Covering Fibre Optic Cabling on External Wall

[ThomasP]

Hi there, we had BT Fibre installed about a year ago and the cable leading into the house was installed on the outside wall running up the entire length of the house to just below a top window. We live in a slightly unusual house in that the living room is upstairs (where the router is) and the bedroom downstairs as the house is built into the side of a hill. Anyway, the installers didn't attempt to protect the cabling and I feel as if I should put a covering conduit over it as it's extremely fragile by all accounts. Now, my partner swears that she was told by the installers that it should never be covered for reasons unknown. I think she's misunderstood but thought I should ask. Is it okay to cover the fibre cable with a plastic protective cover/conduit?

[dave44]

It won't really make a difference either way.

It's not that fragile as the fibre is surrounded by layers of kevlar and it'll easily survive a few knocks. But also it wont do it any harm whatsoever to put it a cover over it either.

[rbz5416 · Accepted solution]

As above, the cable is designed for external use & so resistant to weathering, so no need to cover it other than for aesthetics.

I would imagine that if anything, the installer would have been referring to permanently covering with render or the like, as the cable may need repair/replacement at some point in the future.

[ThomasP]

Thanks for the replies, I had no idea the cabling was as tough as it seems to be.  I might just have saved myself a job then! Thanks.