Knob & Tube Removal Winnipeg

Want to protect your home and reduce your insurance premiums all in one fell swoop? Looking to add value to your home before you sell it?

If you’ve got knob and tube wiring, you can do all of the above simply by removing it and replacing it with a modern electrical system. Call Powertec Electric – we’ve got the experience you need for knob and tube removal in Winnipeg.

What is knob and tube wiring?

Knob and tube is an old style of electrical systems that was popular at the turn of the 20th century.  Ceramic knobs were nailed into wall studs or floor joists – these knobs were used as anchors for the wiring. The wiring was then fed through ceramic tubes that were bored into wall studs and floor joists – by feeding the wires through these tubes, electricians could avoid direct contact between the wires and the wood.

Why is knob and tube wiring no longer used?

Knob and tube wiring has fallen out of favour for a number of different reasons. In this system, heat from the wires is dissipated into the air – that makes it dangerous to use certain types of insulation to accompany knob and tube wiring.

Mostly, however, it’s disfavoured because it’s no longer the most cost effective wiring method. Modern wiring methods are both safer and less labour intensive.

Is knob and tube wiring dangerous?

Hypothetically, you could install knob and tube wiring in a modern building – it just wouldn’t be cost-effective, as better ways of wiring buildings have been developed.

Knob and tube wiring isn’t dangerous in theory, but if you have knob and tube in your home, there’s definitely a risk. Knob and tube wiring is dangerous because it’s old – that means a number of safety precautions that exist in modern systems won’t be present. Old knob and tube wiring wasn’t grounded and didn’t use multiway switching, which can lead to serious potential fire and shock hazards.

Also, our modern electrical loads far exceed what old-school knob and tube wiring was designed to handle – homes with knob and tube wiring are highly susceptible to regular circuit breaks.

The tubes and knobs in knob and tube wiring can also degrade over time. This can lead to contact between your electrical system and your walls or floors. What’s more, movement around the open wiring system can lead to wire degradation, as well as contact between walls and wiring.

Is knob and tube legal in Manitoba?

Knob and tube is legal in Manitoba – but that doesn’t mean you should keep it around. Having knob and tube wiring can make insuring your home next to impossible – and while you can legally own a home without insurance, it’s not something we recommend. After all, if you can’t find insurance because companies are too worried your home is going to burn down, you should probably replace the old wiring system that’s causing the risk in the first place!

How much does it cost to remove knob and tube wiring?

The cost of removing knob and tube wiring depends on a number of factors, including the size of your home. Generally, you can expect costs to range from about $7000-$15,000. This includes both decommissioning the current electrical system and replacing it with a modern electrical system.

Call Powertec Electric – we’ll give you an exact quote on how much it will cost to remove your knob and tube wiring and replace it with a modern electrical system.

Does knob and tube wiring have to be removed?

Technically, knob and tube wiring doesn’t have to be removed – it is legal to have. Knob and tube Removal has a number of advantages, though. These advantages include:

• The ability to insure your home
• Lower premiums if you can already insure your home
• Fewer circuit breaks
• A substantially lower risk of electrical fires
• Increased home value

While you don’t necessarily need to replace your old electrical system, we highly recommend that you do – with all of the advantages that come with a modern system, the decision to replace knob and tube is often profitable.

When did Winnipeg use knob and tube wiring?

Winnipeg homes used knob and tube wiring from around the turn of the century to as recently as the 1950s. That means that many homes in St. Boniface, Wolseley, the North End, River Heights, and other historic Winnipeg neighbourhoods may still contain knob and tube wiring.

These homes will be safer and more valuable once their old electric systems are replaced with modern ones. Modern electrical systems can also handle much more power than older systems. With all of the appliances and technology that are reliant on a home’s electrical system, getting a new system installed is essential.

Call Powertec Electric for a quote!

We’ve been replacing old knob and tube electrical systems in Winnipeg with modern systems for years. Your new system will be safer than your old system – and your system’s capacity will increase substantially, too.

Call us today for a quote. We’ll inspect the condition of your current system and give you a detailed estimate for the cost of replacing it. Our quotes include the cost of labour and materials, and will provide you with an estimate of how long the work will take. You can trust our professional, knowledgeable, and courteous electricians in Winnipeg to get the job done.

Don’t spend another day with knob and tube wiring – call us today!