Cabling safety is a straight-forward consideration and proper attention to installation will save you grief in the long run. The picture here on the right is how not to do it.
- Good neighbors - Category 3, 5 and 6 cables, the most common currently in use, have some restrictions as to how they are installed. Typical considerations are physical environment such as temperature extremes and the presence of water or high humidity levels. Data, alarm, video and phone cables usually have a lot of neighbors occupying the same confined spaces. You will find electric motors, light ballasts, electric wires, high temperature pipes and a host of other items that will influence the performance of your cable plant.
- The proper cable - Specifying the proper cable for an installation requires that you consider additional factors such as the space it resides in. If your cable space is being used to carry air to and from various places in the building, there is a requirement that the cable jacket not give off hazardous chemical fumes if it is to burn.
- A proper installation - All cable has particular limits that are not to be exceeded during installation. If a data cable is pulled too hard during installation it may not give optimal performance. If a speaker wire is pulled too hard the jacket could be damaged and short the bare wires causing an amplifier overload.