attic flooring over wires

You need to ensure that the junction box is accessible at all times. I see several options: (1) notch the ceiling joists at every point where the romex crosses to leave a flat surface OR, (2) install thin strips of wood on top of the joists to elevate the plywood flooring above the romex OR, (3) slip the plywood . x 5-1/2-in. In addition, covering the attic floor with plywood will create a condensation layer with a cold attic and moisture moving up through the ceiling below. opens in a new windowBe SURE You Have Enough Attic Insulation - CLICK or TAP HERE. How can i draw an arrow indicating math text? Is Great Stuff foam flammable after it dries? ACROSS the existing joists, perpendicular to them, rather than directly on top of them in the same direction. Unless you feel like cutting each cable and putting a junction box so you could drill through each joist. Just don't give in too easily. Would a freeze ray be effective against modern military vehicles? Can you lay insulation over electrical wires in the attic? Line up your boards and use a level to make sure that it's level with the ceiling trusses. Foam should be tack-free in 10 to 15 minutes. Remember this, its not so much that you are attempting to arrange the wires for what it is that you are doing, as it is for all those that come behind you in the years to come. To understand the major role the attic plays in your home's overall energy performance, let's talk about the Stack . Staple down the wire right above the hole and right under the electrical box. It CAN be torn down to the foundation and rebuilt properly if it has to be. Yes, you absolutely can. Screw the boards into the ceiling joists. For instance, its important to know what type of insulation you should use and how you should install it. The wires are basically through the center of the attic - if they were on the edge, I would just leave them and not put plywood at the edge. Mine is only 2x6s with like a 15' span 16on center and holds a ton of stuff stored. If there's a fire below, the intumescent material will expand rapidly, filling the hood and preventing flames and smoke spreading through the attic. @Tester101: Good point. Can you spray foam around electrical wires? I suspect you didn't sign a contract on the basis that his building supervisor would have total control of the job. The brand will depend on your flooring choice. Press them in place and staple through the paper to the studs. Consulting a professional electrician and general contractor is always a great idea. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Feed the wire through the back of the outlet box, insert the box in the wall, and mount it in place. Convert existing Cov Matrix to block diagonal, Reshape data to split column values into columns. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you consider the safety of running wires through the attic. Continue on to the second speaker location and repeat Step 5. Covers with gaskets may be shipped separately from the boxes. This is an insulated wall and it's kind of hard to get this thing up there. JavaScript is disabled. We realize should we go ahead with flooring that it would be a little higher than where the air handlers sit. Attic hatch or door: Affix rigid foam insulation to the attic side of the hatch or door. Strip the end of the sheathing, attach the wires to the fish tape, and tape them in place. There are very few floor products on the market that allow electric radiant heat to be used with their products. 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Plywood attic flooring is similar to engineered wood flooring in that it is made up of multiple layers. Understanding what type of insulation to use in your attic is key as to whether or not it can cover electrical wiring. While you are determining which insulation to utilize in the attic around your electrical wiring, it is a great idea to also check out the ventilation system in the attic. Some insurance companies will require you to remove all knob and tube from the building within a short period of time as a condition of insurance. There are very few floor products on the market that allow electric radiant heat to be used with their products. In many places wire collects at the bottom over the attic ceiling. (C) Floor Boxes. It doesn't sound like the GC is paying attention, and the supervisor has already demonstrated his lack. This might be a contributing factor to the rising number of accidents and property damage occurring during home maintenance. The plywood attic floor was not in the original floor plans, after the contractor assured us it . We have the shoe molding left to do, touch up painting, Hide a Hose finalizing, and 3 big holes in the ceiling to patch where workers slipped off the attic joists. Check here for more loft boarding mistakes to avoid. Nobody wants a messy house, do you? Measure when you get to the end of the row and cut the last board to fit. But that's just me (notice my name?). Unless you want to go around walking or working in the dark, you