Locating Knob and Tube Wiring
This is a good question and can be tricky at times. As an electrician, we give our customers two options. One is a free estimate, where we identify the visible knob and tube wiring in the basement and/or attic.
Once identified, we flip through the circuit breakers until we power those knob and tube circuits down. With only the knob and tube circuits powered off, we do a walk through the home (typically with the homeowner if possible) and see what is now OFF. Anything that is OFF we assume is knob and tube wiring. Is this a perfect way of finding it? Well, no, it isn’t, but you did want a free estimate, right? The truth is that this method usually does give you a pretty close estimate.
We find our estimates using this method to be within 10% of the actual amount of knob and tube present.
Pro Tip
Pretty much all Electricians use the same method as a way to give a free estimate. A few electricians, make assumptions by the way the outlets, lights, and switches “look,” but I don’t feel this is a good way as it has too much room for error. The reason electricians don’t want to go completely through homes on a free estimate is because they may not get the job.
If an Electrician spends three or four hours at your home determining where the knob and tube is located; they just did you a huge favor. If you were then to take their scope write-up and pass it on to another electrician to bid. That would be very unfair to the first electrician who came through and did all the hard work for free.
Want More Information?
A digital version of the Knob and Tube Wiring Guide is available for purchase on Amazon that will take you through the entire knob and tube re-wiring process.
