How To Rewire Your Home With Knob and Tube Wiring

Rewiring a home with knob and tube wiring can be a daunting task, but with proper planning and safety precautions, it can be done successfully. Here is an in-depth guide on how I rewired my home to modern electrical standards.

Assessing The Existing Knob and Tube Wiring

Before beginning any rewiring project, it's important to thoroughly assess the existing knob and tube wiring. Here are the steps I took:

I hired a qualified electrician to inspect the knob and tube wiring and provide a report on its condition. They checked for any cracked or damaged insulation, improper splices, and other potential hazards.
I mapped out the location of all the knob and tube wiring in the house by checking the attic, basement, and walls. Knob and tube wiring is easy to identify by the ceramic knobs and tubes that insulate the wires.
I labeled where each run of knob and tube wiring provided power so I knew what would need to be rewired. Common destinations include lighting circuits, receptacles, and appliances like stoves and water heaters.
I determined the amperage capacity of the existing wiring. Knob and tube wiring is typically only rated for 15 or 20 amps. Modern homes often require 30 amp or higher circuits.

This assessment gave me a full understanding of what needed to be rewired and helped me develop a plan.

Planning The New Wiring System

Rewiring a whole home is a big project, so careful planning is a must. Here are some key steps I took:

I mapped out where I wanted new receptacles, switches, lighting, appliances, and other electrical loads. This helped me plan the circuit layouts.
I determined how much amperage each circuit would need by tallying the requirements of everything powered by that circuit. Most general use circuits are 20 amps.
I planned circuits to minimize the need for junction boxes. Junction boxes can complicate the finished product.
I consulted local codes to ensure my plans satisfied all requirements related to number of circuits, wire gauge, grounding, and more.
I hired qualified electricians to handle the actual installation. Rewiring should only be done by licensed professionals.

Thorough planning like this is time well spent. It minimized complications during the rewire process.

Removing The Old Knob and Tube Wiring

Before installing the new wiring system, I needed to completely remove the old knob and tube wiring. This involved:

Disconnecting the power at the main electrical panel and verifying that all wiring was de-energized for safety.
Removing all knob and tube wiring from the attic, basement, and walls. We accessed it through existing sockets, junction boxes, and holes drilled in walls.
Capping off any wires that could not be fully removed so they did not present a hazard.
Patching all holes and repairing any damage from access and removal.
Disconnecting and removing any old electrical boxes, ceramic knobs, tubes, and other early wiring materials.

Removal was a tedious process, but necessary to prevent any interference or hazards from old and new wiring coexisting. Safety was also a priority throughout the removal.

Installing New Wiring

With the old knob and tube fully removed, it was time to install the new wiring system. The electricians handled this process:

They fished flexible NM cables from the main panel throughout the walls and ceilings to each circuit location I had specified in the plan.
They installed new electrical boxes and ran the wiring into them for all receptacles, switches, lighting fixtures, appliances, and more.
They connected the wires properly to outlets, switches, and other endpoints. Hot wires went to the brass screws, neutrals to silver screws, and grounds to green screws or clamps.
They labeled all the circuit breakers in the panel to identify which breaker controlled each new circuit.
They installed GFCI outlets in any kitchen, bathroom, laundry, or outdoor location to provide greater protection.

The end result was a modern wiring system tailor-made to fit the needs of my home.

Completing The Project

To wrap up the project, there were a few final steps:

The walls damaged during rewiring were patched, painted, and repaired so no signs of the work remained.
I had the completed electrical system inspected by the local building department to obtain a certificate of approval.
I turned the power back on and tested every outlet, switch, appliance, lighting fixture, and other electrical endpoint.
I updated my home insurance policy to reflect the newly upgraded electrical system.
I carefully disposed of all old wiring in accordance with local regulations.

With those final tasks completed, I could relax and enjoy the peace of mind and convenience that comes from a modern, up-to-code electrical system. The investment of time and money to rewire my home with new electrical wiring was well worth it.