Cabling from loft to lounge

[simondyntDBeK]

Not sure if this is a building or electrics question but hope someone can help!

I need to run a network cable from the loft into the lounge. I live in a 12 year old detached house and I believe there is gap between the bricks that make up the wall - could i run the cable down there?

I'd rather not run down the outside of the house as there is public access there.

Hope someone can help.

Simon

 

[RF Lighting]

As the house is only 12 years old you will probably find the gap is infact filled with cavity wall insulation.

Also this is not allowed for mains cabling, so therefor I would be inclined not to do it for ELV signal / data cabling either.

If you run the cable in PVC conduit then it will be much harder for joe public to damage. (And virtually impossible if you use steel, but this is a bit more specialist to install)

 

[nozspark]

Wireless router springs to mind!!

 

[Steve]

Wireless router springs to mind!!

Not if you're serious about connecting fixed equipment together

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Yeah - the signal to the Media Centre in the loft is crap. Plus I'm going to run more cat5 to get Sky HD in the bedroom.

 

[nozspark]

Yeah - the signal to the Media Centre in the loft is rubbish. Plus I'm going to run more cat5 to get Sky HD in the bedroom.

Ah well, then the only proper ways are to chase out, or to make a boxed in duct in the corner of the room..

Have I seen some decorative corner trunking somewhere??

 

[Lectrician]

Go on - drop it down the cavity! I have for my sky+ for the bedroom, and for my network.

Go into the loft and try to drop a string down the cavity (fishing weights are great). If the string drops down the full length, you are laughing. If there is insulation, it is most likely to be pinned to the inner skin unless it was pumped in at a later date. Make sure there isn't a window in the way - stay 6" atleast from a window or door.

Ant the position you want the cable out, drill a hole, 16-20mm in the inner skin. Use a coat hanger to fish for the string. Another way is to push an old doubled over metal tape meausre or some nylon packing ties into the hole so they open up in the cavity to form a 'loop' for the string to be dropped into.

Ties the cable to the string with a 'double clove hitch' and a little tape. Try to pull down, not up.

I know this is not strictly a good practice, but for these type of cable I see little problem TBH.

WIRELESS is fairly ****e. Always go wired if you can - a layman may be happy with a wireless link, but a pro isn't. I have all my machines wired except for the laptop - and even then, I have the wireless accesspoint nice and close the where I use the laptop the most......the garden.

 

[Demonic]

I was always under the impression that running things in the cavity of cavity walls was a strict no-no. Something to do with possible damp intrusion and rotting of brick ties etc.

If your house is only twelve years old does it not have internal soil stack(s), boxed in of course? Mine does and I employ the same trick as Lectrician. Drop a fishing weight on some string or fishing line and pull the cables down. One thing to watch out for is running your TV and network cables together. I have done this and it "seems" to be affecting the TV picture on that one cable. All others are OK. Maybe it's just cheap coax. I'll get round to replacing it one day

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Thanks for the advice Lectrician - I'm going to have a try this weekend!

Watch this space!

Simon

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Oh, it turns out I don't have a cavity!?

I went into the loft - right up to the big grey breeze blocks and cut a hole through the plasterboard about an inch from the breeze blocks and ended up in the bedroom cupboard!!!

I assume that I can't get access to the cavity then?

Simon

 

[2scoops0406]

Oh, it turns out I don't have a cavity!?

I went into the loft - right up to the big grey breeze blocks and cut a hole through the plasterboard about an inch from the breeze blocks and ended up in the bedroom cupboard!!!

I assume that I can't get access to the cavity then?

Simon

Not if you haven't got one, no

 

[Lectrician]

Eh?

Dont make a hole in the loft!

You will usually have an open top cavity on all outside walls 'that have gutter'. The apex walls would require you make a hole in the loft through the inner skin.

Try again - through the wait down towards the facia board, and drop it down the cavity - you may hear it hit the facia board, just pull it gently towards you until it drops.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Ah! So try the back and front walls rather than side 'A' walls! Problem is I need it on the 'A' wall.

Not sure I've got the skills to 'make a hole in the loft through the inner skin' (as clearly demonstrated above)!

 

[Lectrician]

Look at my pic above.

I will say, you are not meant to do this with mains cables.

You can drill a hole into the inner skin in the loft, and then in the lounge - but measure, measure, measure first.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

OK - going to give it a try now - we learn from our mistakes (just lucky the hole was in the cupboard!)

Thanks!