Running cable underneath carpeting.....is it OK?

[Loner]

Is it perfectly fine to run 12-14 guage cable underneath carpeting? What are the pros/cons.............

I'd rather run speaker cable underneath my shag carpet than go above into the attic and drop down the walls. Would running this same cable under the house be ok or would the environment be a negative factor?

Thanks!

 

[markw]

If you're going to run it under the rug, get flat cable. They sell it and it's not ridiclous. I got mine at RatShack in the late 90's. There are no drawbacks that I noticed for the three years I did it that way. Don't bother otherwise. It'll look awful.

As for under the house, I doubt you'll have any problems. Any cable should suffice but make sure you seal any holes you drill. You don't need any creepy crawlies getting in your domicile.

 

[patnshan]

My recommendation if it is too hard to go up and over and down or down and over and up is this. Take a needle nose pliers and grab the carpet at it's edge. Pull up a bit to loosen it off it's mounting strip. There should be a space under the molding that the wire can easily fit under. Lay the wire and then push the carpet back down. I can run mine through the basement, but tried the above to see if I could do it and I could. Try it.

Pat

 

[Hi Ho]

I second Patnshan's recommendation. I have my wires run that way and I have had no problems.

 

[sjdgpt]

Just a little reminder ....

Safety codes prohibit power cables from being routed under carpeting, or having any wiring cross a walking path in the room.

For us audio nuts, speaker wires and video cables are often ran under carpeting. Just remember not to relocated your speaker stands with spikes in the wrong place.

 

[Loner]

Thanks guys. I have one area, however, where I'd need to go across a 3 foot area (doorway) which would be underneath the carpet. A second area would have the cable going underneath the carpet in front of the fireplace bricks.

As has been stated, will this indeed be a fire safety issue? If not, it sounds like I'd have to use the flat speaker cable, correct? If so, what are your thoughts on flat cable?

My recommendation if it is too hard to go up and over and down or down and over and up is this. Take a needle nose pliers and grab the carpet at it's edge. Pull up a bit to loosen it off it's mounting strip. There should be a space under the molding that the wire can easily fit under. Lay the wire and then push the carpet back down. I can run mine through the basement, but tried the above to see if I could do it and I could. Try it.

Pat

 

[mtrycrafts]

Just a little reminder ....

Safety codes prohibit power cables from being routed under carpeting, or having any wiring cross a walking path in the room.

For us audio nuts, speaker wires and video cables are often ran under carpeting. Just remember not to relocated your speaker stands with spikes in the wrong place.

Speaker cables are not considered power cables by code. Low voltage lines.