I'm trying to make some upgrades in my old house and I can't run new cables through the walls. I thought about following my air duct to get my Cat6 cable down to the basement, but my girlfriend is concerned about potential fire hazards since air ducts can carry low voltage currents. Is this a safe solution? Any advice would be really appreciated!
4 Answers
I'd actually be more concerned about possibly creating an air leak. If you're worried about safety, consider using plenum rated cable and avoid Power over Ethernet (POE).
Just to clarify, you’re planning to run it alongside the air duct rather than inside it, right? If that's the case, you should be fine. Just make sure to use CMR rated Cat6 for going between floors. There's not much voltage running through these cables unless you're using POE, so it's unlikely to be a fire hazard.
To be honest, communications cables like Cat6 are low voltage and low current, so they shouldn't pose a risk of sparking or catching fire. Your girlfriend might be a little confused about how these cables work. They carry a tiny electrical charge for communication, but it's not enough to be hazardous. If the cable shorts, it just means no signal gets through but won't cause a fire.
Nope, you really need to use plenum rated cable. Regular cables can create a direct path for fire if it breaks out, especially if it gets into the air duct. Plenum rated cables are designed to be fire resistant, so it's definitely safer to go that route.
That's true, but remember that older telephone cables could carry more current compared to modern cables. It’s good to be cautious!