Had a close call with a main power line in a Denver attic last Tuesday

I was pulling coax through a tight space near the ridge vent, not thinking about the old wiring. My fish tape brushed against a cloth-wrapped line and I saw a spark. The homeowner's whole upstairs went dark. Turns out the main feed from the meter was run through the attic, not the basement like usual. Now I check for a main panel and ask about power routing before I even grab my ladder. Anyone else run into power in weird places in older homes?

4 comments

4 Comments

karencampbell2mo ago

Old wiring" is right. My uncle found knob and tube running through a closet shelf once, like someone just built around it.

sanchez.mary2mo ago

Remember when people said old wiring was fine if you didn't touch it? Finding it hidden like that, just built over, really shows how it's not just about the wires themselves. It's about all the weird ways houses get changed over time, with nobody keeping track. That kind of thing makes you realize it's a ticking clock, not a harmless quirk. I used to brush it off too, but a story like that changes your whole view.

claire8722mo ago

Our last house had wiring inside a wall of Legos.

the_fiona2mo ago

Karencampbell's closet story is just as wild.