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#1
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor
joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? |
#2
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On 4/9/2013 8:30 PM, TomR wrote:
I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Usually you will already have a 2x4 running perpendicular to stiffen the joists, which you can use as a running board, or if you need to, install your own. |
#3
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On 4/9/2013 8:30 PM, TomR wrote:
I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Also, the Nec defines an attic as being "accessible", if it has permanent stairs or ladders to access it. If you just have a scuttle hole, it's not considered accessible, and you can staple the cables perpendicular on top of the joists except for within six feet of the scuttle hole |
#4
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
wrote in message ... On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Right idea but you staple the wire to the side of the running board. Then you are not walking/crawling on it and if you do put some decking up there, it is not sitting on the wire. OR if the destination of the wire allows it, run them on the underside of the rafters so you won't tread on the cables if and when you have work to do up there. |
#5
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote:
I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? I've seen lots of houses here in AZ where they just lay the wire on top of the joists, no nailing board. Just a few staples here and there to hold the wire down. |
#6
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On Apr 9, 9:42*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. *The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? *That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? I've seen lots of houses here in AZ where they just lay the wire on top of the joists, no nailing board. *Just a few staples here and there to hold the wire down. well if you EVER want to store stuff up there, your far better off to run the wires thru the joists... when this home was built in 1950 they ran the wires on top of the joists and when 3 years ater i decided to add a floor it was a big hassle |
#7
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On 4/9/2013 9:33 PM, EXT wrote:
wrote in message ... On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Right idea but you staple the wire to the side of the running board. Then you are not walking/crawling on it and if you do put some decking up there, it is not sitting on the wire. OR if the destination of the wire allows it, run them on the underside of the rafters so you won't tread on the cables if and when you have work to do up there. The Nec still requires running boards if you are within 7 feet of the floor joists |
#8
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On 4/9/2013 9:49 PM, bob haller wrote:
On Apr 9, 9:42 pm, Ashton Crusher wrote: On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? I've seen lots of houses here in AZ where they just lay the wire on top of the joists, no nailing board. Just a few staples here and there to hold the wire down. well if you EVER want to store stuff up there, your far better off to run the wires thru the joists... when this home was built in 1950 they ran the wires on top of the joists and when 3 years ater i decided to add a floor it was a big hassle I'm sure they did it to **** you off |
#9
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:53:09 -0400, RBM wrote:
On 4/9/2013 9:49 PM, bob haller wrote: when this home was built in 1950 they ran the wires on top of the joists and when 3 years ater i decided to add a floor it was a big hassle I'm sure they did it to **** you off The seller should have disclosed this fact to Bob. ducking |
#10
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
On 4/9/2013 10:35 PM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:53:09 -0400, RBM wrote: On 4/9/2013 9:49 PM, bob haller wrote: when this home was built in 1950 they ran the wires on top of the joists and when 3 years ater i decided to add a floor it was a big hassle I'm sure they did it to **** you off The seller should have disclosed this fact to Bob. ducking Hard to believe it could have passed the home buyer inspection, and how in the hell did he ever get home owner insurance with improperly run wiring. What's this world coming to |
#11
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
"RBM" wrote in message
... On 4/9/2013 8:30 PM, TomR wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Also, the Nec defines an attic as being "accessible", if it has permanent stairs or ladders to access it. If you just have a scuttle hole, it's not considered accessible, and you can staple the cables perpendicular on top of the joists except for within six feet of the scuttle hole. Okay, thanks. That's good to know. The access to this attic space has a strange type of access. There's a small door in the back of a closet on the second floor, and behind that door is the top of a stairway that runs up from the first floor to the second floor. The were a couple of boards nailed across the sloped stairway "ceiling"(?) joists to form a makeshift ladder effect, and I can climb up those makeshift crossboards into the attic. I nailed better boards across the stairway ceiling joists to make it easier to climb up and into the attic. I guess that means it does have an existing makeshift ladder up into the attic, and I guess that may make it "accessible" for NEC purposes. I think I'll just use running boards anyway, and I'll also stay away from the area within 6 feet of the access hole. That should cover me -- meaning whether the attic is "accessible" or not. |
#12
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
"EXT" wrote in message
b.com... wrote in message ... On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Right idea but you staple the wire to the side of the running board. Then you are not walking/crawling on it and if you do put some decking up there, it is not sitting on the wire. OR if the destination of the wire allows it, run them on the underside of the rafters so you won't tread on the cables if and when you have work to do up there. That's a possible option, and I'll keep that in mind depending on where the circuits are running. |
#13
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
"RBM" wrote in message
... On 4/9/2013 9:33 PM, EXT wrote: wrote in message ... On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Right idea but you staple the wire to the side of the running board. Then you are not walking/crawling on it and if you do put some decking up there, it is not sitting on the wire. OR if the destination of the wire allows it, run them on the underside of the rafters so you won't tread on the cables if and when you have work to do up there. The Nec still requires running boards if you are within 7 feet of the floor joists. That's good to know too. No part of the attic space is more than 7 feet high, so I'll use running boards even if I run the wires across the rafters above. |
#14
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
"bob haller" wrote in message
... On Apr 9, 9:42 pm, Ashton Crusher wrote: On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 20:30:04 -0400, "TomR" wrote: I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling well if you EVER want to store stuff up there, your far better off to run the wires thru the joists... I'm sure that I will never want to make this into a storage area of any kind. And, given the other options that are available (such as using running boards), I am not going to do any drilling or running of wires through the joists. |
#15
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
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#16
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
TomR wrote:
I need to add a couple of electrical circuits that will run across the floor joists of an attic. The attic is accessible, but it has a low ceiling height, so the attic is not (and never will be) a usable living space. There is no floor in the attic space -- just the open joists which are the ceiling joists for the rooms below. Since the new circuits will be running across (perpendicular to) the open joists, is it okay to just run a nailing board across the top of the joists and staple the new wiring on top of the nailing board? That would be a lot easier to do than drilling through the joists and running the wires through the drilled holes. Is the nailing board approach okay according to the NEC requirements? Thanks everyone for all of the replies and suggestions. I just decided last night that I am going to be doing this, and I am going to be starting the work this morning. It was great to be able to post the question last night and then wake up this morning and all of the answers that I needed are right there waiting for me to read. This is an excellent Usenet group! |
#17
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Wiring code -- across attic floor joists
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