Mike wrote:
Hi, I'm removing paneling and one inch foam isolation from all interior
walls on the first floor of my rowhouse.
Since the walls will be striped to the studs I'll have a good opprotunity to
install wiring. Some years ago the original hot water radiors were
removed and electrical baseboard heat installed, also it appears the wiring
was upgraded to three prong outlets. So far, I'm
thinking I want to install speaker wiring for a home theater setup, cat6 for
computer networking and VOIP.
What Else do you recommend I install? A buddy told to install wiring for a
media center box in the basement
but I don't know what he's talking about.

Thanks,

Mike

Conduit costs about 3 times more than NMB Cable. I am writing to you
from my home that is foamed and wired by me in NMB cable. Here in
Alaska where we have many foamed homes and businesses NMB is commonly
used. There is the problem of running through holes and along furring
strips where the 1 1/4 inch spacing cannot be accomplished. See below.
Also, all the foaming companies here know to not foam over NMB cable.
It isn't in the Code yet, but it should be.

REF:
2005 NEC 330.5
(D) Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members
and Furring Strips. In both exposed and concealed
locations, where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is
installed parallel to framing members, such as joists,
rafters, or studs, or is installed parallel to furring strips, the
cable or raceway shall be installed and supported so that the
nearest outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less
than 32 mm (11/4 in.) from the nearest edge of the framing
member or furring strips where nails or screws are likely to
penetrate. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the
cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by
nails or screws by a steel plate, sleeve, or equivalent at least
1.6 mm (1/16 in.) thick.
Exception No. 1: Steel plates, sleeves, or the equivalent
shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate
metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, or electrical
metallic tubing.
Exception No. 2: For concealed work in finished buildings,
or finished panels for prefabricated buildings where
such supporting is impracticable, it shall be permissible to
fish the cables between access points.
Exception No. 3: A listed and marked steel plate less than
1.6 mm (1/16 in.) thick that provides equal or better protection
against nail or screw penetration shall be permitted.