Buying an Older Home in BC: Wiring, Pipes, Oil Tanks and Insurance

An older home can be a good buy, but its wiring, pipes and heating were built to the standards of their day, and insurers will ask about them. Here is what to check in an older BC home, from knob-and-tube wiring and Poly-B to buried oil tanks, asbestos and lead paint, and how to plan for upgrades before you remove subjects.

The short version

What to expect from each era

The Insurance Bureau of Canada groups the common issues in older homes by when they were built:

• Pre-war, 1900 to 1945. Knob-and-tube wiring, and water pipes made of lead or galvanized steel.
• Post-war, 1945 to 1960. A 60-amp electrical service, which was adequate for its time but can't support today's power demands.
• Suburban expansion, 1960s to 1990s. Aluminum wiring and Poly-B plumbing.

Many older homes have been updated over the years, so age alone doesn't tell you what is behind the walls. Ask the seller what has been replaced and when, and for the permits and invoices.

Wiring and electrical service

• Knob-and-tube. This early copper wiring has no ground wire, and its cloth insulation can deteriorate with age. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says it may increase the risk of fire and electric shock, and that you should tell your insurer if a home has it.
• Aluminum wiring. Technical Safety BC says overheating can occur where connections and devices aren't rated for aluminum, and that replacement switches and outlets should carry the CO/ALR marking. Cable made before May 1977 is marked ALUMINUM, ALUM or AL, and you can often read the markings in an unfinished basement or attic, or at the panel.
• A small service. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says homes with a 60-amp service may be ineligible for some coverage, or face surcharges, unless upgraded to at least 100 amps.

Most electrical work needs a permit before it starts, issued by Technical Safety BC or, in some places, by your municipality. Under Technical Safety BC's rules, a homeowner can get a permit to do some work themselves only in a single detached home they solely own and occupy with their family, and a home with a suite needs a licensed contractor. Technical Safety BC says replacing aluminum wiring should be done by a qualified person under an electrical installation permit.

Pipes, sewer lines and drainage

• Lead and galvanized steel. Lead pipes were common in pre-war homes and can contaminate water. Health Canada says lead pipes were allowed in plumbing until 1975 and lead solder until 1986, and you can have the tap water tested. Galvanized steel corrodes from the inside out. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says both are more likely to crack and leak, and that upgrading to copper or plastic can lower the cost of insuring your home.
• Poly-B. This plastic pipe, used during the suburban expansion, can break down from chlorine in the water, UV light and heat. Some insurers may have exclusions for it, so ask before you buy.
• The sewer line. In Vancouver, you are responsible for maintaining the sewer lines on your property. Pipes crack from damage, age and tree roots, and the City also flags roof and foundation drains wrongly connected to the sanitary sewer line. Renewing a line can mean relining it, a temporary fix, or replacing it, with City permits and an inspection.

A plumbing contractor can scope the sewer line with a camera before you remove subjects. I explain this and other specialist checks in Home Inspections in BC.

Oil tanks

The City of Vancouver says that until the 1960s, most Vancouver home furnaces ran on oil from underground storage tanks. Under the City's rules:

• The owner has to find out. Confirming whether there is a tank, usually by hiring a contractor to search the property, is the owner's responsibility.
• Old tanks must come out. A heating oil tank that hasn't been used for two years must be removed under a City permit. It can be left in place only if the City agrees that removing it isn't practical.
• Contaminated soil. If a tank has leaked, the soil has to be managed by a qualified environmental professional under the provincial Contaminated Sites Regulation.

The City notes that removing a tank satisfies lenders, buyers and insurance agents. Other cities have their own rules, so check with yours. If you are buying, ask the seller for any removal paperwork, and consider making a tank search a condition of your offer.

