At a recent home inspection this week in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island I discovered, to my complete and utter dismay, original (old) knob-and-tube electrical wiring in an attic BURIED underneath fiberglass insulation and in direct contact with framing members, clear and well known safety issues. It’s imperative to maintain proper clearances around this old wiring as it can overheat causing a possible fire. Please don’t insulate your attic if you have old knob-and-tube wiring! The insulation looked professionally installed, which is why I was completely baffled to see such an egregious, irresponsible apparent contractor oversight. The insulation will need to be removed and proper clearance around all old, original knob-and-tube wiring provided for safety reasons. Better yet, upgrade the old wiring and be done with it!
Tag Archives: attic inspection
Mold in Attics . . . Why Should I Care and What to Do About It?
It’s true, mold in attics rarely affects the indoor air quality in homes, so what’s the big deal? Why is it a reportable issue, why does it scare homeowners and what can be done about it? This is a common issue for homes in the Pacific Northwest, so I wanted to take a moment to address it because there’s also a lot of hype and misinformation out there about mold. Continue reading