On 12/21/2004 7:39 AM US(ET), Scot took fingers to keys, and typed the
following:

I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to have
the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in this
rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of "permanent"
ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

Except for a 9'x16' corner room in my basement which has a sheetrocked
ceiling and a 5' x 3' closet in the outside corner where the electric,
cable tv, telephone, and well water come into the house, all the rest of
my basement has a dropped ceiling.
I am sorry that I used the sheetrock in that one room, because every
time I want to add an electrical circuit, tv cable, telephone line, add
another water line, or have to run anything across the ceiling to
another part of the house, I have to snake whatever it is through a
small gap behind the wall framing near the top of the concrete wall for
about 5' before I can gain access to the dropped ceiling to continue.
I have been here about 20 years, and routed all sorts of new electric
circuits (120 and 240), cables (TV, telephone, and Cat5), and a water
tube (direct water from well, bypassing water softener) across the
ceiling in that time. Except for that one 5' section, they have all been
a breeze with the dropped ceiling.
My next plan is to route another copper water line, bypassing the
softener, for the outside sillcocks, which are currently connected in
the entire water system. The only thing holding me up is that 5' section
of wall framing.