Seattle Electrical Services
Licensed Seattle electricians. Upfront pricing. Permitted & code-compliant. Protect your home, satisfy your insurer, and bring your wiring into the modern era.
We have available financing offers that are often lower than what a bank can offer for 2–5 year plans. These are for projects up to $50,000. Contact us for more information.
Who We Are
Seattle has a rich stock of older homes — craftsman bungalows, Tudor revivals, colonial colonials, and classic two-stories built throughout the early and mid-twentieth century. These homes have tremendous character and lasting structural quality. But many of them still carry the original electrical wiring installed when they were built: knob and tube.
Knob and tube wiring was the standard for American residential electrical installations from approximately the 1880s through the 1940s. In its day, it was a perfectly adequate system. But decades of wear, improper modifications, and the dramatically increased electrical demands of modern life have turned knob and tube wiring into one of the most serious safety and insurability concerns a Seattle homeowner can face.
Black Dog Electric specializes in knob and tube wiring replacement throughout Seattle and the Greater Seattle area. We remove the old wiring, install modern grounded wiring throughout your home, upgrade your electrical panel if needed, and bring everything up to current NEC and City of Seattle code — with every permit pulled and every inspection passed.
Call for a Free AssessmentUnderstanding the Problem
Knob and tube wiring gets its name from the two components used to route and protect the wires as they run through a home's framing. Ceramic knobs were nailed to joists and studs to hold the wire in place, and ceramic tubes were inserted through framing members to protect the wire where it passed through wood.
The system runs two separate conductors — one hot, one neutral — through the walls, attic, and basement of a home. Unlike modern wiring, knob and tube has no ground wire. This is a fundamental limitation: without a ground, there is no safe path for fault current, which means that a wiring fault can result in shock or fire rather than a tripped breaker.
The Seattle metropolitan area has an unusually high concentration of homes built between 1900 and 1950 — particularly in neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, Columbia City, Beacon Hill, and West Seattle. Many of these homes still have portions of their original knob and tube wiring intact, sometimes mixed with later additions of modern wiring in a patchwork that can be even more hazardous than the original system alone.
Seattle's wet climate also accelerates insulation degradation on older wiring. The cloth and rubber insulation used on knob and tube wiring becomes brittle and cracked over time — and moisture speeds that process considerably. What may have been in acceptable condition decades ago is often a genuine fire risk today.
Knob and tube wiring was designed to dissipate heat into open air. It was never designed to be surrounded by insulation. When well-meaning homeowners or contractors added attic or wall insulation over the years — especially blown-in or spray foam insulation — they inadvertently trapped heat around knob and tube wiring that was designed to breathe. This dramatically increases the risk of overheating and fire.
Safety & Liability Risks
Many Seattle homeowners discover knob and tube wiring and wonder if it truly needs to be replaced. Here is an honest look at what the risks actually are — and why most electricians, insurers, and home inspectors recommend replacement.
Knob and tube wiring carries current through cloth-insulated conductors that were designed to run in open air. When covered by modern insulation — as is common in Seattle attics — heat cannot dissipate and the risk of fire increases dramatically. This is one of the most common causes of house fires in older homes.
Modern appliances, computers, and electronics rely on a ground wire for safe operation. Without it, a wiring fault sends electricity through the path of least resistance — which can be a person. Knob and tube systems have no ground wire whatsoever, leaving occupants and their electronics unprotected.
Over decades, many Seattle homes had their knob and tube wiring spliced and extended by previous owners or non-licensed workers. These improper connections — often found inside walls or junction boxes — are among the most dangerous electrical conditions a home can have, and are invisible without a thorough inspection.
Most Washington State homeowner's insurance companies will not issue a new policy — or will cancel an existing one — on a home with active knob and tube wiring. For homeowners who discover this at renewal time, it can mean being left uninsured until the rewire is completed.
FHA, VA, and many conventional lenders will not fund a mortgage on a home with active knob and tube wiring. For buyers and sellers of Seattle's older homes, this is a deal-stopper that frequently surfaces during the inspection period and derails otherwise solid transactions.
A home with knob and tube wiring sells for less than a comparable home with modern wiring — when it sells at all. Buyers factor the rewire cost into their offer, and many buyers simply walk away rather than take on the project. Proactive replacement protects your investment and dramatically expands your buyer pool.
What We Do
Black Dog Electric handles every aspect of your knob and tube wiring replacement from the initial assessment through the final city inspection. Here is what is included in a typical project.
Complete removal of all knob and tube wiring and replacement with modern NM-B (Romex) or conduit wiring, properly sized for today's electrical loads. Every circuit is new, grounded, and run to a modern panel.
