Contractor, assessor, auditor, or similar will inspect and assess the house to identify knob and tube wiring. We are looking to purchase a home built in 1907, and there is some knob and tube, but also a lot of newer wiring that has been done in the last year or so. No form of insulation loose, blownin, or expanding foam insulation can be placed over the wiring. Some demand higher premiums from customers with this kind of wiring in. Knob and tube wiring was eventually displaced from interior wiring systems because of the high cost of installation compared with use of power cables, which combined both power conductors of a circuit in one run and which later included grounding conductors. I say part because theres a modern junction box from a renovation in the late 90s where one. You must hire an electrician and submit to your insurance agent a contract stating that the knob and tube wiring will be replaced within 60 days. After removing the plaster off the walls, lo and behold, knob and tube wiring. Water damage, knob tube wiring and how that affects your home. Some insurance companies demand higher premiums from customers with knob and tube wiring in their homes, while other companies refuse to insure. Knob and tube was a method of electrical wiring, seen in north america from the 1880s to the 1940s. Microwaves make their journey from apparatus to antenna not by wire, cable, or coaxial but by waveguide. There is a form of knob and tube installation that is still legal today.
The issue for insurance companies who stay away from knob and tube policies mostly comes down to not always being able to easily assess all knob and tube wiring in a. Covering knob and tube wiring with thermal insulation is unsafe and prohibited. Others may feature knob and tube wiring, which is more exposed than todays style. If your house has the old system of knob and tube electrical wiring, youll likely face problems trying to get homeowners insurance. Knob tube wiring metrowest electrician watts control, inc. Because of the potential inherent danger in a home with old, potentially failing knob and tube wiring, insurance company rates will often be more as compared with homes without knob and tube wiring. The dangers, why home insurance wont cover it, and why it should be replaced. Knob and tube wiring in milwaukee wi current electric. Knob and tube wiring is often part of an obsolete and undersized electrical system that is easy to overload. Long before the war, bell laboratories by theory and experiment hod proved that a metal tube. Ancient electrical systems, such as knob and tube wiring, also cause headaches for homeowners. My personal residence purchased this spring had the living room all on knob and tub yet but the rest of the house updated as well as the panel and they had no issues with with that. If you think you might have knob and tube wiring, or your home was built during this time period, feel free to call us for a free consultation. Just found out that my attic has knob and tube wiring for part of my 2nd floor.
Knob and tube wiring was the goto wiring method for buildings from the 1880s through to the 1940s. Knobandtube systems installed in homes built before the 1940s are now considered highrisk, especially as people increase their electricity use with more gadgets. Our professional electricians can do this electrical inspection for you and provide an expert opinion on replacement of your knob and. And those insurance savings can pay for the cost of the rewire in less. Knob and tube wiring is designed to be strung through open air so the heat can dissipate well. Obtaining insurance for a home with knob and tube wiring comes with a. Stateoftheart in its day, knob and tube wiring is known for deteriorating over time from excessive heating and cooling, rodent damage or human interference. When buying a home with knob and tube wiring you should have a licensed. Sorry for the question, since i havent done much of my own research yet, but has anyone run into a legal situation where its okay to reuse existing knob and tube wiring. It all adds up to an increased fire risk, especially when multiple appliances are in use.
And if you do manage to get insured, your premiums will probably be much higher. Insurance was only had by insurer of last resort state subsidized. Many homes throughout massachusetts, connecticut and rhode island still have this kind of wiring and are considered outofdate by todays. Getting insurance for a home with knob and tube wiring. Insurance for homes with knob and tube wiring 3 tips to save. This is one of several reasons why insurance companies will not insure homes with knob and tube wiring. Knob and tube wiring was king in the early 20thcentury but time has. Jul 15, 2015 knob and tube electrical wiring, also called open wiring, was a common wiring method used in the 1900s to the late 1940s. Donald, i was saying that insurance companies in my area have not been concerned with knob and tube wiring that was in good condition.
Ill discuss both in this post, but first, some background. Dec 07, 2009 in the end, any homeowner with knob and tube wiring, or the potential buyer of such a house, should hire an electrician to give the system a complete check. Knob and tube wiring also poses a problem for insurance companies. This wiring, from 80100 years ago, has not aged gracefully. We and our insurance company would never have known otherwise.
Knob and tube wiring was installed in massachusetts homes up until about 1945, although in the rural areas up until about 1950. Electrical wiring today is the best its ever been and you certainly dont want to miss out, especially when your safety is on the line. The rest said theyd only insure their 97yearold mulvey avenue home if they agreed to replace all the old knob and tube wiring in 30 to 60 days. A ground is necessary if you are plugging in todays appliances that have the third prong in the plug. This wiring gets its name from the ceramic knobs to which the wires are secured and the ceramic tubes in which the wires pass through the wood framing. Knob and tube wiring inspections and replacement in boston, massachusetts. If you are buying or selling a home, or if you own an existing home that was built in the 1800s to 1930s, theres a good chance the house is wired with knob and tube wiring. This system utilizes wire that is wrapped around and drawn through a series of ceramic tubes. That being said, we did replace the knob and tube wiring that we could access up to modern code. When insurance companies changed their rules for older wiring, home buyers were left with a need for more information about what they were buying. Stop living in the 1800s and get with the times thanks to our knob and tube wiring replacement. A beginners guide to buying an older home the boston globe.
