In office buildings with acoustical lay-in ceiling tiles, what is the most common method of fire alarm wiring, open wire or in conduit, in your city? If conduit, is it due to a local code requirement? I’m in Houston, Texas and we run all open wire unless specified otherwise.
plenum.
i think Illinois is strictly conduit, even in residential. at least in the chicago area.
Illinois, it sorta changes. Anything in Chicago is in “Red” conduit, or “Red” couplings. When you get out into the suburbs around Chicago, it can go either way. Most suburbs around Chicago, is a free air nightmare.
It varies in Sacramento, California. Some of the downtown building have wires in conduit, while most buildings with acoustical lay-in ceiling tiles, they use open wire. However, just this past summer, as I was visiting renovation sites and new building sites, I see more fire alarm wire in conduit, no matter the building.
So I guess that answer is, it varies.