All Wired Up? Your Lease Should Have Known Better

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Why has the typical office lease figured this out, but the typical office lease has not? Figured out what, you ask? Getting rid of the old tenant’s cabling when it leaves is what. Notice, we didn’t say wiring. We said cabling. What’s the difference? Cables are for low voltage applications, such as for communications, signaling or alarms. There are also optical cables, often called “fiber” or “glass.” Wiring is for delivering power, generally high voltage (120 volts and up), but sometimes lower voltage.

Why are we writing about cables and not wires? That’s because “abandoned” wires are usually removed, whereas cables, such as computed (Ethernet) wiring are not. Besides that, most electrical wires remain in use after a tenant has left.

Why is this an issue? It’s not only because the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that abandoned cabling be removed and the NEC in incorporated by references into many local building codes. It’s really because cabling is a fire hazard. Yes, it isn’t because of the electrical current that passes through cables. If it were, then optical cable could remain under the NEC. Cabling is a fire hazard not so much because the insulation will burn, but mostly because burning insulation creates smoke. Think “burning plastic.” Even fire-resistant insulation generates smoke. It may not sustain a flame, but when it encounters a flame, the insulation burns (and smokes). [Read more…]

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