The most dangerous problems with knob and tube wiring are caused by trying to add additional wiring to the original system. Sep 01, 2015 knob and tube wiring was installed commonly well into the 50s, and the oldtimers were still installing it into the 60s. Electricians installed knob and tube wiring in homes from the late 1800s to the 1940s. Massachusetts homeowners should have any active knob and tube wiring inspected for safety. Hazards of knob and tube wiring santa rosa electrician. Does your home have knob and tube electrical wiring. Most insurance companies are hesitant to insure a home where the electrical wiring hasnt been updated to grounded threewire circuits. It is considered a fire hazard by most insurance companies.
It is estimated that there were approximately 200,000 homes, with knob and tube wiring, built in bc during this time, with a large number located in abbotsford, langley, and the lower mainland. Contact current electric today to replace your knob and tube wiring in milwaukee. Can i get homeowners insurance with knobandtube wiring. Carefully calculate the existing and new load on the existing knob and tube circuit and do not overload the existing circuit.
In my experience, insurance is impossible to get with knob and tube. This is what typical knob and tube wiring looks like in an attic. As i already stated, knob and tube wiring does not contain a ground wire. Knob and tube wiring is invariably old and may have been subjected to multiple handymen, mechanical abuse and. This book ought to have a place on the shelf of every home inspectors resource library. Knob and tube wiring was most commonly installed in homes between 1880 and 1935. Can i get homeowners insurance with knob and tube wiring. Knob and tube wiring was designed to let heat dissipate. Do not use existing knob and tube wiring if the insulation is deteriorated. I live in pittsburgh, pa where most of the houses were build prior to the 1950s and contain some amount of this type of wiring which has most often been professionally incorporated into updated wiring mostly in visibleaccessible areas. Knob and tube wiring is an older type of wiring that was used in the past and can be found today in homes that were built prior to the 1950s. Knob and tube wiring removal open wiring services orillia. Obtaining insurance for a home with knob and tube wiring comes with a specific set of requirements.
Knob and tube wiring insurance for homes in new jersey although you may be able to find someone to finance a house with knob and tube wiring getting the insurance for that house maybe a whole different story as of continue reading. If your home was built prior to 1950 then you may still have this type of wiring and not even know it. Circuit breaker panel upgrades knob and tube wiring north. Most homes with knob and tube wiring have been at least been partially upgraded to. The odd early 70s knob and tube installation can still be found here and there. Knob and tube wiring insurance aspects examples, tips. Knob and tube wiring is an ungrounded system which is completely unacceptable by todays standards. When knob and tube wiring was installed correctly, and when it hasnt been tampered with, its still considered safe by some inspection authorities and insurance companies. The question whether the presence of such wiring in a. I would call an insurance broker rather than a single company. It consisted of singleinsulated copper wire run in wall or ceilings. Keep in mind rates for mpiua tend to be higher between 3060% higher than a standard insurance company in massachusetts. Electrical wiring and home insurance is just one of the many considerations when comparing houses, especially if you are considering buying an older home in ontario. Insurance for homes with knob and tube wiring dangers of knob and tube wiring.
You may be perfectly content to live with knob and tube wiring, but the other stakeholders of your home are probably going to insist that you change it. Apr 14, 2011 it seems many companies do not offer insurance if there is knob and tube wiring in place, but i know there are some out there. Massachusetts is stocked with vintage properties, full of charm, but also. The fact that the only correctlywired outlets are in the basement where new romex or bx obviously was used to replace old knob and tube make perfect sense. But if you have it, its going to make selling your home a more expensive proposition. Knob and tube wiring is an old twoconductor wiring method that consists of hot and neutral wires separated from each other. Had to replace entire wiring of foreclosure property i bought. Knob and tube and insurance i had the offer conditional on inspection, and the inspector wrote in his report that there was no knob and tube visible, he did tell me that there probably was knob and tube in the house, and recommended that i wait to replace it when i renovate particular areas. You should be concerned with the safety of the wiring and the insurability of the home. Knob and tube wiring massachusetts home inspections. They used porcelain knobs to anchor the wires to studs and floor joists and insulated tubes to pass wires through walls and other obstructions. It is called knob of tube because of insulator knobs which are used to keep wires isolated and insulating tubes that were used to guide conducting.
Insurance cost cut by 66% after knob and tube replaced. Our clients are often told that they cannot get insurance, or they can only get insurance if they promise to remove the knob and tube by a deadline, like 30120 days after closing. If an inspection uncovers problems, you should make the necessary repairs for personal safety as well as insurance concerns. This is a known fire hazard and it is specifically condemned in the national electrical code, section 3244.