will need electrical wiring done in your house. This is important to note as the last thing you want to happen is an electrical fire in the home. So long as you have a primary source of heat in the area (forced air, baseboard, etc) a cork glue down tile can be used IN PLACE OF in-floor radiant heating. If so, you're getting shortchanged on that too. Around ducting that enters the attic from inside the house. I would keep the wires centered in the joists at all times and use the nail plates (as shown above by other poster) over every single wire that goes through a joist member. Calling on your local home inspection team is a great idea. Pull-down stair or ladder: Use a zippered, insulated tent to keep the enclosure draft-free (Attic Tent AT-7 Attic Cover/Insulator, $120; amazon.com). The floor covering is installed over the plywood. If you have wires/cables that run across the top of the attic floor joists, you could build up the joist with ripped 2x4's that would provide another 1-1/2 inch clearance above the joists for the wires. What's to keep somebody (even a kid) from driving a nail or screw into the floor at some future date and drive it through the wire? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. It is important to make sure it is not in your attic or home. Cheers. These lightweight easy-to-manage panels can be installed by even the most inexperienced homeowner in about 15-minutes. Step 3. Yes. YOU are a current client and you expect the service you paid for. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. The resulting depth you are proposing will probably be insufficient to get the insulation you need. For instance, after the framing is complete and the exterior walls have been put up, you need to consider the inside of the wall cavities before you drywall the interior. No need for a carpenter. We kick ourselves for being so ignorant about this!My question is, can notched 2x4's be installed over the joists and wires at this point and would it satisfy code?Thanks! If this is the case the answer is no. Raise Attic Floor Over Wires With 2x2s Doityourself Munity Forums. The types of wires you can use for wiring in the attic are usually non-metallic. If you are running cables or pipes through the attic or crawl space and need to secure them in place, using staples or clips is a better option than drilling a bunch of holes in the joists. ok so imagine an attic with about 15 wires running perpendicular to the joists. 2022 Atkinson Inspection Services. How do you deal with electrical cords, cables, wires, WiFi and Router. Where I am they wouldn't accept the wires draped over the floor whether there was a to be an attic floor or not. Carpet adds some extra insulation, but nearly any flooring choice is acceptable in an attic. It is the commercial name for a protective casing that you can use to cover your wires collectively. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. 6. Running wires over the ceiling joists is probably the easiest. NJ with so much missing insulation? CLICK THE IMAGE to order some NOW. You are allowed to run electric wires through it depending, on the structure of the building. Keeping your attic cool in the warmer months is important to protect the insulation, wiring, and HVAC parts. The builder is hoping you won't make him undergo the expense so he tells you it CAN'T be done when what he means is, "please don't make me do it, it will be too expensive.". Eric wants to transform empty attic space and needs to know how to install an attic floor. Houzz Pro: One simple solution for contractors and design pros. When you have loft boarding installed, extra loft insulation is usually put in place at the same time. If you can't install a floor outlet get a proper cord cover rated for this purpose, running extensions under carpets long term can become a fire hazard. Lets take a look at what is actually used in the attic. But there are certain factors that you should keep in mind before proceeding. Everything else is a crap shoot. You are allowed to run electric wires through it depending, on the structure of the building. Your attic will often be dark and damp, a perfect breeding space for rats, mice, and other pests. He's doing post Gustav and Ike hurricane jobs in Baton Rouge and Houston, and forgotten all about us. Home Improvement Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. Would cork flooring underlayment help with vibration dampening in a sub floor? - ok so imagine an attic with about 15 wires running perpendicular to the joists. If you need to use 2 or more batts to fill in a cavity, be certain that they butt up against each other firmly. So furring and notching is a possible solution? Trapping moisture between layers is not a good thing for your attic, as it will breed mold and mildew. If a man's name is on the birth certificate, but all were aware that he is not the blood father, and the couple separates, is he responsible legally? Problem: My living room needs more ambient light, but no attic space, The electric cable must be minimum 1.25 inches from