is it ok to snake wires in along side plumbing pipes? one of the pipes is for hot water..not for baseboard heat, but for shower. do i need to derate for higher ambient temp?

It may only be me, but I wouldn't put a cable anywhere near a water pipe, Hot or Cold.

good to know. i will probably cut a channel in the plaster then. thanks

Clydesdale. There is nothing wrong with running your conduit beside a water pipe. In fact on many commerical and industrial jobs you share pipe racks with the plumbers to conserve room. As far as a hot water pipe affecting the ambient temp of your conductors also not a problem. If this was a steam pipe i would still share the rack I would just add more space between them.

highkvoltage, the wires will not be in conduit. they will be romex and would follow the pipes from the basement to the second floor because there is a space there next to the pipes(and will probably be touching them along the way quite a bit as i have no way of keeping the wires away from the pipes since the plaster is finished). the reason i wanted to do it this way is because i wanted to avoid cutting a channel from the first floor all the way up in to the attic so i can get new home runs up there for the second floor. the wiring is currently knob and tube and needs replacing. still think it's ok? is there another type of wire that can/should be used here?(UF?)

[This message has been edited by Clydesdale (edited 02-23-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Clydesdale (edited 02-23-2005).]

Ok, so what you have is a pipe chase from the basement to the second floor and you want to fish some NM up through it.

I've done it but I don't like it. Don't like the idea of pvc jacketed cable in contact with a hot water pipe. UF wouldn't be any different would it.

If you can't insure that they will not contact the hot water pipe I would be more comfortable with AC or MC and it's metallic armor. I really don't think it's worth cutting up the plaster for this though.

-Hal

I don't see a problem with this. I have done this countless times and it is standard procedure around here as there are many two/three story houses. I don't see a hot water pipe causing any dammage. For what it's worth in renovations I have removed wiring that has been installed like this for many years with no signs of problems.

I don't see a problem with this either. The insulation is 90 degree? That's 190+ F (hot water is less), the term "leaky old house" probably applies, and a hole from the basement to the attic will have "chimney effect" air-flow.

Dave

OK. Run the romex next to it. Either way not a code violation nor will it hurt the wire. Water pipes just don't get that hot.

Do yourself (or the next guy) a favor and leave a pull string. I ususally use some thhn. Oh wait. I don't think that it's listed to be used as a pull string. Doh!

scott, it's in my house, so i will definately be doing myself a favor by putting in a pull string

dave,...thanks, looks like i'll be fishing them through there this weekend!

also...i need to run some data/comm wires to the attic, too...is there anything suited for this application? man this house is old..it was built in 1916, so the electrical system and phone wireing is pretty bad...next will be the service upgrade.

If this is your house, time is no object! Run some 3/4" conduits from basement to attic. Use one for line voltage and the other for VDV.

Dave

IIRC, they make teflon insulated data/comm wire . Intended for running above suspended ceilings in offices. I've also seen teflon insulated RG59 coax for CATV. Expensive though.

... teflon insulated data/comm wire . Intended for running above suspended ceilings in offices.

If it is teflon there would be no need to use it in offices above suspended ceilings. That's what plenum rated cable is for assuming it is an environmental air space.

Clydesdale, I've run probably more communications cables next to hot pipes then NM. I don't like that either but it's usually the only way to go. It won't matter whether you use plenum or PVC.

I just had a thought since this is your house. Any chance you could pull a couple of runs of greenfield up through there?

-Hal

I have done many of old work jobs in which i ran along water pipes etc. If poss. i would try a couple of other well known spots that i have found to be great; Along the plumbing vent stack, chimmney, etc. in a older home im sure their is a large drain pipe somewhere near the attic. Greenlee push rods work great for this task or a long piece of jack chain (this is by far the best method). Well either way best of luck it, take your blood presure meds befor you start lol.

We just put the wires in the pipes here in Chicagoland.

Tom

the conduit method sounds really good, but i suspect having some problems getting the pipe in there since i can barely see down the chase, and can't see up at all because it's an exterior wall. whatever i do, it looks like it's going to work out. judging from your responses I have plenty of options. i was going to follow the chimney, but there is framing tight all around it in the attic, and that leads me to believe the same would be true at several points along the way so that's out. i didn't think of the vent pipe though..so i'll explore that option further..the greenfield would probably be the easiest conduit scince it would bend around objects in the chase...thanks for the help, everyone...this forum rules.

[This message has been edited by Clydesdale (edited 02-24-2005).]

Good luck, in my last house i had to run coax, phone, cat-5 and a short length of nm from the basement up to the first floor and attic, nm went up along the vent pipe, and i managed to get everything else up from the basement to the attic by following the outside of the laundry chute, and then drilling the last top plate and bringing it up, it sure saved alot of time and work

Rob

A hot water pipe will not be hotter than 130F. Attics easily exceed that in the summer in the desert. So unless its unsafe in 90% of desert attics, I dont think you got a problem.

nice..i will be doing the work this weekend. thanks everybody.