If You See A Tube In The Wall Of An Old Home, This Is What It Means

It's no surprise that you might find bizarre features in old homes, and one of those strange discoveries could be a tube in the wall. If you purchase or visit an old house and encounter this unusual feature, don't panic — there's history behind it. Expect to find these "speaker tubes" in homes that date back to the 1910s. Speaker tubes, in theory, allowed people to talk to folks on the other side of the building without having to shout or walk to wherever the person they were trying to communicate with was located.

Believe it or not, the speaker tube concept goes back to the Victorian Era — even further than the 1910s. After all, strict Victorian etiquette advised against shouting in the home, so it only makes sense that the tubes were convenient at the time, and prevented people from having to raise their voices. So, next time you visit a home that dates back to the Victorian era, keep your eyes open for a speaker tube. You may even want to ask if you'd be allowed to test it out and see if it still works.

If you're looking at older homes and stumble across a speaker tube in the wall, try not to think of it as an inconvenience. Instead, think of it as a charming feature with history behind it. "People value stuff like that again... Things that don't need electricity I think are making a comeback... People are trying to get off the grid. All these conveniences that you don't need power for, it's kind of fresh in an old-fashioned way," Bonnie Spindler, a real estate agent and Victorian era expert, told SFGATE.

Since speaking tubes are trendy again — or at least appreciated and respected — in modern society, you should embrace the tube rather than trying to conceal it. A fun way to lean into that old aspect of your house is to decorate your home like the Victorian era. By embellishing your home with old-school Victorian-inspired touches, you'll help the speaking tube look more cohesive rather than sticking out against all-contemporary decor. If you want to lean into it even more, consider having a Victorian-themed house party and impress guests with the unique feature.