Knob And Tube Wiring
With many homes and buildings in the area being decades old, it’s quite common to find knob and tube in Toronto. More specifically, if your home was built between 1900 and 1945, you likely have older wiring, which is no longer considered standard or secure.
What exactly is knob and tube wiring? It’s an older-style electrical system that uses porcelain knobs and tubes to insulate and secure electrical wiring. The knobs support individual wires that run along wooden beams, the ceramic tubes pass through the beams.
Is Knob and Tube Wiring in Old Toronto Houses Safe?
The number one question around outdated wiring is whether or not it’s safe. There are several concerns with knobs and tubes in Toronto that homeowners should be aware of.
A quick summary of issues includes:
- It’s an ungrounded system, which creates a greater risk of damage or injury.
- Since it is very old, it has likely deteriorated and cracked, which can lead to a fire.
- The original switches and receptacles are not CSA-approved.
- Newer wiring has often been improperly connected to knob and tube wiring, resulting in dangerous conditions.
- Knob and tube wiring only exist in 15-amp ratings, which will not support most modern devices that require more power to function properly.
If you’ve discovered outdated wiring in your home, now is the time to complete a knob and tube replacement. Ensure your home is as safe and as efficient as possible by making the right decision to have your electrical upgraded by a licensed electrician.
Knob and Tube Rewiring in Toronto
At Langstaff & Sloan, knob and tube removal and rewiring has been our specialty since 1996. We’ll take full ownership of your project, which includes all patching required to repair holes made during the rewiring. We always aim to complete projects with efficiency and treat your residence as a home and not just a job site.
Knob and tube rewiring in Toronto is the best solution to correctly address the concerns associated with this outdated system. While other options may provide temporary solutions, we don’t recommend taking this approach. Rewiring your home properly, whether you find aluminum or knob and tube wiring in Toronto, should be thought of as an investment that adds substantial value to your home and provides a safer space for your family
Find Knob and Tube Wiring Services in Toronto
If you’re ready to begin the process of having your aluminum or knob and tube wiring in Toronto replaced, the best place to start is to contact a certified electrician to complete an inspection. At Langstaff & Sloan, our fully certified and experienced electricians can work with you to determine the best plan to update the electrical in your home.
Replacing a knob and tube wiring system can require the following:
- Upgrading to a minimum of 100-amp capacity, as required by most insurance companies.
- Installing proper grounding wires and three-pronged outlets.
- Replacing ungrounded switches with devices approved by the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
- Replacing knob and tube with modern copper wiring to comply with all electrical codes and standards.
When you choose to work with Langstaff & Sloan, we’ll start the process by providing a written, detailed quote that itemizes all costs for your consideration. Our team will be ready to answer any questions you may have and can guide you through making the right choice for your home. Contact us to learn more about how we can modernize your home’s electrical wiring.
Why Choose Electrical Contractors from Langstaff & Sloan?
Langstaff & Sloan is a trusted choice for electrical work in your home. You can rely on the excellence and quality that our team delivers on every job. The electrical wiring in your home plays a key role in safety and efficiency. That’s why you need quality, professional services to support all your electrical needs.
We’ve been serving the GTA since 1991, offering services you can depend on. Here’s what our team brings to the table:
- Excellence and quality service
- Professional workmanship with safety top of mind
- Reasonable rates
- Courteous electricians who treat homes with respect
- Written, itemized quotes, including all details and costs per project
With Langstaff & Sloan taking care of your electrical needs, you’ll benefit from peace of mind. The power that runs through your house supports your appliances, as well as the productivity and efficiency of your home. Support for your electrical system is a key priority for homeowners, which is why it’s important to have a trusted team on your side for electrical services.
Connect with us at Langstaff and Sloan for knob & tube wiring in Toronto and additional residential services.
Additional Residential Electrical Services
We offer a wide range of services to support your home’s electrical system for both functionality and safety. From service calls and troubleshooting to upgrades and repairs, you can rely on the team at Langstaff and Sloan.
Our residential services include:
- Aluminum rewiring or repair: Don’t wait for an issue to arise with your wiring. Have your home assessed by our certified electricians. Connect with us to discuss the rewiring and replacement of residential aluminum wiring.
- Breaker panel installations: You can rely on our team to support you in selecting a panel that will meet your home’s current and future needs.
- Cloth/rubber wiring: Our team is experienced in this type of wiring. We can replace your wires and recommend ESA grounding and bonding services.
- Pot light repair: Issues such as sagging light trim, a blown light socket, over insulation, and more concerns may result in requiring pot light repair. You can count on our licensed electricians to properly repair your lighting as needed.
- Pot light replacement: Did you know that replacing recessed lighting with more efficient LEDs can result in a lower electricity bill? Reach out to us to assess your current lighting and discuss any replacements and upgrades that may be required.
- Renovation wiring: Are you undertaking a major project to reinvent your living space? Or beginning a smaller project such as replacing toggle light switches? We have the knowledge and experience to support electrical needs as part of your renovation project(s).
- Whole home electrical assessments: Reach out to us for an assessment that will provide you with in-depth and accurate information about your home’s entire electrical system.
- Service calls: Connect with our team for service calls where we will troubleshoot, diagnose, and in most cases solve your electrical issues promptly and efficiently. Our hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Whether you require support with knob & tube wiring replacement or an additional electrical concern, we have your needs covered. Connect with us at Langstaff & Sloan to learn more and discuss your home’s electrical requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
The common life expectancy of knob and tube wiring is 25 years, due to the rubberized cloth insulation used on the wires beginning to break down. While the wiring itself remains functional, the deterioration of insulation increases the risk of injury and damage that can cause more serious issues. As this type of wiring is an outdated option, dating back to the early to mid-1900s, the homes that still have it today are living on borrowed time.
Knob and tube wiring can only exist in 15-amp ratings, which is a very low current on the general scale of wiring methods. Most modern devices require more power than 15-amps to function properly, which means that the devices may not work, or the wiring will be working much harder than it is designed to. Neither of these circumstances are ideal for your home, nor are they safe.
There are several concerns surrounding knob and tube electrical, as it is outdated, which means its level of safety is questionable. The following are issues associated with this type of electrical wiring that homeowners should be aware of. As an ungrounded system, it increases the risk of injury; deterioration or cracking likely has happened over time, which can lead to an electrical fire; and newer wiring is often connected to knob and tube wiring, which creates dangerous conditions. Langstaff and Sloan Inc advises all homeowners to replace their knob and tube wiring. Having a licensed electrician upgrade your electrical will ensure your home is as safe as possible.
While you can tell if a knob and tube wire is active by following the wires and seeing where they lead to, the safest way is to hire a professional. At Langstaff and Sloan, we send one of our licensed electricians to inspect your home’s wiring and see what condition it is in. Alternatively, if you have some technical knowledge of electricity, you may also use a voltage stick, otherwise known as a “tick buster.” By inserting the probes into the knob and tube fixture, you may test the alternating current. If the result is within 110 to 120 volts, the wire is live, so proceed with caution.
While many homes built between 1900 and 1945 have knob and tube wiring, there are several concerns associated with this wiring method that should not be ignored. It is an ungrounded system, which increases the likelihood of damage or injury. This is not only because it is old, meaning it may have deteriorated or cracked, but also because modern devices are not properly supported by it. If your home is suspected to have or has been confirmed to have knob and tube wiring, it is time to call Langstaff and Sloan Inc and book your wiring replacement.