rewiring a house
#1
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rewiring a house
My house is over a hundred years old which means the wiring is all mixed up. Since I have access to the attic, I was considering running four separate electrical lines from the panel, up along side the chimney into the attic, and one to each room. I figure the hardest part will be snaking the lines down the walls to the outlets. Does this sound feasible?
#2
Yes, but not easy. I have done many times and it typical takes two of us several 8 hr days to do it.
Easiest way to fish the walls is to drill a 7/8" hole in the top plate and drop some #12 Jack chain down. Then the other guy cuts a hole for the device box, grabs the chain and ties the cable to the chain and the top guy pulls it up.
When you say chimney I hope you do not mean heat. NM cable and heat do not make nice. I suggest dropping the same jack chain down along side the main plumbing stack. A lot of times you can go from attic to basement with out too much trouble.
Easiest way to fish the walls is to drill a 7/8" hole in the top plate and drop some #12 Jack chain down. Then the other guy cuts a hole for the device box, grabs the chain and ties the cable to the chain and the top guy pulls it up.
When you say chimney I hope you do not mean heat. NM cable and heat do not make nice. I suggest dropping the same jack chain down along side the main plumbing stack. A lot of times you can go from attic to basement with out too much trouble.
#4
After you fish the cable you can stuff fiberglass insulation in the hole to prevent the chimney effect should a fire start.
#5
I was considering running four separate electrical lines from the panel, up along side the chimney into the attic, and one to each room.
#6
Easiest way to fish the walls is to drill a 7/8" hole in the top plate and drop some #12 Jack chain down. Then the other guy cuts a hole for the device box, grabs the chain and ties the cable to the chain and the top guy pulls it up.
The trick part, and this may be what Tolyn is referring to, is to get the next run up the wall to go to the next box. I've found two solutions for this. One is to send a pull string down with the first cable. The other is to mount a 1900 box in the attic near the drop hole and use that to make a 3-way splice, so that only one cable has to go down. I prefer the first solution because it keeps all of the splices accessible from the living space.
After you fish the cable you can stuff fiberglass insulation in the hole to prevent the chimney effect should a fire start.
#7
Given the size of the holes around the plumbing stack in old homes the OP might go broke buying fire caulk or foam.
#8
Given the size of the holes around the plumbing stack in old homes the OP might go broke buying fire caulk or foam.
I've never even considered fire-stopping a plumbing chase with a spray-can product.