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c/cable-installers•hill.margarethill.margaret•2mo ago

TIL my old method for fishing cable through insulation was costing me hours

I used to just push the fish tape straight through the attic insulation and hope for the best, which usually meant getting stuck on a joist or a nail. About six months ago, I started using a flexible glow rod instead and feeding it along the side of a joist. The change happened after a brutal day in July where I spent three hours on one drop. Now I save so much time and frustration on every job. What's your go-to trick for getting past blown-in insulation?
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4 Comments
tarabell
tarabell7d ago
The inspection camera trick is gold for blown-in cellulose.
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danielnelson
Grab a cheap inspection camera from the hardware store. I zip tied mine to a piece of fish tape. You can poke a small hole in the drywall below, feed the camera up into the wall cavity, and actually see what you're dealing with. It shows you the exact path through the insulation and where the obstacles are. Saved me from blindly guessing more times than I can count. What kind of insulation gives you the most trouble?
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dakotab93
dakotab932mo ago
Ever notice how the right tool just makes a stubborn problem melt away?
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sage308
sage3082mo ago
Yeah dakotab93, that's like when I finally got the right wrench for my bike and the whole thing just clicked. It's a good feeling.
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