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On the framing our electrician used plastic staples with two nails to keep the wire from moving around, but I notice under the house he used metal horseshoe nails. It seems that, if they were tacked up tightly, the metal could damage the wire.

Is this okay?

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Metal staples have been around a long time, and haven't caused enough problems to be banned. So for as long as they're an "approved" method of securing cables, there is no problem using them.

Most of the inspectors in my area dislike them, since from time to time they're tacked down too tight by installers. If installed incorrectly they can indeed damage the cable, but in my experience this seems to be rare.

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  • I have more of an issue with the plastic ones which are about all I find. Since you can't nail down both sides at once I have gone through with a nail or severely pinched the wire in tight areas.
    – DMoore
    Nov 4, 2014 at 18:48
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That is perfectly normal. The old horseshoe staples are within code and actually protect the wiring better than their plastic counterparts.

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