Electrical wiring is very much a part of any home. They are as vital as the foundation of your house because they are the structures for all your electrical needs. Knob tube or Knob and tube wiring became a popular home wiring option back in the 1930s.

What is knob tube wiring?

As much as its name suggests, this wiring system uses the conveniences of knobs and tubes to place electrical wires in certain parts of the house. The knob tubes are generally made of ceramic to really serve the purpose. Knobs act as the main holder of wires while the tubes are the support. As improvement went on, there came designs wherein the knob is used as the main and supporting holders of the wires.

This type of wiring has been phased out mainly because of the major improvements that came with technology. However, this does not mean that it did not bring in advantages. It has its own sets of benefits, too.

One good thing about opting for knob tube wiring before is that the heat from the wires is dissipated into wide, free air. This prevents the conduction of heat to other parts that might cause fire. It is also obvious that knob tube wiring is less expensive. This is one of the main reasons why it became so popular.

Why should you replace your knob tube wiring?

Since this wiring option is old, working on such a project would make you look like a beginner. Aside from these, here are some bad points that you should be aware of.

wires are prone to damage

Since the electric wires are uncovered, you place them on risks of damages. Of course, you would know that this is risky because it can be a cause of fire. Damaged wires can also shut out your whole electricity system.

different usage

Knob tube wiring was designed without considering the varying usage patterns that most homes require today. To put it on a technical perspective, knob tube wiring was used for simple and basic electricity needs. It is not capable of supporting the varying electrical usage that happens nowadays.

no insurance coverage

Most insurance companies do not approve insurance coverage for houses that still use these old wiring systems. It is because they perceive the basic wiring system as unsafe and very risky in terms of electricity usage in these times.