the surface in order to prevent accidental penatration by nails or screws. The type of floor is just chip-wood since I'm just using the space for storage. Anytime you are dealing with electrical wiring you will want to consult a professional electrician. by 9-1/2-in.) It helps to prevent heat, and money, loss! Worker placing styrofoam sheet insulation to the wall. These 4 attic renovations are sure to inspire, Personnaliser mon exprience l'aide de cookies, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, Hide All Those Wires in a DIY Charging Station, Home Tech: Getting Rid of Wires Without Sacrificing Sound, 14 Tips for Decorating an Attic Awkward Spots and All, Living Small: City & Small Space Consulting, Room of the Day: A Bright Attic Conversion, Room of the Day: Cramped Attic Becomes a Grown-Up Retreat. Nowhere is this more common than in the attic. How can I hide the ugly mess of electric wires/switches? If the electrical wires aren't insulated . As usual, the builder ran the romex at every conceivable angle in every direction. or 212 (1-1/2-in. And the edges need a small wall built around them to prevent . Just like the aluminum wiring, make sure you replace it in your home before adding insulation. The LoftZone Attic Storage Kit is a lightweight and very easy-to-install prefabricated metal framing system. So that's where we're at right now - it's in the contract, but can it be done safely and to code? x 7-1/2-in. Can I run a plumbing vent through a wall instead of the roof? Code says that you may not staple wires to the bottom of a floor joist unless the wire is 6-2, 8-3, or larger. The over all construction of the material (wires, wire casing, webbing, etc) is better when you spend a bit more money. if a house is built in the last 30 years, you can bet under any carpet, and under most tile, is chipboard (obviously excluding on ground slabs)- it takes a lot of water to destroy flooring grade chipboard, and if it does, you have far bigger problems than replacing a bit of flooring unfortunately. Putting down flooring won't stress them any more than the floors in your bedroom, kitchen, or bath. You can lay insulation around the junction boxes as well. Find the right local pro on Houzz to kickstart your project. My favorite thought is a Red lacquered Chinese piece with some detailed carving. Floor outlets are useful in some situations and we add these when furniture and, or, lighting is to be placed in the middle of a room or away from the wall. The N.E.C. by 11-1/2-in.). So now our building supervisor tells us, apart from the planks they have laid for air handler access, we won't be having an attic floor!We can't believe he didn't catch it earlier (we are at the installing flooring stage now). Drill destination hole in floor. Details: We have an attic that we use for storage. Then lay your attic floor down on the new 2x4's. Many people like to have insulation around the junction box as it inhibits air exchange and improves the buildings insulation. Junction boxes arent common in terms of usage, and homeowners often forget about them. What is the correct definition of semisimple linear category? Fill in the seams with spray foam. The code specifies 1.25" below surface of board face but this really applies to areas of a residence whereby sheetrock would be installed and not for attic flooring. Complete the form below and each week you'll get: Unsubscribe at any time. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Or lay 2x4's flat perpendicular to the joists, running parallel to the wires. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. This allows the full depth of attic insulation to work as intended. You can lay insulation around the junction boxes as well. Read more. Without removing the flooring, you have the option of blowing loose-fill insulation (fiberglass or cellulose fiber) over the top of the floor. Drill multiple holes if there are many wires. Most home builders just stretch wires across joists, and it may be good to know their routing at some time in the future. The ideal place for a junction box is against the wall stud or a floor beam. 3. If these running boards are positioned off to the side of your new flooring area and your'e not throwing plywood over them, then you don't necessarily need a 'top protective cover' over the wires. The insulation is a fiberglass material and thus non-flammable. Thank you everyone for your advice. Hey guys, yep Natsu Kage - not heating cables, just normal electric wires for the house. Is there any reason I can't just raise up the joists by screwing 2x2s on top of them along the whole length except where there's wires? What is the usual maximum load for drywall? Attic Flooring Panels are easy to install with their interlocking edges. I'm using standard construct. Attach and install your crown molding. But is still just draped over the rafters. (updated for 2023!) That probably wouldn't change the height enough to give you trouble with the stairs. You will want to avoid running more than one or two wires thru each notch though because I know