Removing coax cables from home exterior

12,697 Views | 16 Replies | Last: 12 yr ago by AgDrumma07
AgDrumma07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I have tons of coax cables running along the bottom of my new siding. Most are connected but a few have been cut and left hanging. There are also a few 3-way splitters attached to the back of the house and the cut cables are connected to some of the prongs on the splitters. Obviously the cables aren't being used so will I screw up anything by undoing the cut cables from the splitters?
UnderoosAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Unscrew. Lather, rinse, repeat. Won't do anything. Think of it as unplugged an unused extension cord from a power strip.
UnderoosAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yeah, I'd don't know what's up that Oh face.
The Fife
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Remove all the unused coax you want. Oh, and
AgDrumma07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Sounds like the easiest home improvement project ever
Ryan the Temp
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
You can buy caps for the unused connections. If you don't have a use for the splitters now, hang onto them if they are cable company issued equipment and you think you might need them down the line. Those are usually better quality than the ones you can pick up at Radio Shack.

[This message has been edited by Ryan the Temp (edited 2/29/2012 12:59p).]
AgDrumma07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I think some of the splitters are actually being used (though I don't even know what they do). I'll just trace all the coax, remove what isn't being used and see if I end up with any extra splitters. I bought some cable ties and new staples to attach the coax under the bottom of the old siding.
Ryan the Temp
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I hate cables strapped to the sides of houses. When I bought my house I had coax and phone lines all around my house on every exterior wall.
AgDrumma07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Me too. I yanked down at least 3 before the siding went up. The new siding covers up where the cables go in the walls upstairs but I'm screwed on the downstairs cables that go in the brick.
Dr. Doctor
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Looking at houses now and all the older ones seem to have that either in the house (phones) or outside (cables).

It is like the owner went from cable to satellite to cable. But had to install three different times.

Sheesh.

~egon
UnderoosAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Sounds like the easiest home improvement project ever


You just asked about disconnecting the cables. You haven't asked about disposal of said cable. A TK-421 permit is required, but it is not always posted**

quote:
I think some of the splitters are actually being used (though I don't even know what they do).


Well....they..split.















** That's really funny if you are a Star Wars nerd. And TK-421 was the "upgrade" Buck tries to sell people in the stereo shop in Boogie Nights.
AgDrumma07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
nm

[This message has been edited by AgDrumma07 (edited 2/29/2012 4:25p).]
capn-mac
How long do you want to ignore this user?
quote:
all the older ones seem to have that


Back in days of old--late 70's--you needed a25-30' mast to pick up anything other than KBTX or KAMU. So, when cable became available (20, 30, 60 channels*--O my!) it was hugely popular and in great demand. Greater demand than there were competent install techs.

A certain cable company (<koff>not Midwest<koff> had a problem with feet through ceilings (also with apartments with no attic access), so, they "cured" that by only drilling from the outside wall into where the interior fixture would go. Which meant that the cable had to be attached, somewhere, on the outside of the house--either at the eave, or down at the bottom of the siding (or both, if a certain company made two different installation calls).

Telco wire stapled to base boards and along trim goes back to when there was only the one Phone Company, and their manual for adding fixtures actually recommended not going inside the walls. The price for the installation was cheaper, too.

___________________________________
*The Cities extorted a "basic" cable package for all of their citizens as part of the City franchise to provide cable. If memory serves, Bryan mandated 5 channels and CS mandated 13; customers then paid for "extended basic" cable which was another 25 or 40 channels. There were only 4 "premium" channels. Discovery Channel was only the one channel (99) and the first year it was on, only had commercials every 30 minutes.
akaggie05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I ripped out hundreds of feet of coax that was going all around the outside of my house when I bought it. It was one of the most satisfying improvement projects I've done. I was getting U-Verse installed so I ran Cat5 through the attic and down through the walls properly.
AgDrumma07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Telco wire stapled to base boards and along trim goes back to when there was only the one Phone Company


Yep, I have some of this bullsh too.
Ryan the Temp
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Me, too. I stripped it all out within a week of moving in and ran it in the walls. The worst part was that it had been painted over God only knows how many times.
The Fife
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I've removed a mountain of phone wire, coax, antenna wiring, ... from houses I've owned. The worst is just like someone else mentioned, with the phone wiring run along the baseboards and door casing. Then it gets painted 10 times and removing it becomes a wood trim restoration project, because half of it comes off with the wire and now the trim looks like crap.
AgDrumma07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Then it gets painted 10 times and removing it becomes a wood trim restoration project, because half of it comes off with the wire and now the trim looks like crap.


Very true. I've also noticed that once you do that, you have to restore ALL of the baseboards to match, then probably add crown molding and new door trims. It never ends.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.