When a full rewire isn't immediately feasible, we can replace knob and tube wiring room by room or circuit by circuit, prioritizing the highest-risk areas first and building toward a fully modern system over time.
Knob and tube wiring almost always pairs with an undersized or outdated electrical panel. We replace fuse boxes and 60–100 amp panels with modern 200-amp circuit breaker panels capable of handling your home's actual load.
After rewiring, every outlet in your home will be replaced with modern three-prong grounded outlets — protecting your appliances, electronics, and the people in your home from electrical faults.
Current Seattle electrical code requires arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) protection in bedrooms and most living areas, and ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection in kitchens, bathrooms, and exterior areas. We bring every circuit into full compliance.
Not sure how much knob and tube wiring your home has, or what condition it's in? We perform thorough electrical inspections of older Seattle homes and provide a detailed written assessment of what exists, what needs replacement, and what it will cost.
All rewiring projects in Seattle require permits from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). We handle all permit applications, schedule the inspections, and ensure the work passes — giving you a fully documented, code-compliant electrical system.
Once the rewire is complete and inspected, we provide documentation that satisfies insurance underwriters and mortgage lenders. We understand what these parties need and make the process of clearing your home's electrical history as smooth as possible.
Why Black Dog Electric
Rewiring a home is one of the most significant electrical projects a homeowner can undertake. Here's why Black Dog Electric is the right partner for the job.
Every job performed by Black Dog Electric meets Washington State Department of Labor & Industries requirements. License #SMITHTA787PC. Full rewires require a licensed contractor — don't trust this work to anyone who isn't.
We work in Seattle's classic neighborhoods every week — Capitol Hill, Ballard, Fremont, West Seattle, Wallingford, Columbia City, and beyond. We know what to expect in a 1920s craftsman or a 1940s Tudor, and we plan accordingly.
We provide itemized, written quotes before any work begins. Rewiring is a complex project, and we break down exactly what you're paying for — no vague estimates, no surprise change orders after the walls are open.
We file all permits with the SDCI and coordinate every required inspection. When the project is complete, you have a fully documented, permitted, and inspected electrical system — the paperwork that protects you with insurers and future buyers.
Our reviews consistently highlight clear communication, professional workmanship, and respect for our customers' homes. In an older home, minimizing disruption while doing thorough work is an art — and it's one we've refined.
Owner Travis Smith is personally involved in every project. You won't be handed off to a subcontractor or a crew you've never met. The person you talk to is the person doing the work — and that makes a difference.
Insurance & Financing
One of the most pressing reasons Seattle homeowners pursue knob and tube replacement is insurance. Washington State homeowner's insurance carriers have become increasingly strict about knob and tube wiring over the past decade, and many will simply refuse to insure — or continue insuring — a home that has it.
If you've received a letter from your insurance company asking you to have the wiring replaced within a specified time period, you are not alone. This is one of the most common situations that brings Seattle homeowners to us. The good news is that we can typically complete the work within the timeframe your insurer has given you — and we provide the documentation they need to reinstate or renew your coverage.
Insurance underwriters are concerned about knob and tube wiring for specific reasons: the lack of a ground wire, the age-related deterioration of cloth and rubber insulation, the high probability of improper modifications over the decades, and the fire risk created when knob and tube wiring is covered by modern insulation. When a policy is renewed or a new policy is issued, underwriters flag homes built before 1950 and often require an electrical inspection or rewire before providing coverage.
If you are planning to sell your home, knob and tube wiring is one of the most significant issues you can proactively resolve before listing. Home inspectors are required to report knob and tube wiring, and buyers' agents will use it as leverage in price negotiations — or buyers will simply walk away. Many conventional, FHA, and VA mortgage programs will not lend on a home with active knob and tube wiring. Completing the rewire before listing puts you in a far stronger negotiating position and removes a major contingency from the transaction.
Our Process
Rewiring a home is a significant project, but with the right team it is manageable and well worth the investment. Here is how Black Dog Electric handles it from start to finish.
We start with a thorough walkthrough of your home — attic, basement, crawl space, and living areas. We map out where the knob and tube wiring exists, assess its condition and any modifications that have been made over the years, evaluate your current electrical panel, and identify the scope of work needed. This assessment is free and comes with no obligation.
Based on our assessment, we provide a clear, itemized written quote that covers all labor, materials, panel work if needed, permit fees, and any other costs associated with the project. We explain every line item. Rewiring is a complex job, and we believe you should understand exactly what you are paying for before you make any commitment.
Before any work begins, we file the required electrical permit with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. This is a non-negotiable step — rewiring without a permit creates serious legal and financial exposure for homeowners and is a condition that will surface at any future sale. We handle all the paperwork and pay close attention to Seattle's specific code requirements for older home rewires.
