Thread: You Missed Knob and Tube Wiring In the Basement!!

......which what a past client told me in regard to an inspection I did for him a couple months ago. I had called out and documented live K&T wiring in the attic and taped splices on the attic wiring. I saw nothing in the basement. But the client said his handyman saw a cable going to the boiler and told him he has K&T wiring. The client was a bit flustered on the phone as he thought I missed something big (according to his handyman). As I spoke to him, I asked him if there there were two round cloth sheathed wires side-by-side. He said no. I asked him if it was one singular cable. He said yes. I told him it was in all likelihood first generation romex cable with the cloth sheathing and the cable he is describing is most likely oval/football shaped as opposed to round. I asked him to take a picture of the cable in question and e-mail it to me. That was two weeks ago and I've received nothing. I offered to come come over and look at the cable(s) in question but he was not at the house and never got back to me about coming over.

I'd like to get my hands on that "handyman".

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...no news; is good news!

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

...no news; is good news!

Agreed.

Did you ask him if it looked like the knob and tube in the attic you reported in your report?

Did you ask him to have his 'not-so-handy-handyman' check it out?

I wonder how embarrassed that 'not-so-handy-handyman' got when your client called him back and said that was not knob and tube that it was likely old cloth covered NM cable ...

The last job I did where a HI wrote up K&T he wrote it in a way saying what he found and that the electrician should check if there was any more.

Nick

maybe should have stated in report--K&t wiring visual in house attic--recommend having house evaluated by licensed electrician --we are good but ca't see thru walls and contractors are contractors

cvf

Originally Posted by CHARLIE VAN FLEET

recommend having house evaluated by licensed electrician --

The house does not need to be "evaluated" by licensed electrician, but it certainly could be noted that a licensed electrician could search the house for any other live or abandoned knob and tube.

I scoured that basement and it was small. I saw no K&T in the basement. My report and contract already disclaim areas behind walls and above ceilings (ie - concealed areas). I actually wanted to hear back from the client to tell him that his handyman needs to take some electrical courses before he comments any further on the electrical systems in houses he services. But if this is where it ends, so be it.

When I find K&T(and it is fairly often) I take a picture of my voltage sniffer glowing at the wire and then I report that that I found live K&T. I then add that it is very possible that it is in other locations throughout the home and and an electrician should be contacted to remove all of the K&T in the home.