Knob & Tube Wiring: Does Yours Need To Be Replaced?

Do you own a home built prior to 1950? From the earliest days of home electricity, way back in the 1880s until just after World War II, Toronto homes featured what is known as knob and tube wiring. While this wiring was adequate for its time, most licensed electricians in Toronto would recommend upgrading to a modern electrical system.

Why Should Knob & Tube Wiring Be Replaced?

There are several reasons why knob and tube wiring should be replaced. First, it simply doesn’t provide the amount of power needed to adequately compensate for the modern home.

In the 1920s, for instance, homeowners might have a refrigerator (maybe) and perhaps a radio, but that was about it. A few lucky homeowners had an electric stove and perhaps even a vacuum cleaner.

Compare that with today’s homeowner who has a larger fridge, a dishwasher, a coffeemaker, toaster, air conditioner, multiple TVs, DVD players, computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, a washer, dryer, hair dryers, curling irons, microwave ovens and the list goes on.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, knob and tube wiring can be dangerous. For one thing, with knob and tube wiring there is no ground wire. With only a neutral wire and a hot wire, this can cause surges of electricity to occur. This can damage your electronics and appliances, but these surges also can cause fires and electrical shocks.

Knob and tube wiring is also old, and as the components break down this increases your risk of fire, especially since this wiring is often found near insulation. Knob and tube wiring also isn’t water resistant, which becomes a big problem in rooms where water and electricity might be close together, such as the bathroom, laundry room or kitchen.

Furthermore, it’s quite possible that repairs have been made to your wiring throughout the years, and some of these repairs might not have been completed by a licensed electrician as required by law. Substandard repairs can put you at greater risk of injuries and fire.

Lastly, many insurance companies won’t provide home insurance if the house still features knob and tube wiring. So, if you’ve been struggling to get insured, upgrading your electrical system will make this easier and, ultimately, lower your insurance rates.

What’s The Cost Of Replacing Knob & Tube Wiring?

Only a licensed electrician in Toronto should provide you with this level of electrical services. This is definitely beyond a do-it-yourself project; it’s just too complex. Of course, the biggest reason why people put it off is the cost.

The amount varies based upon the size of your home, but you definitely can expect to pay at least $5,000 and possibly more if you have a larger home or a home with more than two storeys. There are a few ways to reduce the costs or spread the costs out a bit. For instance, if you are getting ready to tackle a huge home improvement project, such as gutting your downstairs and redoing the family room, kitchen, etc., your walls might already be open and exposed, which can reduce the costs of wiring replacement a bit.

Also, you don’t necessarily need to do every room at once. We can come in, inspect the wiring for obvious dangerous issues, such as exposed wires near insulation, and then upgrade just a few rooms at a time. We highly recommend that you start with rooms such as the kitchen and bathrooms, as water and electricity don’t mix and these two pose a very significant danger to homeowners.

Keep in mind that while this is a big expense, it greatly lowers your risk of fire. If your house catches fire, this isn’t just a huge inconvenience; it could mean injury or death to your precious family members. Inadequate wiring and electrical issues are one of the top causes of house fires in the GTA, and these issues can be prevented. If you need replacement services for knob and tube wiring in Toronto, the team at Tesla Electric can help. As licensed electricians in Toronto, we can replace that knob and tube wiring, upgrade your electrical panel, upgrade your outlets, add more outlets and even upgrade the lighting throughout your home. Give us a call today, and we can provide you with an inspection and a quote for our services.