Our electricians work methodically through your home, removing the old knob and tube wiring and running new grounded wiring to every outlet, switch, and fixture. We work carefully to minimize damage to walls and ceilings, using fishing techniques wherever possible to run wire through existing wall cavities. All new wiring is properly sized, routed, and secured per current code requirements. Depending on the size of your home, this typically takes between three and seven days.
Most homes with knob and tube wiring also have undersized electrical panels — often 60-amp fuse boxes or early 100-amp panels. If your home needs a panel upgrade, we perform it as part of the same project, giving you a complete modern electrical system from the service entrance to every outlet.
After the electrical work is complete, the city inspector visits to review and sign off on the installation. We coordinate this scheduling on your behalf. Once the permit is closed and the inspection is passed, you receive documentation confirming that your home's electrical system is fully code-compliant — the paperwork your insurer and any future lender will want to see.
What to Budget
Cost is understandably one of the first questions homeowners ask. Here is an honest overview of what knob and tube wiring replacement typically costs in the Seattle market — and what drives the variation.
We have available financing offers that are often lower than what a bank can offer for 2–5 year plans. These are for projects up to $50,000. Contact us for more information.
These ranges include labor, materials, permit fees, and a panel upgrade where needed. Several factors influence the final cost: home size and layout, the accessibility of walls and attic, whether walls are plaster or drywall, the extent of existing modifications to the knob and tube system, and whether a panel upgrade is required simultaneously. Black Dog Electric provides free, itemized written quotes after an in-home assessment — so you know exactly what your project will cost before any work begins. Call (206) 551-4028 to schedule your free assessment.
Common Questions
We've answered the questions we hear most from Seattle homeowners dealing with knob and tube wiring. Don't see yours? Call us — we're happy to talk through your specific situation.
The cost of knob and tube wiring replacement in Seattle typically ranges from $6,000 to $25,000 or more, depending on the size of your home, the extent of the wiring, wall and attic accessibility, and whether a panel upgrade is needed at the same time. Black Dog Electric provides free, itemized written quotes after an in-home assessment. Call (206) 551-4028 to schedule yours.
Knob and tube wiring in original, unmodified condition is less dangerous than commonly assumed — but in the real world, most knob and tube wiring in Seattle homes has been modified, spliced, or covered with insulation over the decades. These conditions create genuine fire and safety hazards. Additionally, knob and tube has no ground wire, which means your appliances and electronics are unprotected. Most electrical inspectors, insurance companies, and lenders treat it as a serious concern regardless of its apparent condition.
Yes. Rewiring a home in Seattle requires an electrical permit from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) and must be performed by a licensed electrical contractor. Black Dog Electric handles all permit applications and coordinates the final inspection on your behalf. Never hire anyone who offers to rewire your home without pulling permits — this creates serious legal exposure and will surface as a problem when you sell or make an insurance claim.
We understand that insurance timelines create real urgency. We prioritize these situations and work to complete assessments, provide quotes, pull permits, and complete the work within the timeframe your insurer has given you wherever possible. Call us at (206) 551-4028 and let us know your deadline — we will work with you.
You can list a home with knob and tube wiring, but it will almost certainly be flagged by the buyer's inspector and may cause significant financing issues. FHA and VA loans generally will not be approved on homes with active knob and tube wiring, and many conventional lenders take the same position. Buyers who do proceed typically demand a significant price reduction to cover the cost of rewiring. Completing the project before listing puts you in a far stronger position.
A typical single-family home rewire in Seattle takes 3 to 7 business days for the electrical work itself, depending on the size and complexity of the home. This does not include any drywall repair or painting that may be needed after the wiring is run. We provide a clear project timeline before work begins so you can plan accordingly — including temporary relocation if needed.
Some wall access is typically required for a rewire, but the extent varies considerably depending on your home's construction. In many older Seattle homes with accessible attics and basements, we can run a significant portion of the new wiring without opening finished walls — using fishing techniques to route wire through existing cavities. We always aim to minimize disruption and discuss the expected wall access requirements with you during the assessment before any work begins.
Where We Work
Black Dog Electric provides knob and tube wiring replacement throughout Seattle's older neighborhoods and surrounding communities. Many of Seattle's most historic and character-rich areas have significant concentrations of pre-1950 homes — and we work in all of them.
Call us or tap below for a free in-home consultation. We'll walk through your home, explain exactly what's there and what it needs, and give you an honest written quote — no obligation.
Black Dog Electric LLC — Licensed & Insured Washington State Electrical Contractor · License #SMITHTA787PC
Serving Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, and the Greater Seattle Area
Fast, reliable repairs for all major home appliances. Same-day service available with upfront pricing and no hidden fees.
© Copyright Black Dog Electric, LLC, A West Seattle Electrician
License #: SMITHTA787PC