A wire chase, also called a "raceway," is a PVC or EMT metal conduit placed in a wall that is used to run wires from one floor to another after the drywall is installed. A raceway can also be surface-mounted to the wall. The wire chase generally runs from the basement to the second floor or attic to provide easy access for electrical wiring, coax cable and phone lines. The coax cable can't be run in the same wire chase as the electrical wires because of the high voltage running through the electrical wiring. Coax cable and phone lines can be run through the same wire chase, however, because the coax cable and phone lines are both low voltage.
Instructions
1. Drill a 1-inch hole through the bottom plate into the basement, between the wall studs. Center the hole in a 2-by-6-inch or a 2-by-4-inch wall to prevent the conduit from getting punctured with nails or screws. Keep the hole close to one of the wall studs so the conduit can be secured. Drill a 1-inch hole in the top plate to the second floor or attic, exactly over the hole in the bottom plate. This may require a little measuring to line the holes up exactly.
2. Measure from the floor to the ceiling on the wall. Add 5 inches to ensure that the conduit will extend from the basement to the second floor or attic. Cut the conduit to the measurement.
3. Slide the conduit up through the top plate enough to get it into the wall, then slide the conduit down through the bottom plate 2 inches. The conduit will be through both holes, extending from the basement to the second floor or attic. Screw a conduit strap in the center, between the top and bottom plate, to secure the conduit in place. Use two conduit straps, one near the top plate and one near the bottom plate.
4. Install drywall on the wall, covering the wire chase. Run the coax cable from the basement to the second floor through the wire chase.
Tags: bottom plate, second floor, basement second, basement second floor, floor attic, from basement