Posted inAsk the Inspector, Columns

Old House Wiring

The original wiring in many if not most of the homes in Riverwest is called Knob and Tube. When inside a wall or floor space, this type of wiring will have white porcelain knobs nailed to the wood where the individual wires change direction and small (1/2″ diameter) tubes that insulate and protect the wires as they pass through holes in the wood joists or studs. When the wires are in visible locations like in the basement you may see long black flexible tubes run in pairs.

Posted inAsk the Inspector, Columns

Old Gas Light Piping

Many of the homes in Riverwest were built before electric lighting was common, and people used Kerosene lamps and candles. Then along came manufactured gas, derived from coal. Piping was installed in the homes around the turn of the last century (1900) for gas lighting. At night people would turn a valve at the light fixture to ignite the light.