getting Romex out of caulked holes

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mivey

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Will Randall (Jack Nicholson in "Wolf"): "I'm just marking my territory, and you got in the way."
 

RustyShackleford

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NC
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electrical engineer
all latex caulk? it will soften under hot water.
I should mention this, even though it worked with latex caulk possibly it could help someone with other kinds as well: got a tea kettle of near-boiling water and a horse syringe. Squirted a syringe-full of the water into each top-plate hole. Worked like a charm.

Not to get back on-topic or anything :)
 

ActionDave

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I should mention this, even though it worked with latex caulk possibly it could help someone with other kinds as well: got a tea kettle of near-boiling water and a horse syringe. Squirted a syringe-full of the water into each top-plate hole. Worked like a charm.

Not to get back on-topic or anything :)
You got water on romex?!! It's ruined.
 

RustyShackleford

Senior Member
Location
NC
Occupation
electrical engineer
You got water on romex?!! It's ruined.
For about 5 minutes. And in such a way that the water couldn't run down inside the jacket (water put into top-plate hole from above, left for a couple minutes, and then cable pulled up out of hole from above).
 

ggunn

PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
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When I saw the title of this thread I first read Romex as Rolex. Never mind.
 

infinity

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Let's try to keep this thread on track or it's a goner. Thank you for your cooperation.
 

RustyShackleford

Senior Member
Location
NC
Occupation
electrical engineer
Let's try to keep this thread on track or it's a goner. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sorry about the job-site language in previous post. But yeah, you're a jerk if you pee in any toilet without putting the seat up first.

As far as the topic: for latex caulk, the hot water works great (though I guess you should be careful not to get water inside the sheath of the NM). For other caulks, such as fire-stop, who knows ?
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
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Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
Haven't had this problem so much before. Romex passing through holes in wall top plate was seriously caulked. It's semi-flexible latex caulk it appears, but it is tough. Any tricks for dealing with this (to remove the Romex from the hole) ? I try not to abuse Romex too badly, but I'm thinking as long as you're pulling in a more or less straight line, that you can probably pull as hard as you're able (without using any mechanical advantage) - true ? If that doesn't work, any other tips ? Trying to drill the caulk seems hazardous.

Just curious, but why does the Romex need to come out?
 

RustyShackleford

Senior Member
Location
NC
Occupation
electrical engineer
Just curious, but why does the Romex need to come out?
Prepping for a kitchen remodel where a wall with several boxes and 9 cables needs to be demolished. I don't like to cut off ends of Romex if I can help it, even though a lot of it will probably ultimately be new runs from the box.
 
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