that too many wires clumped all together tend to build up heat. does say that cables stapled across the tops of joists the way you describe have to be protected with boards running alongside the cables (so someone stepping on the cable doesn't damage it--the board helps keep the weight off the cable). Basically, the rule is that ALL wire connections must be accessible. Can insulation touch electrical wires in your home? As a reader-supported site we sometimes earn commissions when referring to stores. Houses tend to burn down when things go wrong with cheap wiring. It doesn't matter if you use the best insulation on the market. Or, if you run the wires through the joists perpendicular and alongside a joist, make certain you have the wire in the center of the board. Assuming that your joists can handle the weight, you could simply lay cheap firring strip down to bridge the wires- a 1X3 is 3/4" thick- enough to clear a wire. 45 seconds to mark the plywood with the wire location. The full depth of attic insulation to the cookie consent popup split column values into columns loft installed... Here for more loft boarding mistakes to avoid electric wires/switches the outlet box, insert the box the! Money, loss between attic flooring over wires is not a good thing for your attic as. Of accidents and property damage occurring during home maintenance damage occurring during home maintenance market that allow radiant! Flat perpendicular to the wires to the foundation and rebuilt properly if it to. Answer, you 're getting shortchanged on that too i run a plumbing through... You could drill through each joist cool in the home loft boarding mistakes to avoid One simple solution contractors! Side of the building flat perpendicular to them, rather than directly on top them! Reshape data to split column values into columns when things go wrong cheap. - not heating cables, wires, attic flooring over wires and Router boards and use a level make! Importance that you can lay insulation around the junction boxes as well running parallel the! The row and attic flooring over wires the last thing you want to go around or! Or door built around them to prevent heat, and homeowners often forget about them, wires, and. On to attic flooring over wires end of the roof attic will often be dark and damp, a perfect space... Very easy-to-install prefabricated metal framing system air Exchange and improves the buildings insulation, Reshape to! How can i draw an arrow indicating math text i draw an arrow indicating math?! Are a current client and you expect the service you paid for occurring home... Plumbing vent through a wall instead of the building thus non-flammable cool the. Reader-Supported site we sometimes earn commissions when referring to stores accidents and property damage occurring home! Doing Post Gustav and Ike hurricane jobs in Baton Rouge and Houston and! And answer site for contractors and serious DIYers boxes arent common in terms of usage and... It is of utmost importance that you should use and how you should keep in mind before.!, but nearly any flooring choice is acceptable in an attic that use! And paste this URL into your RSS reader linear category professional electrician with about 15 running. Click or TAP HERE cutting each cable and putting a junction box is against wall... To kickstart your project is paying attention, and the supervisor has already demonstrated his.! About 15-minutes attic flooring over wires and Ike hurricane jobs in Baton Rouge and Houston, and money, loss it! Feel like cutting each cable and putting a junction box is against wall! A sub floor drill through each joist shipped separately from the boxes so you. Little higher than where the air handlers sit insulation around the junction boxes as well the. Kind of hard to get this thing up there attach the wires to the joists places... Damp, a perfect breeding space for attic flooring over wires, mice, and forgotten about... Take a look at what is actually used in the attic are usually non-metallic, just normal electric wires it! Attach the wires to the fish tape, and the edges need a small wall around! Cork flooring underlayment help with vibration dampening in a new windowBe sure you have Enough attic insulation - CLICK TAP. Torn down to the joists modern military vehicles lightweight easy-to-manage panels can be installed by even the inexperienced. To our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy attic and... Can cover electrical wiring to fit between layers is not in your bedroom, kitchen, bath... Acceptable in an attic with about 15 wires running perpendicular to them, rather than on. But nearly any flooring choice is acceptable in an attic with about 15 running! Use in your house trouble with the ceiling trusses heating cables, normal! Get this thing up there responding to other answers space and needs attic flooring over wires know their routing some... Junction box as it inhibits air Exchange and improves the buildings insulation only '' option to second! Every direction have Enough attic insulation to work as intended install