Asbestos, vermiculite and lead paint

• Asbestos. WorkSafeBC says asbestos was widely used in BC as a building material until the early 1990s. Health Canada lists places it can turn up, including siding, plaster, floor and ceiling tiles, roofing, drywall and the insulation around hot water pipes and tanks. It isn't a significant health risk if left undisturbed or sealed behind walls and floors, but WorkSafeBC says to have the home tested before a renovation or demolition starts. Only qualified professionals should remove it, and since January 1, 2024, asbestos abatement contractors have needed a licence to operate in BC; WorkSafeBC lists them online.
• Vermiculite. Vermiculite insulation may contain asbestos. Health Canada says not to disturb it or try to remove it yourself.
• Lead paint. Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably has lead-based paint, and one built between 1960 and 1990 may have it on the exterior, with smaller amounts possible on interior surfaces. Paint that isn't chipping is sometimes safer left alone or covered. Before any work, have it tested, don't sand or heat it, and keep children and pregnant women away from the work area.

What insurers will ask

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says insurers want to know what updates have been made to a home's electrical, plumbing and roofing. Expect questions like these:

• Wiring and panel. Is there knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, and are there fuses or a service under 100 amps? Updated wiring, a minimum 100-amp service with breakers or an inspection by a licensed electrician may be required.
• Pipes. Are there galvanized steel, lead or Poly-B pipes, and when was the plumbing updated?
• Roof. How old is it? Insurers generally prefer roofs that have been updated within the last 20 years.
• Heating. Is there a wood stove or fireplace? Talk to your insurer before you buy a home with a wood stove, and I would also tell them about any oil tank, past or present, even if they don't ask.

Get a quote on the actual home during your subject period, with complete answers, so a coverage problem comes up while you can still walk away or renegotiate.

Budgeting for upgrades

• Add specialists. Beyond the general inspection, consider a licensed electrician, a sewer scope, an oil tank search and, if you plan to renovate, an asbestos test.
• Get written quotes. Price the work you will need to insure and live in the home, such as rewiring, a service upgrade or new plumbing, before you remove subjects, and use the numbers in your offer or negotiation.
• Allow for permits and licensed trades. Most electrical work needs a permit, sewer work in Vancouver needs City permits, and asbestos abatement needs a licensed contractor, which affects both cost and timing.
• Put testing first. If you plan to renovate, build hazardous materials testing, and any abatement, into the start of your schedule and budget.
• Ask about discounts. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says many insurers reward risk-reducing upgrades, such as replacing lead plumbing.

Questions buyers often ask me

Can I insure a home with knob-and-tube wiring?

It depends on the insurer. Insurers ask about it, and some may require updated wiring or an inspection by a licensed electrician, so get a quote on the actual home before you remove subjects.

What is Poly-B, and is it a problem?

Poly-B is a plastic plumbing pipe that the Insurance Bureau of Canada places in its suburban expansion era, the 1960s to the 1990s. It can break down from chlorine, UV light and heat, and some insurers may have exclusions for it.

Who is responsible for an old oil tank?

In Vancouver, the owner. Confirming whether there is a tank is the owner's responsibility, a tank unused for two years must be removed under a City permit unless the City agrees removal isn't practical, and any contaminated soil must be managed under provincial rules. Other cities have their own rules.

Does an older home have asbestos?

It may. Asbestos was widely used in BC until the early 1990s. It isn't a significant risk if left undisturbed, but WorkSafeBC says to have the home tested before a renovation or demolition, and abatement contractors must be licensed.

Should I worry about lead paint?

It matters most if paint is chipping or you plan to renovate. Health Canada says homes built before 1960 probably have lead paint, and homes from 1960 to 1990 may have it outside and, in smaller amounts, inside. Never sand or heat it, and keep children and pregnant women away from the work.

Buying an older home? Read what your inspector checks, and what they don't, plan your subject period with From Offer to Keys, or browse homes for sale in Vancouver.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Permit, oil tank and hazardous materials rules vary by city, and insurers set their own terms, so check the details for the home you are buying; they were current at the time of writing. For the Insurance Bureau of Canada's guide, see know your home's history.