What should I consider with new electrical lines in an old house?

Question

When I had our breaker box rewired, I had the electrician run a few extra lines (disconnected in the panel into the attic). I now need to run one of them downstairs through a wall.

Two questions:

1) I need a junction box, as the line I have in the attic isn't nearly long enough. It's an old house, I'm planning to have cellulose insulation blown in eventually. How can I properly mount the junction box for visibility, since I know the joists will be covered with a thick layer of insulation?

2) Since I don't have a way to tie the romex down to a stud as it goes through the wall, do I need to run it in grey plastic conduit down through the wall?

Answer 1

The answer to your first question is YES. You need to have the junction in a box. Can you mount the box higher on the roof or a rafter or a gable end stud? if you don't have enough wire, then practically speaking, the box will have to live under the insulation. Technically it is not enclosed as in being sheetrocked over, so it is not a code violation in an older house. but when you do bring out the new wire, be sure it appears above the insulation before you go back down into a wall. you could also tag the wire with a label.

The answer to question two is very simple. You do not need to run NM cable (Romex) in a conduit in a residential framed wall. You also do not need to secure fished wire except in the actual devise box entry hole.

Answer 2

Are you worried about the best way to do it or what code calls for? If it's the latter, I would check with your local county to see what they require.