Warning: That old coax line in the attic might be a bigger problem than you think

I was on a job in a 1970s house in Springfield last month, running a new drop for a customer. I pulled down the old cable from the attic and found it was stapled directly to a hot water pipe with metal staples. Over the years, the pipe's heat had melted the jacket and exposed the braid. I shut everything down, cut out the damaged section, and re-ran the line with proper standoffs. It took an extra 40 minutes, but saved a potential short. What's the weirdest place you've found old cable run?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_rowan4d agoMost Upvoted

Found a mess like that in my own house. The previous owner ran the coax right through the metal ductwork for the bathroom fan. The sharp edge had worn through the jacket over years of vibration. Had to fish a whole new line through the wall and seal the hole in the duct with foil tape.

sean_johnson164d ago

That "previous owner" energy is a universal force of chaos in home repair.