I need to run electrical and network cables (cat6) from the third floor of my house down to the basement where there are different breakers and different computers.
So I did a relative measurement in both places that I hope lines up so I can drop the cables down.
From the basement there is a hole that looks like this going up inside the wall in the house:
Upstairs I tried drilling a hole in the wall (and it's an inner wall between my and the neighbors side of the house) but oddly I found a sheet of insulation blocking my way (see below):
Since the insulation is in an interior wall (see below),
I don't know why it is there. What I do know is that when my neighbor hangs things on the wall on the interior wall the screws come through the other side, so I was very careful not to drill through her side of the wall, which is how I found the insulation.
I don't know why it's there, but it's preventing me from getting my cables run.
Does anyone know why it's there or what I can do about it?
Best Answer
The first 3 comments are all correct answers.
Comment #1 by ThreePhaseEel regarding a code required fire wall is correct, but it’s for fire rated draftstops between living units.
Comment #2 by Isherwood regarding sound control is also correct. The code requires a minimum STC rating between units and insulation can fill the voids and help with that requirement.
Comment #3 by whatsisname regarding a thermal barrier is also a code requirement. The requirement is for the envelope around a unit...there is no exception for common party walls.
Do not remove the insulation just to extend some cables from your attic to the other floors.