When a home is re-wired should all cables in the walls be housed in conduit or just left loose?

Answer 1

Housed, unless u like fried Chicken

Answer 2

For private residences the wire should be Romex wire, stapled to the sides of the studs and covered by the wall board. Conduit is not required for any wires in the wall, under the floor or above the ceiling. Conduit should be used for any wire exposed where people could have access.

Answer 3

It depends where you're going to leave them loose. The purpose of conduit is to protect the cable from mechanical damage, so if there's no chance of this (if they're in a ceiling void, say) then you can leave them loose.

Don't forget that if they're buried in a wall, it's possible to drill through them by accident, so that comes into the "use conduit" category.

If they're fixed to the surface of a wall, then it's considered good practice to use conduit, though it's not compulsory. The rational is that they could get knocked or scraped by something.

Answer 4

Supposed to be housed in conduit to prevent wires becoming damaged and therefore dangerous. They are supposed to run the correct way too. For instance, if you have a wall light the wire should run from the top of that in an upward direction. Leave it if you don't know what you are doing.

Answer 5

It depends where you live!

Here in the UK there is no legal requirement to cover the cable with anything as long as it is run in the permitted zones.

You can see the permitted zones at the bottom of this page-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/routing_a_cable.htm

If the cable is not in a permitted zone then it must be protected by earthed metal conduit, trunking or ducting.

Do not confuse this with galvanised steel capping. Steel ot plastic capping is only used to protect the wires whilst plastering.

Other countries have other rules!

Answer 6

In the United States, in most areas: Non-metallic cable, commonly called Romex, and any metal clad cable can be installed inside walls without being placed inside conduit or pipe. However, the town you live in might require conduit. Check with your local building inspector.

Answer 7

Electricity passing through cable gives off heat and some people use under rated cable but leave it loose so that the heat does not start a fire, if you are going to house cable that has been left loose check that it is not heating up when under full load.

Answer 8

housed in conduit in the walls or on the walls loose in the loft space

Answer 9

good practice is to cover the cable with a metal or nowadays plastic sheath.. conduit would cost a fortune

Answer 10

all cables on any domestic should be sheaved down a wall there must not be one left ..if there is call them back to fix it