We are happy to help.
