Wire running Questions

[JP]

I get a lot of questions about how to fish wires throughout a finished house and drilling holes and more, so I created this section in an attempt to help answer those questions so post away.

[ih5088]

I'm trying to run coaxial cable through my wall insted of on the outside of my house.  I'm running it from the attic down to the 2nd and eventually to the 1st floor.  I tried to find the right set of studs using a flashlight in the wall and looking down after i drilled my holes in the attic.  That didn't work,  So i went down to UBC and the mananger said that in older houses have fire stoppers in the wall, a horizontal 2x4 or a brick. My house is over 100 years old, built with oak, (plaster walls, which i do not want to drill or cut vary badly).

Is there a tool or a method to get around these fire stoppers?

[JP]

You do have a difficult one there, you can use a 4 or 6 foot drill bit to get through a old fire stop. I’ve done it before but those long drill bits take a little getting used to, they tend to walk a bit because they flex. An auger type tends to grab quicker, and do your best to keep it straight or it will come out of the wall. Also remember you will also have wood at the floor level before you make it into the wall on the first floor.

Another option is to find another route, every house is different but in some old houses the vent pipe stacks and you can drop a string with a weight all the way to the basement. I’ve also seen this work around old chimneys and exterior walls it all depends on the house. If all else fails find two closets that stack on top of each other and run the cable in there.