Have you heard people say aluminum wiring is bad?
Have you heard that aluminum wiring is dangerous?
Should you rewire your entire house?
Facts to know about aluminum wiring:
It is true that aluminum wiring is not as safe as copper. The reason behind that is because aluminum is a cheaper conductor then copper and therefore expands and contracts with temperature changes a lot more then copper. The reason people have used it in the past is because it is….. cheaper! Aluminum is still used today, but not for generic residential wiring. Usually aluminum is used for larger conductors hooking up main panels as the price is incomparable to the price of copper. Though, back to residential aluminum – in approximately the 70’s to the mid 80’s aluminum was used for the whole house. The main issues found now is that the aluminum wiring expands and contracts over the years to loosen the screws on your plugs and switches (most commonly found on outside walls because of the temperature differences, but not limited to) therefore causing an arc to take place and becoming a hazard. Also, if any copper wiring has been installed over the years then the connections between copper and aluminum (two dissimilar metals) have to be connected correctly.
What to do if your house has aluminum wiring?
One option is to rewire your house, but this is not usually practical and not necessary. If renovations are taking place in portions of the house or the entire house, I recommend you rewire what aluminum you have in those areas to copper. However, if this is not taking place then I recommend hiring an electrician to do a full house inspection. Upon inspecting each device there are either “aluminum rated marrettes and devices” or an anti-oxidization compound that can be applied to all connections. Every connection in every device should be tightened, as well as all the connections in the panel to ensure no wires will come loose. The anti-oxidization compound doesn’t stop all expansion and contraction, but limits it and will make your house safer for years to come.
If you need help inspecting your Winnipeg house for aluminum wiring and taking precautions to minimize the risks of aluminum get in touch. We have years of experience identifying risk areas of aluminium wiring and will be happy to help you make sure your house is safe.