Single worst Knob and Tube rewiring mistake

THE SINGLE WORST KNOB and TUBE MISTAKE is hiring a handyman or a renovator to replace, remove, or repair your wiring. It's like placing with your own hands ticking bombs into walls and ceiling 

All handymen and even some electricians would do the job faster by cutting corners. A renovator would replace just visible pieces of the Knob and Tube or splice/connect wires without junction boxes. Temptation is very strong and there is no risk to lose "the handyman license" 

Splicing without installing one junction box could save handyman from one hour to three hours and instantly make him $40 - $90. What if handymen could not resist such an enticement and what if they did not install 20 boxes? It's easy to hide and impossible to detect. This and other tricks would save them 60% - 70% of time and create an even higher risk of fire than before the replacement. Homeowners end up with the incorrectly installed new wiring, which is much more dangerous than the old knob and tube 

That is why a handyman, renovator, general contractor, and even a licensed electrician is neither allowed to do any electrical work nor Knob and Tube replacement in Canada 

Only a Licensed Electrical Contractor and ironically you, the owner/occupant of a single dwelling unit (if it's also a fully detached house) could legally handle the electrical work in Ontario. In other provinces and states check with your local electrical authority as to who is allowed to do electrical work in your state 

You would face a fine, forfeit your insurance, put yourself and others at risk of fire if you allowed a handyman or even a general contractor to do the wiring 

In Canada Electrical Safety Authority (the ESA) would force you to pay again for the correct wiring or cut off the power 

Always check both the name and picture against Electrical Contractor & driver licenses and call your local electrical authority to verify the electrical contractor license 

Understandably, licensed and honest electrical contractor could not compete in price with such handymen. But, of course you get what you pay for at the end of the day 

The very least you should do is invite a licensed Electrical Contractor for advice, inspection and consultation on how to do knob and tube rewiring correctly. And do not forget to get a permit and pass the electrical inspection. You would pay a little extra and save yourself from that ticking bomb.