Home Inspection Terms – Glossary – Keystone to Knob and Tube Wiring

Keystone:  

A keystone is a wedge-shaped or trapezoidal structural piece that forms the center unit at the top of a masonry arch.

Kick Plate: 

A kick plate is a metal strip placed at the lower edge of a door to protect the finish.

Kite Winder: 

A kite winder is a triangular or kite-shaped step in a circular stairway that occurs where the direction of the stairway changes.

Knee Brace:   A diagonal member (usually at a 45 degree angle) that is attached from a piling to a main structural beam or girder and serves to stiffen the foundation.

Knee Wall:   A wall that acts as a brace by supporting roof rafters at an intermediate position along their length.

Knob and Tube Wiring:  

Knob and tube wiring is old electrical wiring on ceramic knobs and tubes secured to structural members of a property.