Craftsman bungalows in Highland Park, Eagle Rock and West Adams and Spanish Revival homes in Los Feliz and Silver Lake were often wired with knob-and-tube in the 1910s and 1920s, and much of it is still live, buried under decades of attic insulation that it was never designed for. Insurers and buyers often flag it during inspections.
Electrification is the biggest driver of panel work in LA: heat pumps, induction cooking, EV chargers and rooftop solar often all land on a panel that dates to the original build. Fuse panels and Zinsco equipment are still found in older neighborhoods.
Craftsman bungalows in North Park, South Park and University Heights and Spanish Revival homes in Kensington and Mission Hills often still have knob-and-tube wiring from the 1910s to the 1930s. Some insurers decline homes with active knob-and-tube, and buyers often ask about it.
Rooftop solar is very common, and adding solar, a battery, an EV charger or a heat pump to an original 60 or 100 amp panel often requires an upgrade. Coastal homes see corrosion on outdoor equipment from salt air.
Knob-and-tube is common in the bungalows and tudors of Land Park, East Sacramento, Curtis Park and Oak Park, most of which were built between the 1910s and the 1940s. It usually surfaces when owners add attic insulation to cope with Sacramento's long run of 100-degree summer days, since insulation should not be packed around active knob-and-tube.
Older homes often have 60 or 100 amp services, some knob-and-tube and limited outlets. Electrification is a big driver of work here, with heat pumps, EV chargers and rooftop solar all adding load to original panels.
The Tower District and the Fresno High neighborhood hold many homes from the 1910s to the 1940s, and some still have knob-and-tube wiring buried under attic insulation. Insurers and buyers often ask about it.
Older homes often have 60 or 100 amp services that were sized before central air, and adding a larger AC system, rooftop solar or an EV charger frequently requires an upgrade. Rooftop solar is common across the city.
Bluff Park, Belmont Heights and California Heights hold many of Long Beach's Craftsman and Spanish Revival homes from the 1910s to the 1930s, and some still have knob-and-tube wiring in attics and walls. Insurers and buyers frequently ask about it.
Many older homes still have 60 or 100 amp services, and adding an EV charger, heat pump or solar often needs an upgrade. Homes near the water see corrosion on meters, outdoor panels and exterior outlets.
Oakland's Craftsman bungalows and Victorians in Rockridge, Temescal, West Oakland and the Dimond were built from the 1890s to the 1920s, and knob-and-tube wiring still runs through many of them. Seismic retrofits, common in Oakland, are a good time to replace it, since the crawl space is already open.
Older flatland homes often have knob-and-tube and small services, while hill homes face wildfire-season power shutoffs. Heat pumps, induction cooking and EV chargers often require a service upgrade.
Stockton's Magnolia Historic District and the streets around the Miracle Mile hold Victorians and Craftsman houses from the late 1800s to the 1920s, and live knob-and-tube wiring is still found in many of them, often buried under blown-in insulation it was never designed for. Insurers and buyers regularly ask about it.
Older homes near downtown may have knob-and-tube or small services, while mid-century tracts often have panels electricians suggest replacing. Heat drives heavy AC loads, and rooftop solar is common.
Pasadena's Bungalow Heaven, Madison Heights and Playhouse Village are full of Craftsman bungalows from the 1900s to the 1920s, and many still have knob-and-tube wiring, sometimes buried under attic insulation. Insurers and buyers often ask about it.
Many homes have original or patched wiring and small services. Electrification projects and rebuilding after the fire both bring panel and service upgrades.
