# Running additional Coaxial cable through wall



## kdrymer (Apr 18, 2017)

Hello, I am planning to install an additional cable TV outlet on the opposite side of a wall that already has Coaxial cable running up through the floor directly next to the wall.

Instead of having to drill a series of holes through the wall studs (the new location is on the opposite side of the wall and on the other end) to run the wiring, I would like to add a splitter underneath the house (double wide manufactured home) and then drill a hole through the floor insulation and through the subfloor and bottom plate of the wall into the wall cavity (in the area I want the outlet to be) and then cut an hole in the drywall to install a cable TV outlet. 

What is the best way to drill through the insulation and bottom plate? I've heard that Flex bits and Glow rods are typically used in these kind of applications, but I personally don't have any experience using them. I would like to avoid twisting the insulation into cotton candy and creating an large air gap if possible. The space below the house is only a crawlspace unfortunately. Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks.


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## JoeD (Apr 18, 2017)

If this is bat insulation; move it out of the way while you drill the hole.


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## Sparky617 (Apr 18, 2017)

It is best not to stack splitters on top of splitters but to go back to the source and install a larger splitter.  If the run from the connection to the location you want to split has only one splitter you're OK adding another one.  I did FiOS installs for my employer last year during a strike and the crappy coax wiring I saw was incredible.   First thing we always checked when there were problems with TV signals was the signal strength at the set top box and worked our way back to the optical unit. Problems were typically bad splitters and lousy coax connections.


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## kdrymer (May 4, 2017)

Slight twist (no pun intended!) on this. I believe it is bat insulation with a plastic vapor barrier in the crawlspace below the house and I believe stapled to the floor joists. Is it still fairly easy to move out of the way? If I do end up having to push the wire through the insulation is there some type of shredded insulation I can use to fill in the cavity I create? Thanks again.


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## nealtw (May 4, 2017)

kdrymer said:


> Slight twist (no pun intended!) on this. I believe it is bat insulation with a plastic vapor barrier in the crawlspace below the house and I believe stapled to the floor joists. Is it still fairly easy to move out of the way? If I do end up having to push the wire through the insulation is there some type of shredded insulation I can use to fill in the cavity I create? Thanks again.



The plastic vapour barrier should be on the ground, not stapled to the joists.


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## kdrymer (May 5, 2017)

Perhaps I used the wrong term. I need to drill a hole through this black plastic material that holds the insulation below the floor (picture attached). I'm thinking if I can use some type of drill bit with a sleeve on the end that will prevent the drill from twisting the insulation into cotton candy and creating a large gap.


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## nealtw (May 5, 2017)

Looks more like a trailer than a house. Forget what i said before as I don't know about trailers.
I would drill it from above and hope not to disturb the insulation but if it does just open the plastic and fix the insulation. 
tape any seems in the plastic and the hole with tuck tape.
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p....etres-wide-and-50-metres-long.1000181212.html

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA4XhdWIqK0[/ame]


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## Snoonyb (May 5, 2017)

Just cut the plastic with a knife, move the insulation aside, with your hand, (it won't bite), drill the hole, feed the coax, thred the insulation back and tape up the plastic.


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## kdrymer (May 5, 2017)

nealtw said:


> Looks more like a trailer than a house. Forget what i said before as I don't know about trailers.
> I would drill it from above and hope not to disturb the insulation but if it does just open the plastic and fix the insulation.
> tape any seems in the plastic and the hole with tuck tape.
> https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p....etres-wide-and-50-metres-long.1000181212.html
> ...




I can not gain access above the ceiling as double wide's have a very narrow cavity between the ceiling and the top of the roof trusses (I would have to open up a hole in the ceiling sheetrock as there is no other access)....yet another reason to avoid these types of homes. Thanks again for the feedback!


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## nealtw (May 5, 2017)

kdrymer said:


> I can not gain access above the ceiling as double wide's have a very narrow cavity between the ceiling and the top of the roof trusses (I would have to open up a hole in the ceiling sheetrock as there is no other access)....yet another reason to avoid these types of homes. Thanks again for the feedback!



I was thinking you could use that rig for drilling down.:trophy:


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## Mastercarpenty (May 6, 2017)

Here's the trick from an old hand with trailers. First locate where  you want to drill underneath carefully, then cut the covering just enough to insert a 1/2" section of pipe in there. Wiggle that in as you push it upward to the subfloor, then when it hits you stick your drill bit inside the pipe an have at it. Once the hole is in, pull the pipe out, rin the wire/coax, and the insulation will find it's way back to where it belongs. Tape the covering to seal it and you're done. 

