Coax Cable Coming Out Of Wall – What Does It Mean?

Maintaining a beautiful home can require a lot of continued work, but in the long run, it proves incredibly rewarding.

Home maintenance covers all areas of the home, from floors to ceilings, and those small nooks and crannies that might otherwise end up neglected. It also includes walls.

We often spend a long time decorating our walls with frames and other decorations, and this of course makes it incredibly frustrating when you realize that one of your walls has a coax cable awkwardly hanging out of it! 

We totally understand the situation you’ve found yourself in. You’ve spent countless hours maintaining your walls only to suddenly discover an awkward shape protruding from it!

What does it actually mean if there is a coax cable coming out of the wall? What does the cable do? And what can you do about it? 

If you have a coax cable coming out of your wall, don’t worry, because it is not a danger at all. This cable can either be put to use connecting your broadband box and then discreetly hidden, or cut out by an electrician! 

What Is A Coax Cable?

A coax cable, often referred to as a ‘Coaxial’, is a cable that is designed to carry high-frequency signals with minimal loss.

This makes them incredibly useful cables for things like internet connections, television signals, and radios. Basically, these cables have been used to help keep us connected! 

Do People Still Use Coax Cables?

Yes! Though coax cables have been used since the late 1800s, they are still incredibly useful for those that want to access incredibly high bandwidth levels.

However, if you do not need high bandwidth, then you may not need to use one at all.

In more modern home designs, coax cables may be hidden a bit more discreetly in plug sockets that you can simply hook your devices up to. However, you are here because yours pokes out from the wall causing quite an eyesore! 

What Does It Mean If A Coax Cable Is Coming Out Of The Wall?

If the coax cable is coming out of your wall, the most important thing to note is that you need not panic. It doesn’t mean that something in your home is damaged, it simply means that your home was built with the coax cable exposed! 

It should only be a concern if the cable itself looks frayed, or if it looks like it is causing damage to the wall from where it pokes out.

However, though a coax cable coming out of the wall shouldn’t be a source of concern, this provides little comfort for those that want to be rid of the eyesore it creates!  Let’s find out what you can do about it.

Can You Remove A Coax Cable From The Wall?

Yes, if you want to remove your coax cable from the wall, this can be done, but you will want to make sure that you do it just right. 

Can You Cut Out A Coax Cable From The Wall?

Yes, but we really advise against doing this by yourself. If you can, try to contact an electrician to fully remove the cable from the home so that it can be fully deactivated and not become a fire risk in the future. 

An electrician will start by cutting off the power to the coax cable from the mains power supply so that now power will continue traveling through it. 

From there, an electrician may be able to completely disconnect the cable from the home. If this proves impossible, they can simply cut the cable as close as possible to the wall. Then you can cover over it or fill the hole up. 

How Can You Hide A Coax Cable That Is Coming Out Of The Wall?

If you have a coax cable that is proving an eyesore as it pokes out of your wall, but you still want to make use of it, there are a few things you can do.

Cable Covers

If you’re happy to keep the cable at the same length, but you just want to make it a little bit more presentable, then you can easily make use of cable covers that can be placed right atop the cable and can then be painted over.

Let’s say you have white walls, you could place some cable covers over the coax, and then simply paint it the same color, creating a discreet look.

Move The Cable

If you are happy to move the cable around, then you can always shorten the length at which it comes out from the wall. Simply grab the cable and push it carefully through the hole in the wall, being careful not to push it all of the way. 

We strongly recommend contacting an electrician to help you to fit a socket over the end of the wire on the wall. This means that you can directly hook up certain appliances to the coax cable without having to move the cable around.

To Finish 

As you can now see, if there is a coax cable coming out of your wall, you don’t need to panic. It isn’t a sign that your home is falling apart.

It may simply be a remnant of a distinct way that a prior tenant connected things like televisions and radios!

You can still make use of it, provided it is hooked up to power, allowing you to access strong bandwidth with broadband appliances

If you are finding yourself totally put off by a stray coax cable, don’t worry. You can either hide it away or have an electrician pay a quick visit to remove it completely!