Updated October 2026
Straight answer
Yes. In Roslindale, knob and tube removal is one of the jobs we're called for most, often after an energy audit finds live runs in the attic and insulation can't go in until they're gone. We test which runs are live, replace those circuits with modern cable, add grounding where it was missing, and patch the small access holes we make in the plaster.
How knob and tube ends up blocking an insulation job
Knob and tube was the standard way to wire a house in the early 1900s: separate hot and neutral conductors strung on porcelain knobs and passed through framing in porcelain tubes. It was designed to shed heat into open air. Packing insulation around it takes that air away, and the old rubber and cloth covering on the wire is often brittle by now. That is why insulation programs treat live knob and tube as something to fix first.
The word that matters is live. Plenty of old houses have abandoned knob and tube still sitting on the joists, disconnected years ago when a previous owner rewired. That wire carries no power and usually does not need to come out. Our first visit is a test, circuit by circuit, with breakers on and off, so we can show you which runs still carry power and which are dead copper you can leave alone.
Why the insulation crew sends you to an electrician
Roslindale owners who want better insulation often find out the wiring has to come first. Boston names knob and tube as one of the things that blocks insulation from going in, and Mass Save holds attic and wall work until any live runs are dealt with. So a rewire here is often step one of a weatherization project. We plan the order of work around the insulation crew, clear the attic first, and leave the wall cavities ready so their visit is not pushed back again.
Rewiring without gutting the plaster
Most owners want the old wiring gone without losing their plaster walls and trim, and in most houses that is possible. We fish new cable from the basement up and from the attic down, using closets, baseboard cavities and the holes the old wire already ran through. Where a run cannot be fished, we cut a small, neat opening at a stud or a fixture location, so the patching is limited to those spots instead of whole walls.
Replacing a circuit is also the right moment to fix what came with it. Old two-prong outlets on those runs get grounded outlets or GFCI protection, bedroom circuits get AFCI breakers as current code expects, and splices that were buried in the insulation get proper boxes. If the panel is a fuse box or is out of spaces, we tell you before the rewire starts, since the new circuits need somewhere sound to land.
Partial or full removal: deciding how far to go
Not every house needs a full rewire. If the live knob and tube is limited to a few top-floor circuits and the rest of the house was redone decades ago, replacing just those runs is reasonable and much less disruptive. If it still feeds outlets on every floor, a phased whole-house rewire usually works out better over time than chasing it circuit by circuit as problems appear, and it clears every insulation barrier in one go.
We also look at what a partial job leaves behind. Old wiring that stays in service is still old, and insurers and home buyers may ask about it. A written summary of what was replaced, what was tested and what remains gives you an honest answer when they do. If a sale is coming, it is often worth finishing the job so the question does not come up at the buyer's inspection.
Roslindale wiring jobs, from attic to panel
Knob & Tube Wiring Replacement
Live runs in attics and top-floor walls are what stop insulation work.
Whole-House Rewiring
When knob and tube still feeds every floor, a phased rewire is usually the cleaner answer.
GFCI & AFCI Protection
New circuits replacing old runs get the protection current code expects.
Fuse Box Replacement
A fuse panel often turns up in the same houses that still have knob and tube.
Electrical Safety Inspection
A circuit-by-circuit test tells you what is live before anyone quotes a rewire.
Insulation on hold because of old wiring? Tell us what the energy auditor found.
Call (617) 843-6591Knob and tube questions from Roslindale
Not always. Insulation work is blocked by live runs in the areas being insulated. Dead, disconnected wire can usually stay. We test and tell you exactly which circuits are still live.
Some small openings are usually needed, mostly at outlet and fixture locations or where a run turns a corner. We fish through existing paths first and keep cuts small so patching stays simple.
Yes. We work a few circuits at a time so most of the house keeps power each day, and we restore what we touched before we leave.
Look in the attic or basement for single wires on white porcelain knobs or passing through porcelain tubes. Two-prong outlets and cloth-covered wire at fixtures are other clues. A test confirms whether it is live.