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Replacing knob and tube wiring?

If your home was built in 1950 or earlier and you are considering selling, remodeling or buying insurance, you may have a problem with “knob and tube” wiring.

Knob and tube (K&T) wiring is copper wiring installed in white ceramic knobs and black tubes that carry electricity throughout the house. And, even though the rest of a home may have updated its wiring at some point, knob and tube may still linger in hard-to-access pockets like attics, wall cavities, and crawl spaces.

 

6 reasons to remove knob and tube wiring from your home:

  1. K&T wiring lacks an important safety feature — ground wiring. The ground wire offers a path to offload excess electricity. Lack of ground wire increases the chances of starting a fire if you overload electric circuits
  2. Knob and tube wiring was not designed to handle the electrical demands modern technology and appliances require
  3. Porcelain knobs and tubes can crack, causing wires to sag and fray over time, resulting in exposed live wires
  4. Knob & tube wiring can cause shorts or overheat. These hazards should be inspected and corrected by a licensed electrician.
  5. The rubberized cloth insulation protecting the K&T wiring becomes brittle over time and can flake off.
  6. Wiring must be grounded if used safely in places where there is a possibility of contact with water. Like in the kitchen, laundry rooms, bathrooms, and outdoors. This type of ungrounded wiring is extremely dangerous and can cause a family member’s injury and/or deat

    5 benefits of installing modern wiring versus keeping knob and tube:

    • Reduce the chance of fire! Knob and tube wiring cannot dissipate the heat it creates. K&T terminations are not in junction boxes. As the insulation on the conductor decays and the terminations weaken, the insulation is in direct contact with the wiring, which can cause arcing and result in fire.
    • Mortgage and insurance companies may not insure or lend to homeowners with knob and tube wiring installed in their property.
    • Modern wiring use ground conductors. They reduce the risk of electrical fires. Modern wiring prevents damage to sensitive electrical appliances and other items that are plugged into outlets.
    • If you want to refinance or sell your home, you will have an easier time finding a company willing to lend money. A buyer would be more willing to purchase your home.
    • Insurance rates will be extensively lower. Modern wiring reduces the chance of house fire that can cause injury and/or death due to electrical hazards.

    Safety tips for homes with K&T wiring:

    • Have a qualified electrician inspect the home.
    • Do not run an excessive number of appliances in the home. This could cause a fire.
    • Replace brittle or cracked wiring. Proper maintenance is critical.
    • Have an electrician carefully remove any insulation surrounding K&T wires.
    • Replace all outlets with ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets. These are 3-prong outlets with a built-in reset button.

    Unsafe wiring can cause fires, complicate estate transactions, and make insurers skittish. A more electric efficient and safer home increases its resale value. Call 509-393-3778 for a certified, licensed and bonded electrician to remove the older knob and tube and install modern wiring today.