7
My neighbor's old knob and tube wiring finally gave out last Tuesday
The house was built in 1928 in Springfield and they never updated it... the insulation just crumbled after all these years. I saw the scorch marks on the joist in the attic, and the old cloth wire was completely bare in spots. How do you even start that conversation with a homeowner who thinks it's 'still working fine'?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
jessica7072mo ago
Guess they're waiting for the free light show before they call an electrician.
8
Man, that's scary... I had a similar thing happen with my own place a few years back. Seeing those scorch marks is a real wake-up call, it's not just about it not working, it's a straight-up fire hazard. Maybe show them a picture of the damage? Sometimes seeing it makes it real.
6
ivanbell2mo ago
Exactly, pictures are key. I had a landlord try to brush off a faulty outlet until I sent a close-up of the melted plastic inside. Took it to the city's building department when they still dragged their feet. That got a real electrician out within 48 hours. Don't just talk about it, make a paper trail with dated photos.
5
beth2761mo ago
Knob and tube is no joke, my grandpa's place had it and we were always worried about a fire starting. That crumbling insulation is exactly what gets people in trouble, it's not like modern wiring where you can just patch something up. Starting that conversation is tough because people get defensive about their homes, especially older folks who've never had an issue. I'd sit them down and just lay it out plain, show them how close it came to burning the place down. Good luck, that's a hard spot to be in.
4