Pro tip: a zip tie trick saved me from a real mess in a tight attic space

I was up in a hot attic in Mesa, trying to fish a 12/2 wire across a 20-foot span. The fish tape kept getting snagged on insulation and I was about to lose my cool... Then I remembered a trick. I taped a small zip tie to the end of the fish tape, with the tail pointing back, and it slid right through every snag like a charm. It took me maybe 5 minutes to get it across after that. Has anyone else found a simple tool hack that saved a frustrating job?

3 comments

3 Comments

nathan2892mo ago

That zip tie trick is a lifesaver for snaggy insulation. I've used a similar trick with a plastic bag taped over the end to make a little parachute. It just slides over everything instead of catching.

the_kim8d ago

Can't believe you did this in Mesa! @rose_young is right, that heat is a whole different beast. 130 degrees in an attic is no joke. I'd rather be fishing wire in a crawlspace full of spiders than deal with that kind of bake. A plastic bag parachute is smart though, I might have to steal that one from you.

rose_young2mo ago

Wait, you were in an attic in Mesa in this heat? That alone sounds like a nightmare! I can't imagine trying to focus on fishing wire when it's probably 130 degrees up there. My attic is bad enough, and I'm not in Arizona. The zip tie is genius, but honestly, just surviving that heat is the real win.