That plastic undersheeting on trailers is a major design flaw they all have as it traps water leaking from piping, water spilled from inside, and any atmospheric humidity inside the enclosed area. From that the subfloor (which is actually the only floor in trailers) gets damp and fails, the insulation gets wet and becomes ineffective and mildewy, and when enough time passes the floor joists rot. Though it's not a cure for the bad engineering, what I like to do is take a small pen-knife or paring knife and stab holes about every foot over the entire floor area from underneath (dont stab through the ductwork or wiring!). That won't give you any appreciable airflow to help keep the insulation dry, but at least then water won't collect making the problem worse and if you do have a leaking pipe you'll see where it is quickly from the dripping. Plus when you address that leak you won't be dumping several gallons of collected water on yourself trying to access the leak. And you wont find the leak is elsewhere, having run onto and across the undersheet from a dozen or more feet away.

Of course this will void the warranty if it's still in effect but once that time has passed, IMHO this is the one best thing you can do for your trailer to extend it's lifespan and it costs nothing but a little time and a shower afterward. 

Phil


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## nealtw (May 6, 2017)

Mastercarpenty said:


> Here's the trick from an old hand with trailers. First locate where  you want to drill underneath carefully, then cut the covering just enough to insert a 1/2" section of pipe in there. Wiggle that in as you push it upward to the subfloor, then when it hits you stick your drill bit inside the pipe an have at it. Once the hole is in, pull the pipe out, rin the wire/coax, and the insulation will find it's way back to where it belongs. Tape the covering to seal it and you're done.
> 
> That plastic undersheeting on trailers is a major design flaw they all have as it traps water leaking from piping, water spilled from inside, and any atmospheric humidity inside the enclosed area. From that the subfloor (which is actually the only floor in trailers) gets damp and fails, the insulation gets wet and becomes ineffective and mildewy, and when enough time passes the floor joists rot. Though it's not a cure for the bad engineering, what I like to do is take a small pen-knife or paring knife and stab holes about every foot over the entire floor area from underneath (dont stab through the ductwork or wiring!). That won't give you any appreciable airflow to help keep the insulation dry, but at least then water won't collect making the problem worse and if you do have a leaking pipe you'll see where it is quickly from the dripping. Plus when you address that leak you won't be dumping several gallons of collected water on yourself trying to access the leak. And you wont find the leak is elsewhere, having run onto and across the undersheet from a dozen or more feet away.
> 
> ...



I like that plan.:thbup:


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## kdrymer (May 6, 2017)

Mastercarpenty said:


> Here's the trick from an old hand with trailers. First locate where  you want to drill underneath carefully, then cut the covering just enough to insert a 1/2" section of pipe in there. Wiggle that in as you push it upward to the subfloor, then when it hits you stick your drill bit inside the pipe an have at it. Once the hole is in, pull the pipe out, rin the wire/coax, and the insulation will find it's way back to where it belongs. Tape the covering to seal it and you're done.
> 
> That plastic undersheeting on trailers is a major design flaw they all have as it traps water leaking from piping, water spilled from inside, and any atmospheric humidity inside the enclosed area. From that the subfloor (which is actually the only floor in trailers) gets damp and fails, the insulation gets wet and becomes ineffective and mildewy, and when enough time passes the floor joists rot. Though it's not a cure for the bad engineering, what I like to do is take a small pen-knife or paring knife and stab holes about every foot over the entire floor area from underneath (dont stab through the ductwork or wiring!). That won't give you any appreciable airflow to help keep the insulation dry, but at least then water won't collect making the problem worse and if you do have a leaking pipe you'll see where it is quickly from the dripping. Plus when you address that leak you won't be dumping several gallons of collected water on yourself trying to access the leak. And you wont find the leak is elsewhere, having run onto and across the undersheet from a dozen or more feet away.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the suggestion! I will use that method. Since your familiar with these types of homes, do they typically run the electrical wiring anywhere in the insulation cavity below the floor? (I would hope not due to fire risk!) I'm just wondering if there is anything I may encounter while going about this. I know where the marriage wall is at the one end of the home there is electrical cross-over connectors that distribute power to both sides of the home up under the floor near the insulation. The home was built in 2012 if that makes any difference in engineering design.


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## Mastercarpenty (May 7, 2017)

You'll encounter some wiring in that space, but the pipe trick will let you feel it plus isolate the drill bit from rubbing against it or any water pipes. Once up into the wall there may be wiring so don't over-penetrate with the drill. Same as with houses, wires are normally run via the most direct route, and in the walls the lateral runs are at outlet level so with a little care and common sense you'll be fine.                 

Phil


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