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Knob & Tube wiring
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:38 pm
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:38 pm
Looked at a house today -- great value, well-maintained, but has knob and tube wiring. Is that pretty much a deal breaker these days? Is it too much work or not enough ROI to have it replaced?
16
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:38 pm to zacata88
Do you have to replace it?
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:39 pm to LCA131
You may have a hard time getting homeowners insurance
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:39 pm to zacata88
(no message)
This post was edited on 2/26/17 at 12:42 pm
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:39 pm to zacata88
Not good when you go to get that property insured
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:43 pm to zacata88
Good luck with your homeowners insurance. It would be cheaper to replace the wiring than the cost of LA Citizens insurance.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:44 pm to captainahab
Yes, 1928.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:46 pm to zacata88
If you can afford to rewire then buy the house.
If not don't buy the house
Stay the hell away from that if you are not going tonaddress the rewire
If not don't buy the house
Stay the hell away from that if you are not going tonaddress the rewire
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:54 pm to zacata88
Not a problem if you're Amish
Posted on 2/20/17 at 8:57 pm to zacata88
As an aside, if you can get ahold of one of the tubes that's about 6 inches long, it makes a great finishing stone for sharpening a knife.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:00 pm to zacata88
You aren't going to find an insurance company to insure it
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:06 pm to jorconalx
I have rental property with it....No issues insuring. In fact, knob & tube is generally safe. It's when you start messing with it that problems occur. With that said, I have replaced it in the attic and walls of my upstairs units so I could blow insulation in the attics.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:11 pm to zacata88
I've owned four houses wired as such. It's been 15 years since I sold the last but was not an issue to the buyer or at inspection. I happen to love knob and tube. Massive, single strand, cloth insulated solid copper wire like you will never see again. I still have the green glass insulators I pulled off the garage of one when I had a new service run. I say check with local codes before you make a decision. Does the house still have two prong receptacles and the glass screw-in fuse box? One house I renovated in old College Town neighborhood on LSU Ave. and I updated the kitchen and baths with a new service but left the old service in the rest. Did the same with one in the Garden District.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:34 pm to zacata88
You don't have to replace it.
Just can't over stress the circuits. Such as, you will never be able to use the microwave, toaster and toaster oven at the same time without tripping the breaker or popping a fuse.
Do you know anyone with a FLIR camera? Those are the best things ever for troubleshooting bad wiring. If it's hot, replace it, if not let it be.
Just can't over stress the circuits. Such as, you will never be able to use the microwave, toaster and toaster oven at the same time without tripping the breaker or popping a fuse.
Do you know anyone with a FLIR camera? Those are the best things ever for troubleshooting bad wiring. If it's hot, replace it, if not let it be.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:40 pm to zacata88
We had no problem getting insurance. We're currently replacing it room by room. It hasn't caused us any issues.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:40 pm to TurkeysAndBees
I had a 1920's house in BR with it, no problems with insurance at all. Though it did have ten circuits that were new and not knob and tube that powered the heavy duty stuff.
Knob and tube is pretty safe as the wire never makes contact with anything conductive. Normal wiring is wrapped and contains a ground, and a neutral and a hot wire (or two), knob and tube runs all the neutrals separately to each fixture and outlet and then to an earth ground and the ground in the panel. So you have a good ground on your neutral. Your hot runs from the fuse box to the circuit and will usually chain from the first receptacle on the circuit rather than in a hidden junction box somewhere, so shorts and opens are easier to find.
People don't like that it's cloth insulated and if you touch it, well then it's no longer insulated. Plus if you see it, you know it's at least 80 years old....
Other than that, it's worked for 80+ years, so there is that.
Knob and tube is pretty safe as the wire never makes contact with anything conductive. Normal wiring is wrapped and contains a ground, and a neutral and a hot wire (or two), knob and tube runs all the neutrals separately to each fixture and outlet and then to an earth ground and the ground in the panel. So you have a good ground on your neutral. Your hot runs from the fuse box to the circuit and will usually chain from the first receptacle on the circuit rather than in a hidden junction box somewhere, so shorts and opens are easier to find.
People don't like that it's cloth insulated and if you touch it, well then it's no longer insulated. Plus if you see it, you know it's at least 80 years old....
Other than that, it's worked for 80+ years, so there is that.
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:47 pm to marie antoinette
Maybe you just lucked out and the insurance company's inspector did a half arse job and didn't notice the wiring. Unless you're with Citizens....I deal with a bunch of insurance companies and none of the private companies will take knob and tube
Posted on 2/20/17 at 9:47 pm to zacata88
My house was built in 1886. I bought it 18 years ago, and the insurance guy saw it and said it scared the shite out of underwriters. But, he was hungry, and I have a great policy. I do upgrade portions of it when renovating.
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