Frequently Asked Questions

At Seatown Electric Heating and Air, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the highest quality care possible. In order to help achieve that goal, we make ourselves as available as possible to answer your questions and address your concerns. Below, we answered several of our most frequently asked questions. If you have a question and do not see it below, please feel free to call us at (206) 209-0690 or contact us online. We would be more than happy to assist you!

Is My Home Up To Current Code?

If your home was built before 2014, then the answer is most likely no. If it was built between 2000 and 2014, it most likely won't be in bad shape; it just won't be up to current code. As the years go by and codes changes take effect, it is always recommended that you upgrade your devices to meet current code. To determine how outdated your system is, a whole home safety check would be recommended.

Is Knob & Tube Wiring Safe?

All Knob and Tube wiring is dangerous. There is nothing safe about Knob and Tube. Most homeowners have heard rumors from neighbors or handyman contractors, hearing things like "It's not dangerous if you don't tamper with it" or "It's been around this long and it still works." The fact is, yes, it does work, and so does speaker wire. But is speaker wire safe to use as a replacement for NMB wire? NO. And neither is Knob and Tube.

Why isn't Knob and Tube safe? Well, for starters, it was designed for the early 1900's appliances, a table lamp or two, and maybe a refrigerator. It was not designed for computers, multiple small kitchen appliances, flat screen TVs, cell phone chargers, etc... This is old, brittle wire, we are talking about. There is a reason why, legally, insulation companies have to get Electrical Contractors to "sign off" on the Knob and Tube before they can cover it.

Knob and Tube wiring has no ground. What happens if you have no ground? It's simple. You and your family are at risk of shock. Anyone who says this is safe needs to be educated on electrical grounding and bonding. Bottom line is, Knob and Tube is far from safe and it should be replaced as soon as possible. Seatown Electric Heating and Air’s knowledgeable estimators will come up with a plan to meet any budget and help make your home the safest it can be.

What Should I Expect From the Estimate Process?

It's really simple. You fill out the online form or call to set up an appointment. Appointments are scheduled with a two-hour arrival window. The actual appointments will usually only last 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the extent of your project. Our estimator will show up with helpful ideas on the work you are looking to get done, along with information on your current electrical system. We will always provide you with upfront pricing and present it to you within 24 hours.

Virtually all work needs permitting. Permits can be pulled onsite by Seatown Electric Heating and Air and printed out for your records. Once the work has been done, we will need to schedule an inspection. The homeowner is required to let the inspector in the home on the inspection day. That's it. Contact us today to get started!

Do I Need To Be Home for the Technicians To Complete the Work?

No. In fact, a lot of customers leave a key for access to the home while they are at work. Our normal workday starts around 8 a.m. and we start cleaning up for the day around 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Will I Be Without Power During Work?

Yes, depending on the project. For panel and service upgrades, plan on having your power out for roughly 8 to 10 hours. During this time, we will set up temporary power to refrigerators. At the end of the day, power will be restored. On rewires and smaller jobs, power will be out only in sections of the home throughout the day. Our technicians are trained to walk you through the daily plan to make sure you are aware of what times your power will be out.

Will There Be Wall Damage During Rewires? What Is the Process?

Sometimes there is wallboard/plaster damage. This all depends on the house layout. If you have an exposed basement, crawl space, and attic space, then there will most likely not be damage to the walls. If you have a finished basement below and no attic, then the only way to do the rewire is through the walls. Our technicians are trained to keep damage to a minimum.

Our process for a rewire begins with a detailed and very in-depth walk-through. This ensures that we are giving accurate estimates on the time and labor and to assure what is actually knob and tube. Once the proposal has been approved and permits have been pulled, we can begin work. Day one is a layout day, mainly to get familiar with framing layout in your home. Day two; we start the work, moving room by room. Every day starts with drop cloths and a plastic layout and ends with a thorough cleaning of the home. Most all rewires take six to eight days.