How to Drop Cable From an Attic

Often, when installing electrical cables, it is easier to run the cables up through a central wall into the attic then back down into the interior walls in the house. This is an acceptable method when you cannot snake the wires up through the walls in the basement. The process does require longer runs of wires but does make the overall installation easier when access in the basement is very limited.

Pry bar
Wire snake
Electrical tape
Hand drill
1 1/2-inch drill bit

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the floorboard in the attic that rests directly above the main wall where you want to bring the wire runs up from the basement through the wall. Pry the board up with a pry bar. This will give you access to the interior of the wall.
- 2
  Thread a wire snake down through the wall until it extends into the basement. Tape the wire cables to the wire snake then pull the wires up through the wall.
- 3
  Locate the floorboards for the interior walls where you plan to drop the wires back down and remove those floorboards with the pry bar.
- 4
  Find the floorboards that rest between the main wall and the interior walls and pry those boards up as well.
- 5
  Drill 1 1/2-inch holes through the joists so you can snake the wires through them.
- 6
  Pull the wires through each joist then feed the wires down into the wall directly above the location where you plan to install the electrical outlet.
- 7
  Nail the floorboards back down after you run each wire you pulled up through the wall.

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