Residential Electrical Services
Knob and Tube Wiring
Replacement in Vancouver, WA
Knob and tube wiring was the standard in homes built before 1950. It did its job for decades, but it was designed for a world with far fewer electrical loads. There's no ground wire. The insulation is cloth, and it dries out and cracks over time. Newman Electric removes knob and tube wiring and replaces it with modern copper in homes across Vancouver, WA and Clark County. Ryan has pulled this stuff out of more attics and wall cavities than he can count.
Identification
What Knob and Tube Wiring Looks Like
If you go into the attic or basement of an older Vancouver home, you might see this kind of wiring. Knowing what to look for helps, because a lot of homeowners don't realize they have it until an inspector or insurance company flags it.
The Knobs
White or brown porcelain cylinders nailed to the joists. They hold the wire in place and keep it away from the wood. If you see rows of porcelain knobs running along your attic joists with wire stretched between them, that's knob and tube wiring.
The Tubes
Where the wire passes through a joist or stud, it goes through a porcelain tube. The tube protects the wire from rubbing against the wood. You'll see them poking through framing members wherever the wire changes direction or crosses a joist.
The Wire
Knob and tube wiring uses single copper conductors wrapped in cloth and rubber insulation. Each circuit has two separate wires (hot and neutral) running independently, not bundled together like modern Romex. The cloth insulation dries out and cracks after 70+ years.
No Ground
Knob and tube wiring has no ground wire. That's why older homes with knob and tube have two-prong outlets. You can't just swap in a three-prong outlet and call it grounded. The ground wire doesn't exist. Newman Electric runs new grounded circuits to replace the old two-wire ones.
The Process
How Newman Electric Replaces
Knob and Tube Wiring
A knob and tube replacement is a bigger job than a simple repair. We're removing the old wiring system and putting in new copper circuits with proper grounding. The scope depends on the size of the house and how much of it still runs on knob and tube.
Map every circuit
We trace all the knob and tube circuits in the house. Some homes have had partial updates over the years where certain rooms got new wiring but others didn't. We figure out what's still on knob and tube and what's already been upgraded.
Run new copper circuits
We pull new Romex (NM-B) through the walls, ceilings, and attic. Each circuit gets a dedicated home run back to the panel with a hot, neutral, and ground conductor. Where we can't fish wire through walls, we cut access points, run the wire, and patch after.
Disconnect the old wiring
Once the new circuits are live and tested, we disconnect the knob and tube from the panel and at every junction point. We remove what's accessible. Wire buried deep in walls stays in place but gets completely disconnected so it's dead and harmless.
Permit and inspection
Knob and tube replacement in Vancouver WA requires permits. Newman Electric handles all the paperwork. A city or state inspector comes out to verify everything is wired correctly before we close up any walls. You get documentation for your records and your insurance company.
Code & Safety
Knob and Tube Code Requirements
in Vancouver, WA
Washington state follows the 2023 NEC, adopted under WAC 296-46B. Knob and tube wiring has specific code restrictions that make replacement the practical choice for most homeowners.
- No Insulation Contact (NEC 394.12)
Thermal or acoustical insulation cannot be installed within 3 inches of knob and tube wiring. This is the big one. If your attic has knob and tube, you can't blow in insulation to improve energy efficiency. And if someone already blew insulation over it, that's a code violation and a safety concern. The insulation traps heat around the wire.
- No Extensions or Additions (NEC 394.10)
You can't extend a knob and tube circuit or tap into it for new outlets. If you need more circuits or more outlets in a room that's on knob and tube, the only option is new wiring. Newman Electric runs new copper circuits for any addition or extension.
- AFCI on New Circuits (NEC 210.12)
Any new branch circuits replacing knob and tube in bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, or family rooms require arc-fault circuit interrupter protection. We install AFCI breakers on all applicable circuits as part of every knob and tube replacement.
- Permits Required
Replacing knob and tube wiring in Vancouver, WA requires an electrical permit from the City of Vancouver or Washington State L&I. Newman Electric pulls the permit before work starts and schedules the inspection when the work is done.
Customer Reviews
What Customers Say About Newman Electric
"Ryan and the team were very helpful. They were punctual and got after the work quickly. I purchased an older home that needed to be updated and rewired. Ryan and Garrett worked out a schedule and were able to get all the work done in a few days time. They were open and answered all questions throughout the process. They also worked with my schedule."
"Newman Electric was great to work with! They were on time for both the bid process and the actual work. The work was done well and on my timeline. I appreciated the reasonable pricing and communication. I would absolutely use them again!"
"We continue to be super happy and impressed with Newman Electric! We are thrilled that we found such a reputable company to work with as we continue to upgrade the electrical needs of our home. Highly recommend!"
Common Questions
Knob and Tube Wiring FAQs
It depends on the size of the house and how many circuits are still on knob and tube. A partial replacement where only some rooms need new wiring costs less than a full house. Some older homes in Vancouver have had piecemeal updates where half the circuits are already modern copper. Newman Electric gives free estimates so you know the number before any work starts.
Some insurance companies in Washington won't write a policy on a home with active knob and tube wiring. Others will insure it but at a higher premium or with exclusions. If you're buying an older home and the inspector finds knob and tube, your lender's required insurance might be harder to get. Newman Electric provides written documentation of replacement work that insurance companies accept.
Not automatically. When knob and tube was installed correctly and the insulation is still intact, it can carry the load it was designed for. The problems come when the cloth insulation deteriorates, when someone has added insulation on top of the wires in the attic, or when the circuits are overloaded with modern appliances they were never meant to handle.
Not until the knob and tube wiring is removed or replaced. NEC 394.12 prohibits thermal insulation within 3 inches of knob and tube conductors. If you want to insulate your attic for energy efficiency, the knob and tube has to come out first. Newman Electric handles both the wiring replacement and coordinates with insulation contractors.
Not always. Newman Electric uses fish tape and flexible drill bits to route new wire through existing walls and ceilings wherever possible. We cut strategic access points where needed, but we keep the openings as small as we can. For homes where walls are already open for a remodel, the wiring replacement becomes much simpler.
A full house knob and tube replacement takes several days to a week depending on the size and layout. Newman Electric works room by room so you're not without power in the whole house at once. We keep your disruption as short as possible.
Related Services
Other Work for Older Homes in Vancouver WA
Whole House Rewiring
Full copper rewire for any era home
Aluminum Wiring
Remediation for 1960s-70s wiring
Electrical Panel Upgrade
Modern 200-amp panel for your home
Electrical Repair
Fix outlets, switches, and wiring issues
Outlet Installation
Grounded three-prong outlets
Smoke Detectors
Hardwired smoke and CO detectors
Dedicated Circuits
New circuits for modern appliances
Lighting Installation
New fixtures on new wiring
Service Area
Knob and Tube Replacement Across
Vancouver & Clark County
Vancouver has a lot of pre-1950 housing stock, particularly in the downtown area, Hough neighborhood, Carter Park, and parts of Hazel Dell. These are the homes most likely to still have knob and tube wiring. Newman Electric has worked on knob and tube in neighborhoods all over Vancouver, WA and the surrounding area.
We also handle knob and tube jobs in Cowlitz County. Longview and Kelso have older neighborhoods with homes from the 1920s through the 1940s.
Knob and Tube Wiring
in Your Home?
Newman Electric replaces knob and tube wiring in homes across Vancouver, WA and Clark County. We'll come look at it, tell you what needs to happen, and give you a price. The estimate is free.