Rewires

Knob & Tube  

Background

If you have purchased property or plan on selling one that is over 60 years old, it is likely there is still active knob & tube wiring.  That is unless the house has been rewired in the recent past.  Sometimes property insurance companies will insist that homeowners update their wiring.

Knob & Tube wiring was the early standardized method of electrical wiring in Canada until the 1950s.  It is a simple 2 wire system that utilizes rubber insulation and ceramic parts to protect wires that pass through wood frames.

Why Remove Knob & Tube?

• Rubber insulation becomes brittle and breaks down over time.  The wire covering deteriorates.  The tape used to hold wires together starts to fall off or deteriorate.
• There is no grounding protection for equipment.  In other words, without a ground wire, there is nothing to divert stray electricity or prevent shocks and the risk of fire.
• Knob & Tube’s 60 amp service does not meet today’s minimum standard of 100 amp service.
• Wires overheat.  Knob & Tube 2 wire system consists of a black or hot wire and a white or neutral wire to create a circuit. These circuits were installed in free-air cavities to help  dissipate heat. The addition of insulation in ceilings and walls inadvertently contributes to overheating and deterioration of wires.
• Aging knob & tube can be dangerous because of cracked or broken tubes, sagging or frayed wires and broken sheathing that exposes live wires.
• The demand for additional electrical loads can cause knob and tube circuits to overload.  Renovations and additions over the years that have combined old and new wiring systems are not safe. Consequently, this additional demand further deteriorates the electrical integrity of old wiring.

In addition to restoring your home or place of business to its former glory and making it safe, we can install new convenience outlets, efficient pot lights or perhaps kitchen under counter lighting.   For the home seller, we can provide you with a basic yet thorough cost considerate rewire which will increase the selling potential of your house.

Process of Removal

Ideally, it is best to rewire a property when it is vacant.  This allows our technicians to move through the house in a more expedient way.  However, this option is not readily available to everyone.  For this reason, we have developed an efficient system that minimizes disruption and causes minimal invasion of the home.

We offer a service to patch all small holes that we cut to fish and navigate wires through the walls and ceilings.  This leaves only painting of patches for the homeowner. We are meticulous about preserving plaster ceilings.  Our technicians wear boot covers and use drop clothes to protect floors.  They also cover furniture and valued belongings with plastic to prevent unnecessary penetration of dust.  In the end, we take pride that the new wires appear to have been there all along.

At Kirsch Electric, we carefully review the wiring system and determine the most efficient methods before we start each project. Then we communicate with homeowners and take extra precautions before we begin our work.  In these ways, we can ensure that we do safe and efficient work.

We provide in-home written estimates. Our technicians have licenses with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).  Upon completion, we provide an ESA Inspection Certificate. If requested, we also provide an official company letter that our customers can submit to their home insurance company which may potentially help with lowering home insurance premiums.

Contact us to learn more.