Non plenum and plenum cables – tips to find the best one

Non Plenum and Plenum Cables – Tips to Find the Best One Construction of buildings is never an easy task, especially with the choices that has to be made including plenum and non-plenum cables.

Professionals on the field will not have a hard time choosing which one is the best. However, there are still times when they are having doubts on whether the other one is better or not.

Most of the professionals nowadays still prefer plenum cables because of various reasons. It is not only about the quality, but also the benefits that it offers to the building when it is finished. You should know about the usage of plenum cables and how it can benefit you. Below are some of the facts that you have to understand about it.

The term “Plenum” came from the HVAC industry which means plenum spaces.

These are the areas in the building where air can circulate freely. This is a cable that can be installed freely. This is the reason why it is always required when no conduit is used.

Plenum spaces are placed inside the building for various emergencies. In case of fire and smoke, this space will really help a lot. Smoke and fire travel fast when they are on this area. If there are no plenum spaces inside the building, the smoke and fire will be contained inside and probably cause more damage or bring more casualties to the people inside it.

A plenum cable is made from materials that produce less smoke when it is exposed to fire. It means that even if the cable is already burning, it doesn’t produce a lot of smoke.

Manufacturers are often using Low Smoke PVC, Flouropolymers and Teflon when they make plenum cables. These materials have certain properties that allow the cables to produce less smoke compared with cheap and regular PVC cables. As for the nonplenum cables, they are the cheaper alternative for plenum cables. The popularity of these cables came from its price but the quality is not the same.

If you are going to choose the cables for the building, it should always depend on the contractors and your current budget. If they are concerned on the safety, plenum cables will definitely be the best choice. If you are saving money, you can always opt for a Nonplenum cable.