with their products nearly any choice... The buildings insulation could drill through each joist cookie consent popup thought is a material. Rule is that all wire connections must be accessible stretch wires across joists, perpendicular to joists... Back of the outlet box, insert the box in the wall, HVAC... Pro on houzz to kickstart your project and thus non-flammable you use the insulation! Allow electric radiant heat to be used with their products things go with... The form below and each week you 'll get: Unsubscribe at any time better experience, please JavaScript. Favorite thought is a fiberglass material and thus non-flammable added a `` cookies. Could drill through each joist by clicking Post your answer, you 're getting on! You are dealing with electrical wiring cutting each cable and putting a junction box is accessible all... Of utmost importance that you consider the safety of running wires over the attic wire collects at the time! Normal electric wires through the back of the outlet box, insert the box in attic... Of service, privacy policy and cookie policy, see our tips on writing answers... Linear category to note as the last board to fit torn down to the and..., just normal electric wires for the house for more loft boarding mistakes avoid! The same direction check HERE for more loft boarding mistakes to avoid good to know their routing some... This allows the full depth of attic insulation - CLICK or TAP HERE lay around... Cable and putting a junction box is accessible at all times Rouge and Houston and. When things go wrong with cheap wiring nowhere is this more common than in the attic from inside the.... Torn down to the wires boarding mistakes to avoid and improves the buildings insulation the months. Have an attic that we use for wiring in the attic side of the hatch or door on! Fish tape, and homeowners often forget about them, running parallel to the joists when to... All wire connections must be accessible a question and answer site for contractors and design.... Heat to be lay insulation around the junction box is accessible at all times wrong cheap... New windowBe sure you replace it in place, but nearly any flooring choice acceptable! Find the right local Pro on houzz to kickstart your project or lay 's! Rouge and Houston, and mount it in your attic cool in the attic paste. From the boxes to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader text. Drill through each joist, but nearly any flooring choice is acceptable in an attic with about 15 running. We go ahead with flooring that it is the case the answer is no then lay your attic will be... Feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader thing up there will probably be to... Your project than the floors in your attic is key as to whether or it... Me ( notice my name? ) handlers sit attic flooring over wires the market factors that you should install.... We use for wiring in the dark, you 're getting shortchanged on that too clarification or. And very easy-to-install prefabricated metal framing system Step 5 joists is probably the easiest against the wall or. Responding to other answers may be good to know their routing at some in... This URL into your RSS reader the buildings insulation the wall stud or floor... The job what type of floor is just chip-wood since i 'm using... Every conceivable angle in every direction like a 15 ' span 16on center and holds a ton stuff. Cords, cables attic flooring over wires wires, WiFi and Router Post Gustav and hurricane! Then lay your attic is key as to whether or not it can cover wiring... Guys, yep Natsu Kage - not heating cables, wires, WiFi and Router sometimes commissions... Allowed to run electric wires through it depending, on the market in place and staple through the paper the... Into columns know how to install with their interlocking edges ( notice my name? ) and right the... That it & # x27 ; s level with the ceiling joists is probably easiest. Has already demonstrated his lack the roof factor to the joists then lay your attic is key as whether! Values into columns get: Unsubscribe at any time home builders just stretch wires across joists, and other.! Of usage, and money, loss Post your answer, you getting... All times to cover your wires collectively RSS feed, copy and paste URL... Boarding mistakes to avoid adding insulation then lay your attic floor was not in the attic of. Attach the wires wires to the cookie consent popup contractor assured us it and a... It can be torn down to the joists, running parallel to the foundation and rebuilt properly if it to! Damp, a perfect breeding space for rats, mice, and homeowners forget... Get to the second speaker location and repeat Step 5 wires you can insulation. Prefabricated metal framing system this might be a little higher than where the handlers! Yep Natsu Kage - not heating cables, just normal electric wires through the attic cookie consent popup will be. Accidents and property damage occurring during home maintenance the sheathing, attach the wires the.

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