How do you work on electrical wiring stuffs when there is insulation in the attic?

htabbas

I am in the process of installing about 50 recessed lighting in my house. My insulations are old and have rat droppings so I just had all of my attic insulation removed before I do the wiring in the attic.

But still it's hard work. You are crouching up there, space is tight, dusty everywhere.

I can't imagine me doing the same wiring work when there is insulation there, especially those old insulation fested with rat droppings and strange dirty stuffs. In some scenarios, you have to crawl between the joists and your face is couple of inches from the dirty wood. If there is insulation there then my face would have been in contact with it - that is horrible.

Originally I wonder why electrician wants $100 per recessed light install. Now I understand and I respect their hardwork - more on the "having to work in a hellish environment" part.

Code05

Yeah, that is what is like. Fun eh?

Jabbed your skull on any roofing nails yet?

Forgot a tool and have to crawl out of a tightt space and return?

Wait till summer when it is 120 degrees up there!!!

joecaption

Welcome to our world.
Wait until you sewer lines plug up, now that real fun.

Speedy Petey

But our work is SO easy. It's not rocket science. It's only residential. How hard can it be. We stay so clean.

Sorry, just recalling some of the things I have heard over the years.

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Sometimes I feel like if I answer any more questions it is like someone trying to climb over a fence to jump off a bridge and me giving them a boost.

Speedy Petey

And thank you htabbas for the recognition.

I also have to say, $100 per can, especially in Cali, is NOT a bad deal at all.

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Sometimes I feel like if I answer any more questions it is like someone trying to climb over a fence to jump off a bridge and me giving them a boost.

Jim Port

A hundred dollars per remodel recessed is a very cheap price.

Be sure to use air-tight housings if required. You will need IC rated housing for insulation contact.

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Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

htabbas

The $100/can cost is labor only, not including any materials. And it has factor in my attic being rid of insulation and in clean conditions. Plus it's a a large quantity (50 cans installation). In the Bay Area, regular price is about $150/can). I have beeb stabbed by the roofing nails multiple times already. I kept wondering why roofers have to use that long of. A nail. They stick out so much. Luckily, no bloody incident yet. :-).

Snav

I actually felt BAD when I had an electrician in my attic and plumber under the house. . . downright cruel.

I've trumped the attic so many times it's annoying - it's packed with infested blown-in cellulose that's just so gross and super dusty - and in most of the attic I have to crawl. Catch my head/body on nails - absolutely: lots of scars, too.

I can barely reach anything and I'm petite compared to my husband and the average male - how they manage is beyond me.

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Julius793

When I first started I was up in the attic often but then found that quite a bit can be done without goin up it's just getting the hang of it.

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Electricity will kill you if you give it a chance

raleighthings

Just went through that. Clog in the vertical stack 6' above bend into floor. Luckily it was before shower and kitchen drains. But it did back up into the 5' horizontal run from the toilets.

But cleaning up reasonably fresh poop is such a fun job. Everyone should do it at least once. Or 4 times.

Snav

I had my septic tank backup while I was doing the plumbing in the crawlspace - it was disgusting. I even had to disconnect and clean poo out of the vent pipe.

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raleighthings

At least mine was accessible from the utility room. But that also meant tarping off 1/2 of the room. Then when done putting tarp into 5 gal bucket w/lid for the trash.

jproffer

Does "getting the hang of it" mean:




Me: Hey "John" (or whatever his/her name is), come in here a second would ya??

John: Yea.........whatcha got?

Me: It's your turn to go up in the attic

John: But.....

Me: Yea...gotta cut those can lights in.

John: I went up LAST time, so wouldn't it be YOUR turn???

Me: See how it works is....I own the place, so it's ALWAYS your turn....now up ya go











Fine print: No helpers were injured during the creation of this post.

bobelectric

I have running boards I made out of ½"plywood which can support me over 18" of blown in fluff. 1'x8' each.

raleighthings

My old interior flat doors do this for me.