I have an ICF basement that I'm trying to get quotes for wiring from electricians. I had to have an ICF contractor from a different area do the basement because no one in my nearby area does them. Iowa adopted NEC 2008 this year, and so far I've asked 10 electricians in the area and none of them have ever done electrical in ICF.

I tried to explain what I've read of how it is done with cutting a groove into the foam and pushing the romex in there.
Several of them said that would not work because it will not meet NEC 2008 section on NM wire that says it has to be supported and secured by staples, cable ties, straps, hangers, or similar fittings designed and installed so the wire is not damaged.
The only option is to go with conduit secured to the concrete.

Any help please? Thanks.

Seems to me that the foam itself serves that purpose especially if cut at a incline. If in doubt, one could secure using a dab a spray foam every so often. This really could be considered similar to running it through a hole drilled in a stud. It is only loosely secured by that mechanism as well without being "mechanically designed" to do so. I would consult with your local inspection office and ask them what they would allow.

I agree w/ LarryT. Talk to your local electrical inspector. It may be a state inspector if you're not within a city limit.

If you are forced away from NM cable by the inspector, and I don't think you will be, take a look at using BX cable before you go to conduit. It may be cheaper and easier to use. I don't think you have to bury it all the way down in the foam either. You can glue it into place w/ foam.

Another choice, if you are willing to learn, and have confidence doing so, consider doing your own wiring. There are books available to guide you. If you can find a friend, or electrician, who can help you, wiring is not an impossible DIY project. I'm sure Iowa law will allow you to do your own wiring in your own house. If you have a decent inspector for your area he'll guide you also, as long as you can demonstrate competence and are receptive to his directions (even if he's wrong!).

Here's the wording from the 2005 NEC as included in the 2006 IRC. From what little Google searching I just did I think the wording is the same in the 2008 NEC. Don't know what the section number is in the NEC.

Where installed in grooves, to be covered by wallboard,
siding, paneling, carpeting, or similar finish, wiring methods
shall be protected by 0.0625-inch-thick steel plate, sleeve, or
equivalent, a listed steel plate or by not less than 11/4-inch
free space for the full length of the groove in which the
cable or raceway is installed.


The 1 1/2" foam thickness will meet the free space requirement of 1 1/4" as long as the groove goes all the way to the concrete.

The fastening requirements the electricians are thinking about is when the wire is run in stud spaces, etc.

Gene Van Berkum of Pella is a seasoned journeyman electrician that kind of enjoys wiring ICF homes. Give him a call at 641-204-2111

You should only have to put a steel plate when it goes horizontal through a tie And is less than 1.25" back.

my understanding is that expanding foam adhesive counts as mechanical attachment to secure wiring in the foam trench.  good luck.

Thanks for all the replies. My foam is 2.5" thick so I can definitely be deeper than the minimum 1.25" I talked to the inspector and he didn't know, so he's looking into it.
Thanks Spencer. But Pella is three hours away from where I am, and I'm sure that will figure into the price somehow.

Dmaceld, please don't make me cry. I was going to wire it myself, but would you believe that Iowa's new law prohibits homeowners from doing their own electrical in their own house if it is new construction! I have no choice but to pay someone to do it! And I can't even work with the electrician to let me do anything to help save a bit on labor and such. I legally can't mount boxes, pull wire through studs, or install my light fixtures myself. In new construction ALL OF IT has to be hired out. And new law to all breakers have to be arc fault now, so instead $8 per breaker, they cos $50. The cost of electrical has shot up in the last year. (not to mention it is figured in their labor the cost to get licensed and maintain their license) I am so peeved and depressed because the quotes we are getting are so expensive and it was definitely not in the budget to hire the electrical labor out, so sadly we won't be moving into our house for another year because we simply don't have the money to pay the electrician and are saving up for it. I'll quit my whining now.

From Iowaelectrical.gov

Can homeowners make application for an electrical permit on an existing house and install a new electrical service?

