endover Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I'm moving one step closer to getting my surround system set up in the family room but the next step is to get my bundle of wires up through the ceiling so they can be routed from the attic down to the appropriate components(HDTV and speakers). I need to get HDMI cable, component cable and 3 or 4 speaker wires up through a single hole. It's cake to drill a 1"dia. hole with my hole saw and fill in with some expando-foam but is there a cleaner way to do this? It will be in a relatively hidden area but I want to make sure it's sealed (to keep my a/c in) but I don't want to spend $50+ for some type of wiring plate either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I like your way. Those wall plates add double the connectors and break the shield of wires. You could install a retro-fit remodel electrical box, cut out the backside (so you can get the bundle through, route wires, fill box with expandofoam, then put a cover plate over it. Run wires through the cover plate in correct orientation before sending them up through the box into the attic. What you do if you already have the wires run is get the cover plate with 1" hole, cut it in two with metal blade, then screw each half into place. That's probably a $7 solution that does look neater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhenry Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Yes on what Colter said and I can add that there are "hood" type cover plates that are designed for A/V cables to be run through. FYI- you can also stuff the holes in the top plate (the hole in the attic) with regular fiberglass insulation to firestop the hole. That way if you ever need to add anything it is much easier to remove that than it is to remove that foam. And also consider adding a pullstring for future use. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I don't think I could improve on what you describe. Sounds workable to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endover Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 It's rare that the best solution seems to be the easy solution. I like the electrical box and fiberglass idea! All of my wiring is temporarily hooked up to make sure everything works but it's hanging out all over the family room. That means my wife would really like it if I get my butt up in the attic and finsih the job! I have a 3 day weekend coming up but walking around in your attic in July in Florida is NASTY so hopefully I can get it done in two early morning attic ventures. You've got to be out of there by lunch time or it's 130+ degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 If you just added full length peek roof vents your attic temp would be the same as outside temp. These are very cheap and will not allow bugs to enter after you cut about a 1" wide slot the entire length of the roof. Actually you can do only a ten foot section per peek and it will accomplish the same thing. After doing this to my garage, barn and home roofs the temperature buildup was non-existant. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endover Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 Yeah...you would think that would be the case. I've got ridge vents that run the entire length of the peak of my roof and vented soffits that run the entire perimeter of the roof and around 3 to 4pm on a sunny Summer day (hmmm...it's Florida so that would be almost every day), my attic temps are around 120 to 130. The surface temp of the inside roof is 140...and I just had a new roof put on two years ago. My attic is insulated extremely well. I had the home energy survey done last year and they were impressed with the level of insulation. I even have two attic fans (that just broke) that are designed to vent the attic air to the outside and the Florida Power and Light inspector said that she wouldn't recommend replacing them. She said the energy required to run the fans pretty much cancels out the load to keep the inside of the house cool when the attic is insulated as well as mine is. You can't add more insulation in Florida becuase it will start to trap moisture...and that's worse than a high electrical bill.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 One stupid question comes to mind---did they actually cut a slot in the roof before they installed the ridge vents? You should be able to see the plastic mesh from your attic through the slots. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endover Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 I wish you were right but there's plenty of light coming in those slots! I've got a large "stand-up" attic and I've spent lots of time up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerTuber Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I'm with Endover ... it's hot'r than _ _ _ _ in the attics down here in the summer. Basically everything you store up there get's kinda crunchy over time. Maybe it has to do with absorbtion due to dark shingles? Ridge vents are not entirely waterproof which can be an issue given the frequent rains. Some can be, but the typical contractor grade can get some water thru it if the rain comes sideways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Me too!! We put the sunday roast up in our attic...4-5 hours for and ten pound roast and perfect medium rare!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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