Victoria has one of the oldest housing stocks in Western Canada, which means a lot of character homes in Fairfield, James Bay, Oak Bay and Fernwood still carry some knob and tube wiring. It is not automatically dangerous, but it is a system designed for 1920s loads, and the way it has been modified over the decades is usually the real problem.
How to recognise it
Knob and tube uses single insulated conductors, not a cable. Look in the attic or basement for ceramic knobs holding wires off the joists and ceramic tubes where wires pass through wood. The wires are usually black cloth, and the hot and neutral run separately, several inches apart. There is no ground wire, so outlets on these circuits are the two-prong kind.
Why it matters
- No ground. Modern appliances and surge protectors need one.
- Heat. The conductors were meant to run in open air. Blown-in insulation around them traps heat, and insulation contractors will refuse to insulate over live knob and tube.
- Modifications. Eighty years of splices, extensions and modern cable tied into old circuits are where most faults start.
- Insurance. Many BC insurers will not write a new policy, or will charge a surcharge, until the knob and tube is replaced or a licensed electrician signs off on its condition.
What an assessment looks like
We open the panel, trace which circuits are still knob and tube, check for brittle insulation, overheated splices and over-fused circuits, and tell you plainly whether it is a "replace this year" or a "replace when you renovate" situation.
What replacement involves
A full rewire runs new grounded cable to every outlet, switch and fixture on the old circuits, with a new panel if the existing one is fused. In a finished house it means some careful fishing and a few small drywall openings, which we coordinate with your painter or do during a renovation when the walls are open anyway. The work is permitted and inspected by Technical Safety BC.
If you are buying or insuring an older home in Greater Victoria, an inspection before the policy renews is cheaper than a surprise. Call us for a free look.