There’s been a lot of discussion about the concerns surrounding aluminum wire found in homes and the risks associated with adding devices with copper wire to the existing circuitry. Below, you’ll find a general overview of the subject, but the best single source for all your aluminum wire related questions can be found at www.Inspect-NY.com.

An Overview of Aluminum Wire

In the mid to late ’60s and early ’70s, the price of copper increased dramatically. Subsequently, new home builders began seeking a more economic solution to their electrical wire needs. Because of its cheaper price point, aluminum wire became the short term standard.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission Gets Involved

During these few years, approximately 1.5 million homes in the United States and an estimated 450,000 in Canada were built using aluminum wire. Subsequent fires that occurred in these homes were attributed to faulty aluminum wire connections. This got the attention of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Together they conducted a study and found that homes built with aluminum wire manufactured before 1972 (also known as “old technology” aluminum wire)“are 55 times more likely to have one or more electrical connections reach ‘Fire Hazard Conditions’ than is a home wired with copper”. The aluminum wire connections that fail tend to deteriorate over time and can reach very high temperatures.

For more information regarding the risks associated with aluminum wire, please visit this page.

So, What’s Wrong with Aluminum Wire Anyway?

According to Cornerstone Inspection, LLC “There is no problem with the aluminum wire itself within the walls; the problem is at the connection points. First, aluminum expands and contracts more than copper when it heats and cools. This can cause fasteners to loosen. More importantly, aluminum oxidizes easily and the oxide is a poor conductor. This causes overheating at the connection points (the main source of trouble).”

How Can I Tell if I Have a Problem?

You’re going to want to look for signs that suggest a problem and address them immediately. These can consist of things found in the list below.

• Sparking
• Outlets that don’t work
• Flickering lights
• Warm-to-the-touch electrical face plates on outlets or switches
• Funny odor resembling burnt plastic
• Discoloration
• Deterioration
• Smoke

However, you may still have a problem even if these signs are not apparent, so please always hire a licensed electrician to evaluate the aluminum wire in your home.

For more information on how to reduce the risk associated with aluminum wire, please read Dr. Jesse Aaronstein’s article entitled, “Reducing the Fire Hazards in Aluminum-Wired Homes” found at: http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/alreduce.pdf or go to this page.

Solutions

There are ways to fix this problem, however. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends the best solution would be to replace the aluminum wire with copper wire. But, due to the cost to do this, it’s just not practical for many homeowners. AlumiConn is the only viable, economic solution.