Why are my electrical outlets within the baseboards? i have to drill through the baseboard to nurture a cable...

i have to drill through the baseboard to nurture a cable to another room. i'm concerned because the outlets are in the baseboards and i'm afraid i might hit a running flex. does anyone know what the building code was past the 12-18 inch above floor code was established.where on earth do these wires run?
Answers:    If your baseboards are wide plenty to house the outlets then you probably enjoy an older home near lath and plaster walls. It is very difficult to cut a hole into lath and plaster in need further damaging the surrounding nouns. (That's why there be a picture rail hard by the ceiling in several older homes.) Originally the electrical system was single conductor and be installed with porcelain devices call knobs and tubes. There be fewer types of electrical boxes available surrounded by those days, and in extension the switches interrupted the neutral to some extent than the line,however it be common for both the column and neutral to hold over-current protection in the form of fuses. The wires can and probably do come from two different directions, and within your case probably from underneath the floor and up into the wall. The last article you want to do is damage a conductor in a wall. The best way to locate this type of chain is to turn off adjectives power and send a signal through the flex with a touchtone phone equipment type signal generator. Trace the signal without have to open the walls and draw an "as-built" electrical system diagram. Sounds like fun. Good Luck.
There are 2 reason the code is 18" above the floor, One is for reach, Some those cannot reach the end board, and the other is for flooding such as cleaning water, enunciate a bucket of water turned over on the floor, 18" is strong to reach next to water. I don't know of any code that would allow this, the single thing that come close is the ones within a very generous room and in the floor, but they own covers and are GFI'ed, Use a tester to find any wires, Get a static pen tester, it flickers when you are near a live line.