Just realized a lot of installers in my area are still using zip ties for permanent wire runs in attics, which is a huge code violation for fire blocking.

I found this out after a city inspector in Tampa flagged it on a job last week and made us re-run everything with staples, so what's the actual rule in your local jurisdiction?

4 comments

4 Comments

eric_adams112mo ago

Ugh, zip ties? That's just lazy.

dianam192mo ago

Used to think the same thing. Then I saw a guy use them to fix a broken fence post in five minutes and it's still holding strong. Changed my mind.

spencer_gonzalez12mo ago

Our inspector in Phoenix will fail you for zip ties on romex every time. It's a fire spread thing, not just being picky. @dianam19, that's fine for a fence, but not for your attic wiring.

morgan.jason3h ago

People skip the right way to do things because it takes two extra seconds and they think nobody will notice. Same reason you see homeowners using extension cords as permanent wiring or daisy chaining power strips behind their furniture. It works until it doesn't. Inspectors are there for a reason, and fire blocking is one of those rules written in somebody's blood after a house burned down. I've seen attics where guys ran wire with zip ties every two feet and called it good until the insulation settled and the wires dropped onto the joists. Shortcuts always catch up to you eventually, whether it's a failed inspection or a real fire.