Can old wiring be covered over in wall if disconnected from supply?

[blueman]

Per code, if old wiring is no longer connected to the supply, can the other end be left in the wall and covered over?

i.e., I know that you can't "bury" a box or splice when wires are hot but what if wires are no longer connected to supply?

Thanks

[tbasc]

I've seen this in old houses. It leaves the next fellow to figure out whether or not the wiring is connected. TB

[Brian V]

Obviously town/city codes vary and only your local inspector can tell you the correct answer. That being said, when I rewired last year I was told I had to remove everything that was removable. He further said that if it was stapled inside a finished wall that it was to be pulled taught and cut at the point where the wiring went into the wall and from within the box. That this was the only exception, per code all else needed to be removed. From my entire house there was only about 10' that I couldn't remove. From a light switch in one of my baths to the ceiling fixture itself. Everything else came right out and I was able to use it to pull my strings thru for the rewire.

-Brian

[scott_z500]

I don't know what the code says, but it's a poor practice to cover it up.

[Randy]

Electricians do this all the time when bypassing old wiring in older homes (e.g. knob and tube or cloth wrapped/ungrounded). I suspect there are guidelines when doing this (like pulling out and cutting back the wiring as far as possible from the junctions), but unless you're being hired by someone else, or your work has to pass inspection as part of new construction, you're not obliged to follow code. Also, wiring that you cover up is unlikely ever to be inspected.

Randy