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If you own an older home in Chatham, NJ, there’s a good chance that it has knob-and-tube wiring. Introduced in the 1880s, this wiring type is surprisingly enduring. Although electricians haven’t offered it since the 1940s, it remains in many residential buildings and continues to function. While there are currently no building codes that specifically require knob-and-tube replacement, it poses several serious safety hazards.
Knob-and-tube wiring also decreases the marketability and value of residential properties and makes it difficult to enjoy many modern conveniences.
What Is Knob-and-Tube Wiring?
Also known as K&T wiring, knob-and-tube wiring is a series of insulated copper wires. Wherever these wires pass through wooden framing, they’re housed in ceramic tubes. K&T wires end in ceramic insulators that connect to a building’s joists and studs. In some homes, both knobs and tubes are high-quality porcelain.
What Are the Benefits of K&T Wiring?
K&T wiring has been obsolete for more than 80 years. Thus, its continued presence in homes is a testament to its durability and lasting functionality. For those with old, historic properties, the visible elements of K&T wiring can add charm and ensure authentic, period-appropriate aesthetics.
What Are the Drawbacks?
High-quality knob-and-tube wiring with limited wear might be safe for buildings with extremely limited electrical demand, especially if these wiring systems haven’t been repaired, maintained, or otherwise tampered with by professionals who lack a solid understanding of K&T. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Most homes with K&T wiring have undergone multiple electrical system modifications throughout the decades, and each modification may have introduced hazards. Moreover, aging K&T is inherently dangerous.
No Grounding Conductor
One of the biggest drawbacks of K&T wiring is its lack of a grounding conductor. In modern homes, grounding wires provide a safe path for excess electricity. They greatly reduce the risk of electric shocks, fast-spreading electrical fires, and potentially fatal electrocution. In homes with K&T, this shortcoming can shorten the lifespans of electronic devices and appliances. It can also set the stage for frequent electrical malfunctions.
Without a grounding conductor, these wiring systems lack ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets in high-moisture areas. This makes using any electrical gadget or appliance unsafe in kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor areas. That’s why we recommend electrical replacement for all the old wiring in homes that use K&T technology.
Outdated and Worn Insulation
Copper K&T wires have rubber insulation and cloth “jackets”. Over time, rodents and other pests can gnaw through cloth coverings and the underlying insulation. Heat from aging wires and frequent electrical overloads, as well as environmental temperature fluctuations and other factors, gradually degrade cloth coverings. The rubber insulation beneath fares no better. This rubber cracks, dries out, and increasingly pulls away from wiring. This leaves long sections of bare wire behind flammable building materials in dry, dusty areas, such as attics and basements.
K&T Cannot Support Modern Electricity Demand
Among the benefits of K&T wiring is its higher ampacity than other electrical systems with the same gauge. Paired with the impressive heat dissipation and lasting durability of these systems, this was once a remarkable attribute. Now, however, it has no bearing on how well a home’s electrical system can support modern demand. K&T wiring was popular at a time when families often had simple ice boxes rather than large refrigerators and freezers.
If you have K&T wiring in your home, it won’t safely support a modern HVAC system. In fact, there are many modern conveniences that homeowners must go without when keeping their K&T wiring:
- Comprehensive home entertainment systems
- EV charging stations
- Modern washers and dryers
- Dishwashers
- Induction cookers
Since it lacks a grounding wire, K&T wiring cannot support any appliances or devices with three-pronged cords.
While residents might be able to charge or use some electronic devices with K&T wiring systems, it isn’t safe to do so. The higher electrical demand could cause overheating and increase the risk of in-wall fires. This is especially true in areas where wiring insulation has cracks and cloth coverings are dry and worn.
Knob-and-Tube Is an Electrical Arc Hazard
Electrical arcing occurs when electrical current jumps from one wire to another. In older homes with K&T wiring, exposed wiring on two separate wires can exist within close proximity. When electrical currents cross these gaps, dry cloth and dry building materials can ignite.
Fuse Boxes vs. Breaker Boxes
When an electrical fault occurs in a modern electrical system, circuit breakers trip to close the related electrical circuit. After correcting the electrical fault, a homeowner can simply reset the breaker to restore power.
K&T wiring systems have fuse boxes and fuses rather than circuit breaker boxes and circuit breakers. When overloaded circuits or tripped circuits blow fuses, people must manually replace them. Worse still, fuse boxes are often in dark basements, outdoors, or in other remote, poorly lit areas.
Maintaining, Modifying, and Repairing K&T Wiring
If you love the charming aesthetics of K&T wiring and want to keep your historic home true to its original design, you’ll have a hard time finding expert local electricians trained to work with this wiring type. K&T wiring has been obsolete for a very long time. Not only is there a lack of skilled electricians for K&T modifications, maintenance, and repairs, but there’s also a major lack of replacement parts.
Insurance Concerns With K&T Wiring
Many insurance companies are reticent to insure homes with K&T wiring, and others outright refuse to do so. Choosing to keep knob-and-tube wiring could leave you without essential coverage or with large coverage gaps.
Challenges in Selling and Refinancing
K&T wiring also creates major challenges in selling and refinancing homes. While neither local building codes nor the National Electrical Code (NEC) require homeowners to replace K&T wiring, lending institutions are firmly against it.
If you choose to sell your property, prospective buyers might struggle to get funding approvals. If you are refinancing, your lender might require various wiring upgrades before approving your application. Lenders often have very specific requirements concerning K&T wiring’s capacity. For instance, your K&T electrical system might need a minimum capacity of 60 amps.
Charming aesthetics aside, K&T wiring is rarely appealing to savvy homebuyers. Most know that they’ll have to pay for major electrical system upgrades in the near future. Few people want to live in homes that cannot support the technologies they rely on.
Why You Should Replace Your Knob-and-Tube Wiring Now
Replacing K&T wiring is a crucial step in creating a safe and livable home. Even plugging a toaster in with knob-and-tube wiring could cause overheating, electrical arcs, and electrical fires at any time. With a modern electrical system, you can use more gadgets, devices, and appliances, get knowledgeable electrical service when you need it, and pass lender-required inspections. You’ll also have a much easier time obtaining comprehensive home insurance.
We help people protect their homes with expert electrical system upgrades and repairs. As a family-owned and operated company, we’ve proudly served Chatham and the surrounding communities since 2000. If you’re ready to replace your knob-and-tube wiring, contact Pipe Works Services today.
