Our house was built in 1930, it's a two-and-a-half level (single bedroom above kitchen, partially 'finished' basement).

I've been looking for a way to run power and data lines up to the bedroom above the kitchen, because my wife is using that room as an office.

Is it generally allowed or not allowed to run wires up through the floors in the same passage that houses the chimney (which is used to vent a gas furnace and a gas water heater)?

Is it generally allowed or not allowed to run wires up the 'wet wall' where the main plumbing stack ascends to the roof?

I'm not asking for determinations based on local code, I'm just asking whether there are generally accepted guidelines for this, so that when I go ask the city engineer's office I won't look quite so stupid.  

For what it's worth, I've been looking in the attic and I can't find where the original power wires (K&T) run.  There is a good layer of blown-in insulation all over the attic, which is great for insulation purposes but sucks for working on wiring up there.  I've looked on all three levels, and for every location that looks "good" on one level, it is blocked or unusable on another level.  So far, the only unimpeded paths I have found are next to the chimney and next to the main plumbing stack--and even next to the plumbing stack isn't a very easy fit.

Jim

The Chimney and the stack are the best 2 first choices.......go with them, I do....and usually the stack pipe is easiest.....usually

Nothing wrong with the plumbing stack at all. The chimney is more of a problem.Are you talking about a metal flue? Metal flues get real hot, anything touching it could melt. I would avoid it if possible. If it's a brick chimmny then go for it.

wet wall, use conduit, not MC, conduit pipe.  More expensive in materials, but it'll make your life easier than trying to "fish" wire through two levels.

Why not run 2 conduits from the basement to the upper level on the outside of the house. an LB fitting top and bottom, paint it to match the house and it should look good. Run the high voltage seperate from the low voltage it keeps the data transmission much cleaner.

Outside the house is an option, but we'd like to avoid putting large holes in the stucco if at all possible.

Our chimney is brick, and I've never felt it anything but cool to the touch, even in winter with the furnace blazing.  There's already one wire running next to the chimney, but based on how it is run, I suspect it was not done by a professional, and not even someone with the desire to look like a pro.  I've gradually been trying to bring the poorly run, poorly designed circuits up to code based on what I read in the local building ordinances and what I read in the how-to books--looks like some of the previous owners didn't have a clue what they were doing, and weren't smart enough to ask.

I thought about conduit up the wet wall or next to the chimney, but ran into a question.  The locations I could use to run conduit are walls on the 1st floor, but in the basement (and obviously in the attic) they are open.  How do I secure and terminate the conduit at each end?  

Thanks for the help everyone!

Jim

Quoted: I thought about conduit up the wet wall or next to the chimney, but ran into a question.  The locations I could use to run conduit are walls on the 1st floor, but in the basement (and obviously in the attic) they are open.  How do I secure and terminate the conduit at each end?   Thanks for the help everyone! Jim

Use a junction box secured to a framing member.
You use the conduit  fitting with a threaded end to fit into one of the holes of a junction box, then use romex connectors to go from there. hope this helps

I'd go with conduit up the plumbing stack wall. That's where I've had the best success.