Wires Dangling Free After Wall Removal? Here"s What To Do.
One unfortunate byproduct of removing a wall is all of that peripheral stuff. It's not enough that you heroically dismantled a 50 year-old wall by yourself, without the aid of liquor (that's for later). But now you have to dispose of all of that drywall, pull nails, unscrew screws, vacuum drywall dust, replace baseboards, and... Oh, what's this wire doing here?
Yes, this stray electrical wire, post wall-removal, looks menacing, as it should be. Before you took down the wall, you shut off circuit breakers, double- and triple-checked voltage coming into the device, and then let loose with the reciprocating saw. Now that the deed is done, you've forgotten about those wires and something must be done with them.
This is not what you do.
When remodeling your home, you will find this kind of horror show time and again. One thing you'll find are junction boxes hidden behind ceiling or wall drywall. That's bad. Even worse are stray wires taped up with electrical tape and then hidden behind the wall.
Before taking down the wall, you shut off the circuit breaker. Increase your margin of safety by laying electrical tape across the circuit to prevent anyone--namely you--from accidentally flipping on the breaker.
Since you've removed the wall, you don't have anywhere to put those wires now. You'll need to find the closest available spot in existing wall or drywall to place those stray wires. This means looking backwards in the wire run.
Once you have a location, cut an opening in the drywall with your jab saw, reciprocating saw, or RotoZip. Make sure the opening is a close fit.
Junction Boxes
Since I have no way to fasten a conventional junction box in this ceiling, I am using what is called an old-work or remodeling box, which attaches to the drywall with "wings" that grab the back of the drywall. Because the wire is Romex (NM), I can use a plastic box.
The preferred method is to use a large octagon metal box that screws directly onto the side of a joist or stud.
If you did this correctly, the box probably will not fit on this first go-around. The reason for making this a tight fit is because these old-work boxes don't have a lot of tolerance for error: just 2 narrow tabs at top and bottom hold the box into place on the front side.
If the hole is too small, use your jab saw to shave off excess drywall.
Pop open one of the access holes and pull the cable through that access point.
For metal junction boxes, wiggle out the metal tab with a screwdriver and then screw a restraint strap in place.
With your manual Phillips screwdriver or cordless drill, screw the old-work box into place. This forces the "wings" to pull forward and cinch the box tight in the opening.
If using a drill, set the drill's torque low as it is easy to strip these screw heads or break the wings.
With your cable ripper, pull outward 3 or 4 times to create light scores in the cable casing.
You don't have to expose the wire ends if they won't be powering any devices. But I knew that I would be re-routing these wires, so I decided to do my future self a favor and strip the wire ends ahead of time.
1. Loose Wires Must Be Capped After Wall Removal
Yes, this stray electrical wire, post wall-removal, looks menacing, as it should be. Before you took down the wall, you shut off circuit breakers, double- and triple-checked voltage coming into the device, and then let loose with the reciprocating saw. Now that the deed is done, you've forgotten about those wires and something must be done with them.
2. Wrong Way To Cap Electrical Wires
This is not what you do.
When remodeling your home, you will find this kind of horror show time and again. One thing you'll find are junction boxes hidden behind ceiling or wall drywall. That's bad. Even worse are stray wires taped up with electrical tape and then hidden behind the wall.
- All wires need to be contained in junction boxes.
- All junction boxes need to be at the level of the finish surface (wall, ceiling, or whatever), so that they can be accessed.
3. Turn Off and Seal Over Circuit Breaker
Before taking down the wall, you shut off the circuit breaker. Increase your margin of safety by laying electrical tape across the circuit to prevent anyone--namely you--from accidentally flipping on the breaker.
4. Cut Opening In Drywall For Box
Since you've removed the wall, you don't have anywhere to put those wires now. You'll need to find the closest available spot in existing wall or drywall to place those stray wires. This means looking backwards in the wire run.
Once you have a location, cut an opening in the drywall with your jab saw, reciprocating saw, or RotoZip. Make sure the opening is a close fit.
Junction Boxes
Since I have no way to fasten a conventional junction box in this ceiling, I am using what is called an old-work or remodeling box, which attaches to the drywall with "wings" that grab the back of the drywall. Because the wire is Romex (NM), I can use a plastic box.
The preferred method is to use a large octagon metal box that screws directly onto the side of a joist or stud.
5. Test-Fit Box In Drywall Opening
If you did this correctly, the box probably will not fit on this first go-around. The reason for making this a tight fit is because these old-work boxes don't have a lot of tolerance for error: just 2 narrow tabs at top and bottom hold the box into place on the front side.
6. Shave Off Excess Drywall From Opening
If the hole is too small, use your jab saw to shave off excess drywall.
7. Fit Wire Into Old-Work Box
Pop open one of the access holes and pull the cable through that access point.
For metal junction boxes, wiggle out the metal tab with a screwdriver and then screw a restraint strap in place.
8. Screw Old-Work Box Into Drywall
With your manual Phillips screwdriver or cordless drill, screw the old-work box into place. This forces the "wings" to pull forward and cinch the box tight in the opening.
If using a drill, set the drill's torque low as it is easy to strip these screw heads or break the wings.
9. Rip Casing From Cable
With your cable ripper, pull outward 3 or 4 times to create light scores in the cable casing.
10. Strip Casing From Individual Wires
You don't have to expose the wire ends if they won't be powering any devices. But I knew that I would be re-routing these wires, so I decided to do my future self a favor and strip the wire ends ahead of time.
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