Residential · Licensed & insured
Knob & Tube Rewiring in Kingston
Careful, staged rewiring for century homes in Sydenham, downtown, and Sunnyside — done with respect for the house and without you having to move out.
- Circuit tracing to identify what is genuinely still live
- Staged rewiring so you can occupy the home throughout
- Grounded circuits, AFCI and GFCI protection where required
- Heritage-sensitive routing that limits plaster and trim damage
- ESA certificate on completion for your insurer
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Knob & Tube Is Common in Kingston's Older Neighbourhoods
Kingston has more than its share of century homes, and a lot of the housing stock in Sydenham Ward, downtown, and around Sunnyside still has some original knob and tube wiring tucked into the walls and attics, even if it's been partially updated over the decades. Knob and tube was a reasonable system for its era — porcelain knobs supporting the wires through joists and studs, porcelain tubes protecting them where they pass through wood — but it was designed for a world without central air, dishwashers, microwaves, and a house full of chargers and electronics all running at once.
The wiring itself, when it's original and undisturbed, isn't automatically dangerous. The problems come from a few directions: the insulation on the conductors is cloth and rubber-based and gets brittle with age, past owners or contractors sometimes buried it in blown-in insulation which knob and tube was never designed to have direct contact with, and it's ungrounded, which means a lot of modern appliances and electronics either can't be safely plugged in or don't get the protection a ground path provides. On top of that, most insurance companies in Ontario either won't write a policy on a house with active knob and tube or want it removed and replaced as a condition of coverage.
We rewire a lot of these houses, and no two are quite the same. A Sydenham Ward brick home with plaster walls and tall baseboards presents different challenges than a smaller frame house near Sunnyside or a semi-detached downtown with a shared party wall. Knowing how these houses were actually built — balloon framing versus platform framing, where the old chimneys and knob and tube runs typically sit, how the original wiring was routed from the panel — makes a real difference in how much of the house has to be opened up versus how much we can fish and route without tearing into finishes.
A lot of our knob and tube work happens while people are still living in the house. It's disruptive work by nature since we're pulling old wire out of walls and attics and running new circuits, but we plan it in stages so you're not without power and not living in a construction site for weeks at a time.
What's Included in a Knob & Tube Rewire
A full knob and tube removal and rewire is a substantial project. Here's what's generally part of the scope:
- Circuit tracing and mapping of all existing knob and tube wiring, including runs that may not be obvious from the panel
- Attic and basement inspection to identify where knob and tube contacts insulation, ductwork, or other hazards
- Design of a new circuit layout that meets current load requirements — more circuits, dedicated circuits for kitchens and bathrooms, and proper amperage for modern appliances
- New copper branch wiring run to replace every knob and tube circuit, fished through existing wall and ceiling cavities wherever possible
- New grounded receptacles and switches throughout, replacing ungrounded two-prong outlets
- Panel upgrade or reconfiguration if the existing panel doesn't have capacity for the new circuit count
- Installation of AFCI and GFCI protection where required by current Ontario Electrical Safety Code
- Careful patching coordination — we minimize drywall and plaster cuts and can work with your drywaller or plasterer, or refer one, for finish repairs
- Removal and proper disposal of the old knob and tube wiring, not just abandoning it in place
- Staged shutoffs so only the circuits being actively worked on lose power, not the whole house
- Smoke detector interconnection updates as part of the new wiring where applicable
- Final inspection coordination with the Electrical Safety Authority
- Documentation package confirming knob and tube has been fully removed, which is typically what insurers want to see
How We Approach Different Century Homes
Sydenham Ward and Downtown Brick Homes
These houses often have plaster and lath walls, ornate trim, and sometimes heritage designation or a heritage-conscious owner who doesn't want to see a lot of new cuts in original plaster. We favour fishing new wire through existing chases, using attic and basement access points, and routing through closets or less visible areas before we consider opening plaster. Where we do need to cut in, we keep the openings as small and as few as possible.
Sunnyside and Smaller Frame Houses
Smaller frame homes near Sunnyside and similar areas sometimes have simpler stud bays that make fishing wire more straightforward, but they can also have additions or renovated sections where wiring was patched in over the years in ways that don't match the original layout. We trace carefully rather than assuming the newer-looking section is automatically the safer one.
Staged Rewiring While Occupied
For most houses we don't do the whole rewire in one shot with everyone moved out. We break the house into zones — say, upstairs bedrooms one stage, main floor kitchen and living areas another, basement and attic runs another — so you keep power and livable space through most of the project. We coordinate timing so bedrooms aren't down overnight and kitchens aren't down over a meal.
Heritage-Sensitive Routing
For homes with heritage trim, plaster medallions, or other original features, we plan routing to avoid those areas where we can, and we talk through options with you before we cut anything. Sometimes surface-mounted conduit in an unfinished basement or attic is a better trade-off than opening a finished ceiling below it.
