Can we talk about how I used to run coax through drop ceilings

I used to just toss cables over the ceiling tiles (big mistake) until I worked a job at a school in Akron back in 2018. A fire inspector showed me how those loose cables can sag and block sprinkler heads or get pinched and cause signal loss over time. Now I always use J-hooks and tie wraps every 4 feet - has anyone else had an inspector call them out for messy ceiling runs?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_miles11d ago

Used to be in the "toss it over the tile" camp myself until a similar run-in with an inspector at a library job. He was right though, that sagging cable can be a real hazard and a pain to service later.

pat_fisher248d ago

Yeah but those inspectors are hit or miss. One dude up in Portland let me run cable loose behind a drop ceiling as long as I ziptied it every few feet. Next guy made me tack everything to the joists. Never know what you're gonna get.