Safest way to insulate around knob and tube wiring

by Ana

+22

Answered

I have some knob and tube wiring in the basement. The kitchen is right above the area where the knob and tubing is and it is VERY cold. I know you can't cover up the knob and tubing, but is there a safe way of insulating around it without covering it?

9 answers

MaryStLouis on Feb 19, 2015
Well, the laws in most areas require that once uncovered, all knob and tube wiring must be replaced and brought up to code. If there is any way you can swing it financially I recommend calling in a licensed electrician to get a permit and do the job right. Then you can insulate and know that you're safe AND warm.

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- See 1 previous
- Ana on Feb 19, 2015
  @MaryStLouis Thank you for taking the time to reply. I'm calling an electrician and see what he has to say.
  
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- MaryStLouis on Feb 20, 2015
  I'm so glad.
  
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Kathi Dunphy on Feb 19, 2015
Apparently it's very dangerous, every home reno show sees it as a nightmare that must be removed.

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- Ana on Feb 19, 2015
  @Kathi Dunphy Thank you for taking the time to reply. After doing some research on K&T it is a little scary and as you said, dangerous. I'm calling an electrician and see what he has to say.
  
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- Pete Wells on Feb 20, 2015
  @Ana, If your old wiring has ever been modified in any way or added on to, it should all go...if its running through a damp location, ditto! However, wholesale removal, just because it's K&T, is usually ill-advised...
  
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- Ana on Feb 20, 2015
  Pete, I'm not sure if the wiring has been modified in any way. I'm going to contact an electrician and have him tell me what he thinks. Are you an electrician?
  
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Pete Wells on Feb 19, 2015
Insulating with K & T present is straightforward, just tuck the insulation under the wires and all should be well...in an attic, this is easier but under the floor shouldn't be much more difficult...if the old wiring only feeds lighting circuits, it won't be getting hot to begin with...

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- Ana on Feb 19, 2015
  @Pete Wells Have you done this in your home with good results? All research indicates the K&T should not be covered by insulation as the wires can't get hot otherwise they'll catch on fire.
  
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- Pete Wells on Feb 20, 2015
  @Ana I insulated an attic in a 1925 home I once owned, which was full of original K&T wiring, back in 1989 or so...the wiring does not get hot, as it wasn't ever overloaded! Only serves lighting circuits, which don't use a lot of juice...the K&T is still in service, the house, a 5-bedroom 2-story, still stands...with it's pine walls & ceilings..I tucked the insulation under the wires where necessary...I wouldn't hesitate to do it again..but if your wiring is getting hot at all, you need an electrician, not insulation...
  
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- Pete Wells on Feb 20, 2015
  I was an insulation contractor in the 80s, involved in many areas of home improvement..and never saw a house fire attributable to K&T wiring...now, if you have old BX cable..the stuff with an outer spiral metal shell....get it out of your house ASAP, it is by far the most dangerous of all older wiring types!
  
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- Ana on Feb 20, 2015
  @Pete Wells Pete How can I tell if the wiring is getting hot at all? Do I have to turn the power off before I touch it?
  
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- Pete Wells on Feb 20, 2015
  @Ana I left the power on as I insulated, but already knew the old wiring wasn't connected to any outlets and wasn't getting hot, any heat-generating bad connections would have shown as flickering lights..connections were generally soldered in K&T installations, I never had any trouble with it..but didn't try to run electric heaters, AC units or the microwave with it..all outlets were fed by newer romex...the most dangerous thing I've run across in old K&T installations is where rodents have removed the insulation from the wires...or where humans not qualified have spliced into it...as was the case at my house! The refrigerator was running from a length of extension cord, spliced onto another length of extension cord in a closet under the stairs, running through a hole in the floor and spliced into the K&T under the house, absolutely mortifying! I ran a dedicated 20 amp circuit-with romex-for the fridge ASAP...
  
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- Ana on Feb 20, 2015
  Oh my God! Talk about nightmares!! Thank God I haven't come across anything like that.
  
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DiannaLynne on Feb 19, 2015
Please replace the wiring before it burns your house down.

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- Ana on Feb 19, 2015
  @DiannaLynne Thank you for taking the time to reply. We've been in this house for 16 years now and have never had a problem with the K&T. However, after having temperatures of -32, we do need to insulate the kitchen floor. Of course as the saying goes, as soon as we decide what we are doing and spend money, we'll probably never have temperatures below 0. :)
  
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Janis on Feb 19, 2015
I would not risk insulating around knob & tube wiring ever.

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- Ana on Feb 19, 2015
  @Janis Thank you for taking the time to reply. I'm not proceeding any further until I talk to an electrician and find out what he has to say.
  
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Pete Wells on Feb 20, 2015
Is the kitchen over a damp crawl space? The general rule for old wiring in damp locations is to rip it out and bring it up to code, and having been zapped by lack of a ground in a wet location, I have to agree! A dry, undisturbed, antisymptomatic professional installation doesn't need to be immediately changed but should be monitored and replacement should be considered when possible..

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- Ana on Feb 20, 2015
  The kitchen is right above the basement and we haven't had any wet issues in the years we've lived there. What disturbs me is when we purchased the house the house inspector mentioned nothing about a problem with the K&T after inspecting the basement. Shouldn't he have said something at that time?
  
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Pete Wells on Feb 20, 2015
I would think he should have mentioned its presence, if nothing else...even if he saw a safe installation, as I get the impression yours must be, since you've lived with it 16 years with no trouble..many have lived with it for years and didn't even know it was there...it doesn't make me cringe when I see it, as BX or Armored cable does, or aluminum wiring..

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Cindy Ellis on Sep 23, 2019

How can i make safe knob & tube in attic that has blown in insulation. wiring is for light fixtures. Can I remove insulation in surrounding area and box in with backer board. cant afford to rewire. Is Insulation company liable for any of this? just had done last year. Home inspector said violation. Can I make company remove or get them to do anything to correct.Also someone suggested electrician install AFCI's. Is there a cheaper way to rewire I have finished basement and 2 floors and accross length of house to panel. Help

Helpful Reply
Deb K on Oct 02, 2022

Hi Ana, hope this helps you out,
https://www.mlive.com/homeandgarden/2009/01/can_you_insulate_an_attic_with.html#:~:text=The%20existing%20knob%20and%20tube,could%20be%20spread%20over%20that.

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