When installing a phone jack, how do I find the walls I will install the jack in from the attic?

Question

I have seen DIY installation guides for phone jack installation, and it all seems pretty easy. However, none of them show how to find your walls from the attic. My attic is covered with insullation, and I am not sure how I will figure out where to start the fishing expedition to get the wire up to the attic or down to the walls where the new jacks will be.

Answer 1

When you move aside the insulation, you will see the 2x4's that make up the frame work of the interior walls. Have a helper knock on the ceiling next to the area of the wall cavity you are trying to run your phone line in. Drill through the middle of the 2x4 and that will put you in the wall cavity between the drywall.

Answer 2

Use a second pair of hands.. have someone tap on the ceiling, while you locate the wall. Just remember, when you go up, which side of the wall they are tapping on, so you know which side of the sound to look at :) Brush aside the insulation, and you should find it in short order. (push the insulation back in place when you are done).

I also use this approach when fixing squeaky floors, hehehe.

I notice another answer said push a needle up... I find that a tad difficult (arthritis), and hard to find (bifocals, lol) and I don't mind putting a dab of ceiling texture, or spackle back up, so I take a small diameter drill bit and make a hole, and push a piece of stiff wire up thru it. A piece of wire about the same diameter as found as the ground wire in 12/2 romex works pretty good (I've always got scraps of it laying around, hehe). Its stiff enough that it will go up thru easily, and you can put a slight bend in it, and it will stay put. And the longer length of wire shoved up thru the ceiling is easier to see. Those little flags you can buy to mark ground lines work well too.

Have Fun

Answer 3

Many stores carry phone systems that only require 1 jack (Lowe's, Home Depot even Target). There is a base unit and it is the only one that requires a jack. I have this unit and three phones. One in the base, one in the Master Bedroom and one in the detached garage. The range on these phones is about 300 feet. So you can locate them any where you want. My system was about $100. I am a general contractor and this system was cheaper than my time and material to add all new jacks. Plus you can add up to 5 phones. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 4

take a sewing needle or small nail, something that's small enough so the hole won't be seen, and push it up through the drywall right in front of where you want the jack then go up to the attic and find it. you should be able to see the top plate of the wall right beside it, it may be under the insulation