My girlfriend and I are in the process of buying our first house and have possibly found one. Everything looks great (original woodwork has been preserved) except I have some questions regarding the wiring.
The house is a 2000 sq ft, 2.5 (3) story built in 1924. All of the receptacles in the home are 2 prong that are installed in the baseboards, with the exception of 2 outside receptacles (grounded, GFCI, under covers), and ungrounded GFCIs installed in the bathrooms & kitchen. There is also a 3 prong outlet near the breaker box that may or may not be grounded (can't remember). The house drop and breaker panel were updated last month to 200amp service.
When I saw the 2 prong outlets, I was worried that the house may have knob & tube wiring so I took a look under the house in the crawlspace. Without going completely under the house I could see the porcelain insulators and wiring running from them up and into the house. I don't know if this wiring is still in tact or if it has been disconnected and left there. There are 3 outlets per bedroom, which from what I've read didn't really happen with K&T.
Also, upon investigating the breaker panel, I noticed a single, 20amp breaker labeled "Upstairs Lights/Outlets". A quick assessment of the upstairs found: 9 outlets in bedrooms (3 per), 3 outlets in third floor (one of which for a window unit A/C), 7 ceiling light fixtures, 2 sconce lights by bathroom mirror, bathroom exhaust fan, 1 GFCI in the bath, and possibly 1 outlet in the upstairs hallway. All of these are connected to the same 20amp breaker.
There is a 60amp double breaker running to the old fuse subpanel in the workshop, a 40amp (I believe) double breaker for the stove, and 2 single 15amp breakers (both labeled A/C) for the central A/C unit. There are 2 20amp single breakers for the "Downstairs Outlets/Lights", a 20amp breaker for the "Outside Outlets", and a few others that escape my memory right now.
Sorry for the extra long post. I have been lurking for months while we are on the house hunt, and wanted to gather some advice/info from the decades (if not centuries) of experience on this forum before we decide what to do.
My questions are:
1. Is there an easy way to determine if the K&T is still in use?
2. Any ballpark figures on the $$ needed to rewire the house to add a ground?
3. Is it normal to have so many outlets on one 20amp breaker?
4. Are the 2 single 15 amp breakers for the A/C ok, or should that be 1 30amp double breaker?
Thank you in advance for any and all help you can provide. I appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Future Home-Owner and DIYer
The house is a 2000 sq ft, 2.5 (3) story built in 1924. All of the receptacles in the home are 2 prong that are installed in the baseboards, with the exception of 2 outside receptacles (grounded, GFCI, under covers), and ungrounded GFCIs installed in the bathrooms & kitchen. There is also a 3 prong outlet near the breaker box that may or may not be grounded (can't remember). The house drop and breaker panel were updated last month to 200amp service.
When I saw the 2 prong outlets, I was worried that the house may have knob & tube wiring so I took a look under the house in the crawlspace. Without going completely under the house I could see the porcelain insulators and wiring running from them up and into the house. I don't know if this wiring is still in tact or if it has been disconnected and left there. There are 3 outlets per bedroom, which from what I've read didn't really happen with K&T.
Also, upon investigating the breaker panel, I noticed a single, 20amp breaker labeled "Upstairs Lights/Outlets". A quick assessment of the upstairs found: 9 outlets in bedrooms (3 per), 3 outlets in third floor (one of which for a window unit A/C), 7 ceiling light fixtures, 2 sconce lights by bathroom mirror, bathroom exhaust fan, 1 GFCI in the bath, and possibly 1 outlet in the upstairs hallway. All of these are connected to the same 20amp breaker.
There is a 60amp double breaker running to the old fuse subpanel in the workshop, a 40amp (I believe) double breaker for the stove, and 2 single 15amp breakers (both labeled A/C) for the central A/C unit. There are 2 20amp single breakers for the "Downstairs Outlets/Lights", a 20amp breaker for the "Outside Outlets", and a few others that escape my memory right now.
Sorry for the extra long post. I have been lurking for months while we are on the house hunt, and wanted to gather some advice/info from the decades (if not centuries) of experience on this forum before we decide what to do.
My questions are:
1. Is there an easy way to determine if the K&T is still in use?
2. Any ballpark figures on the $$ needed to rewire the house to add a ground?
3. Is it normal to have so many outlets on one 20amp breaker?
4. Are the 2 single 15 amp breakers for the A/C ok, or should that be 1 30amp double breaker?
Thank you in advance for any and all help you can provide. I appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Future Home-Owner and DIYer