the_falconator t1_irwkohj wrote
If it's balloon frame construction it would be relatively easy to do yourself.
LeftyMcKnuckles t1_irwxlbj wrote
Wrong. Even if the house doesn't have blown in cellulose after an energy audit, every floor will have wooden blocking and sometimes masonry fire barriers. It's never a straight shot.
the_falconator t1_irwy7s6 wrote
>every floor will have wooden blocking and sometimes masonry fire barriers.
I can tell you first hand that much of the housing stock in Providence predates that and was never updated.
LeftyMcKnuckles t1_irx0ek2 wrote
I'm talking first hand, balloon framed houses all over Providence from the mid-19th century on. Older houses I see are post and beam. I don't always have to get in a wall for what I do, but I can't remember anytime not running into blocking, a masonry fire stop, or a timber on an old house. I think maybe you are PFD? Maybe you've seen something I haven't, but I've seen shit tons of walls in local houses.
the_falconator t1_irx9yd2 wrote
Many have had fire stops put in during renovations, the multifamily I own drilling through the masonry was quite a bitch to run a new wire. Not that uncommon to be able to shine a flashlight up from the basement to the attic though. It sounds like you are a tradesman so I'm sure you've seen lots of walls but a lot of the multi-families I've gone into are basically maintained only to the point of passing section 8 standards and the slumlord landlords don't hire proper pros when doing work.
sbaz86 t1_irxys1x wrote
Fellow RIer?
the_falconator t1_irxzdkw wrote
This is the Providence subreddit so yeah
sbaz86 t1_iry78xk wrote
Man, I’m a fool, my bad. But you are definitely right about the balloon frames not having fire blocking.
the_falconator t1_irydggr wrote
No worries, sometimes I forget which sub I'm in too.
sbaz86 t1_irye9wb wrote
Doesn’t mean I’m not a fool, lol.
listen_youse t1_irwsn6l wrote
DIY makes sense if you can scout a route for the cable alongside plumbing or a chimney (look down from the attic) that will not require opening a wall in the first floor unit - unless your DIY skill set includes cutting and patching the holes super neat and quick.
If landlord and first floor tenant agree, tacking an ethernet cable in an inconspicuous corner of a closet may be the solution.
Otherwise its a job for a pro.
the_falconator t1_irwt83y wrote
If it's balloon frame like many of the 2.5/3 story buildings in this city are you don't need access to the first floor at all the stud bays run from the basement to the attic.
LeftyMcKnuckles t1_irwxnbz wrote
Wrong. Even if the house doesn't have blown in cellulose after an energy audit, every floor will have wooden blocking and sometimes masonry fire barriers. It's never a straight shot.
listen_youse t1_irx2dwd wrote
>all the stud bays run from the basement to the attic
All? You must have just been super lucky. (Not so lucky if fire gets in there).
But thanks for reminding us: It is worth using a phone to take pics upward from the foundation sill in hope of finding a convenient stud bay that is not blocked like they usually are.
the_falconator t1_irxagzw wrote
obviously not all, I shouldn't have said that. Naturally where you have windows and such it will be blocked. But if you go up into the attic or down to the basement and shine a light often you can see all the way up and down. a lot of times if there has been a substantial rehab of the building you will see blocking has been installed but a lot of times work on these old buildings a permit is never pulled and they don't do the work up to code.
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