1. Answer: The homeowner can request an electrical permit and install a new service if it is the homeowner’s primary residence and qualifies for a Homestead Tax Exemption. However if it is a new house, the work would have to be performed by a licensed electrical contractor.

We use foam adhesive to anchor boxes and Romex.

I agree. Thats what we do and it always passes inspection with no problem.

That is way too bad. Sorry to hear that.

One potential problem with AFC's that I read about on JLCOnline a couple of years ago. One electrician reported that in a motel where all the breakers were AFC and next to each other there was a serious heating problem in the breaker box. They ended up replacing the AFCs, (the ones that did not have to be AFC by code at that time), with regular breakers. You may want to see if you can learn more about this issue. It might force you to use a larger box with more breaker spaces, or two boxes, in order to provide air space around the AFCs. Sorry to add to your misery but better to know and deal with it now than after all the wiring is done.

I haven't read anything on JLCOnline for quite some time now so I don't know if this issue has been resolved or not. I do know that Idaho made an exception when it adopted the 2008 NEC to keep the AFC requirement the same as in the 2005 NEC. It still allows homeowner wiring also. Too bad Iowa has seen fit to be so "progressive," not! Iowa is a right to work state isn't it? That means we probably can't even blame union pressure for prohibiting homeowner wiring. All I can think of is the contractor lobby pressure was too much, or too many homeowners were screwing things up and the inspectors weren't finding the problems and enforcing the code. But, from what I have read on JLCOnline, and photos posted there, a lot of electricians screw things up badly and have a lot of code violations.

As far as cost my experience was tha Home Depot pricing was as good, or better, than the local supply houses. Maybe you can work out a deal w/ an eletrician to let you buy the material and maybe even hire you to be a helper.

After speaking w/Gene Van Berkum, he does work near Story City & Ames at times. He said you should give him a call. Reasonable straight shooter knid of a guy. Really knows his work.

I believe I delivered your Form-A-Drain and waterproofing membrane. Seems like a long time ago! It does not take three hours to reach your project. It is less than two.

I built a home in Illinois several years ago as an owner-builder.  The local jurisdiction required that both plumbing and electrical be done by a licensed contractor.  Couldn't get around the plumbing restriction, but was able to take a residential electrical wiring exam to obtain a limited residential electrical license.  What I learned preparing for the exam (which I passed) was very useful when undertaking the actual electrical work.  Maybe there's a provision in the Iowa law for obtaining a residential license.  If you haven't already done so, check it out.

Thanks Spencer. Yes, it was definitely a long time ago. We poured our footings in september 08 and waterproofed sometime in December. Once the framer was done, we took over. We're doing the rest of it ourselves without financing, so we go as far as the money we save allows. This will be a 10 year construction project!
Right now we're actually running just the utilities outside to the house, so the local electricians can handle that. Interior wiring won't happen until sometime next spring/summer, but I was asking the guys that I'm quoting for the outside work about getting a quote when the time comes and none of them have ever done ICF electrical. Then when I mentioned how easy it should be, they questioned if it would meet code and that's where all of this started.
I will give Gene a call. I am curious to see how his local state inspector is accepting work in ICF since the new law went into effect in March. I told my local inspector to give the Pella/Des Moines area inspector a call since I know there's a lot more ICF work down there than here.

Clark, I've read the whole Iowa Code section 103 enough times that I've got it almost memorized. No such provision in there for a homeowner doing new construction. Existing home, yes. New construction no. I've gone as far now as writing letters to my legislators to change the law to do something similar like in MN where they do have a homeowner's provision and you can wire your own house whether it's new or not. If they ever change that, I doubt I'll benefit from it since it takes a long time to make changes to the law. *sniff*

I've shared this thread with the local inspector, and he's warming up to the idea of the foam dabs every 4 ft to be good enough. Thanks for all the replies.