Insurance Timelines
If your insurer has given you a deadline to remove knob and tube or they won't renew, we can work with that timeline and prioritize the circuits or areas that matter most for compliance, then complete the rest of the house on a schedule that works for you, if a full rewire in one go isn't realistic.
ESA Permits and Code Compliance
A knob and tube removal and rewire requires an ESA permit, and the finished work gets inspected. This isn't optional paperwork — it's what gives you (and your insurer, if they ask) confirmation that the old system is actually gone and the new wiring meets current Ontario Electrical Safety Code, including grounding, circuit capacity, and AFCI/GFCI requirements that didn't exist when the house was built.
We also make sure any knob and tube that's found in contact with insulation or otherwise creating an immediate hazard gets flagged and addressed even if it's outside the original scope of what we were called for, because leaving it isn't something we're willing to do.
What Determines Cost
Knob and tube rewiring costs vary a lot from house to house, and we won't quote a number without seeing the place. The big variables are the size of the house, how many storeys and how finished the walls and ceilings are, whether we can fish wire through existing cavities or need to open finishes, whether the panel needs to be upgraded to handle more circuits, and whether you want the work done in one continuous push or staged over a longer period.
We'll walk the house, trace what we can see of the existing wiring, and put together a written quote that breaks down the scope so you know what you're paying for and why.
Why Kingston Homeowners Trust Us With Their Century Homes
We're ESA licensed, we have a master electrician on staff, and we're fully insured for this kind of work. Beyond the credentials, we've spent a lot of time inside Kingston's older housing stock and we understand that a century home rewire isn't the same job as wiring a new-build in Woodhaven. These houses deserve a slower, more thoughtful approach, and we plan our work around minimizing disruption to your finishes and your daily life while still getting the job done properly and to code.
If you're dealing with an insurance deadline, planning a renovation, or just tired of worrying about the old wiring in your attic, call us at (613) 686-1582 and we'll come take a look and talk through options.
Who does the work
Licensed, insured, and accountable for every circuit
Everything on this knob & tube rewiring page comes out of work we do in Kingston homes and buildings every week, not from a stock article. If something here does not match what you are seeing at your place, call (613) 686-1582 and we will talk it through before anyone quotes you anything.
- Reviewed by our master electrician
- Last checked for accuracy against current Ontario Electrical Safety Code practice in September 2026.
- Written from real job sites
- Scope, timelines and the honest caveats come from panels we have actually swapped and circuits we have actually traced in this city.
ESA / ECRA licensed contractor
Every notifiable job is filed with the Electrical Safety Authority, inspected, and closed out with a certificate of acceptance in your name.
Master electrician on staff
A 309A master electrician reviews the design on service upgrades, rewires and anything that touches life safety before a truck rolls.
Fully insured, WSIB covered
Liability coverage and workplace insurance are in place on every job. Ask and we will send the certificates before we start.
We only work in this region
Kingston, Frontenac County and the lakeshore. We know the housing stock street by street, from Sydenham plaster to Westbrook new builds.
Questions
Knob & Tube Rewiring: frequently asked questions
Do I have to remove all the knob and tube wiring at once?
Not necessarily. We can stage the work by area of the house, which is often more manageable for budget and disruption, though if your insurer has set a deadline, we'll prioritize the circuits that matter most for compliance first and work with you on a schedule for the rest.
Will I be without power during the rewire?
We plan shutoffs zone by zone so you're not without power throughout the whole house at once. Specific circuits will be down while we're actively working on them, and we coordinate timing to minimize impact on things like kitchens at mealtimes or bedrooms overnight.
How much wall and ceiling damage should I expect?
It depends on the house. We fish new wire through existing cavities wherever we can to avoid cutting into plaster or drywall, but some access points are usually needed. We keep openings as small and as few as possible and can coordinate with a drywaller or plasterer for finish repairs.
Is knob and tube wiring illegal in Ontario?
It's not illegal to have existing knob and tube wiring in a house, but most insurance companies won't insure a home with active knob and tube, or they require it to be removed. Any new work on a knob and tube circuit also has to meet current code, which effectively means replacing it rather than patching it.
Can knob and tube wiring be safe if it's never been touched?
Undisturbed, properly installed knob and tube in good condition can function without immediate incident, but the insulation degrades with age, it lacks grounding, and it's often found in contact with insulation added by later owners, which is a genuine fire risk. Most electricians, including us, recommend replacement rather than relying on its original condition indefinitely.
Will removing knob and tube wiring solve my insurance problem?
A full removal with proper documentation is generally what insurers are looking for, but every insurance company has its own requirements, so we'd suggest confirming directly with your insurer or broker what they need to see alongside the work we complete.
Get started
Talk to Us About Your Century Home's Wiring
Whether it's an insurance deadline or just peace of mind, call (613) 686-1582 and we'll walk through your home and put together a plan that respects the house and gets the old wiring out safely.
Serving Kingston and area with a licensed Kingston electrician on every job.
Request a service or quote
No obligationBook a service visit or get a project quote — we reply within two business hours, seven days a week.
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