Gibbs Brothers Electric was here yesterday. Our hall light stopped working and the electricity to our bedroom kept shutting itself off. We discovered that half the electrical wiring in the house has been updated and the other half is running off of the 1912 knob and tube wiring.
The electrician got everything back up and running but he suggested replacing some of the original wiring because the insulation has worn away in places making it a fire hazard. We plan on doing this but I’m not sure if I will go with Gibbs Brothers. After discussing the work, it became apparent that the electrician was more comfortable opening up the plaster walls (which we want to avoid) than fishing wire through them.
The push-button hallway switch will need to be replaced because it’s not up to code. This is probably a good idea since we have had a few sparks from that light switch. We will replace it with a 3-way push-button switch (7837) from Rejuventation. I selected a hanging lantern based on a 1905 design from The Bright Spot, Inc. to replace the bare bulb dangling from the ceiling (which is also not up to code). I thought the price was very reasonable. I also purchased a light for our front porch while I was at it.
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I’m sorry you paid so much for such a beautiful switch… http://www.antique-home.com/ has them cheaper…
Those pushbuttons are really nice, though, because that’s the hardware you’d find in a 1912 home. Toggle switches didn’t come around until the 30′s
John,
Thanks for the tip! Those are almost half the price of what we paid.
heather