Debate: Is it better to run coax through the attic or crawlspace for a long house?

I was out on a job last week for a 3 story house in Austin and got into it with another installer about the best path for running lines. He swears by attics every time because you avoid moisture and critters. But in my experience, attics can be a nightmare with blown insulation and summer heat that makes you miserable in 10 minutes. Crawlspaces might have spiders and dirt, but at least you can move without roasting. The customer wanted the modem in a back bedroom so it was a long haul either way. What do you all lean towards for tricky runs like this, attic or crawlspace? Has anyone had issues with one over the other long term?

2 comments

2 Comments

fisher.jessica9d ago

lmao I feel like the real debate here is who hates their job more, the attic guy or the crawlspace guy. I've done both and honestly I'd take crawlspace heat over attic heat any day, at least in a crawlspace you can pretend you're in a really gross themed escape room instead of a literal oven with pink cotton candy insulation trying to kill you. The attic installer probably hasn't had to crawl through a 140 degree attic in July yet because that's a whole different kind of nightmare, I still have flashbacks to that one job where my ladder basically melted. But hey, maybe I'm just scared of the dark corners up there where raccoons might be plotting my demise lol.

wyattramirez9d ago

gotta hard disagree with @fisher.jessica on this one. attics suck no doubt but at least you're not breathing in mold spores and dead rat dust while trying to not put your hand in something wet. crawlspaces are a whole different level of horror, stuff down there actually grows and moves.