The obvious drawback to this is the expense involved. Of course, the expense depends on how much aluminum wiring is present and will vary greatly from house to house. This is where the electrician comes in. The easiest and most obvious place to find aluminum wiring is inside of the main electric panel.
The pictures below show a mix of aluminum and copper wiring inside of the panels. Just watch out for tin-coated copper wiring. This is not aluminum wiring. People do crazy things. And finally, the least reliable method but still a good one, is to read the writing on the non-metallic sheathed cable.
Specifically, look for the and gauge wires. Aluminum wiring will be marked as such. This inspection will require the inspection of at least a representative number of connections. This means pulling outlets out of the wall, pulling switches out of the wall, taking lights down to inspect the connections, pulling wires out of junction boxes, etc. For some more detailed discussions regarding the specific hazards with aluminum wiring, here are some excellent related documents:.
Reuben Saltzman April 30, , am. What are your thoughts on this product? The short answer is that pigtailing with the Ideal 65 Twister is not a recommended repair. The Ideal 65 has been heavily promoted for that application. The connector is essentially the same as twist-on connectors that had performed poorly in previous testing, the major difference being that it is pre-filled with inhibitor compound.
Our Home Inspection professionals are ready to help you. Choose your inspector on the next page and choose an available time slot from their calendar to schedule your appointment online. Aluminum Wiring Common information to help you prepare for your home inspection. A Brief History of Aluminum Wiring Based on our research and inspection experience, the use of aluminum wire is not a reason to avoid buying a house. It is easy to reduce potential for electrical failure by paying attention to the following: Warm cover plates Arcing at receptacles or switches Outlets or circuits that do not work Excessive light flickering or dimming Burned wiring, oxidation or corrosion on electrical connections When replacing receptacles and switches use CO-ALR devices Summary New technology aluminum wiring should perform satisfactorily without specific maintenance attention.
Back to FYI. You can tell if you have aluminum wire in your home by checking your electrical panel or looking at cables running through the basement or attic. There are other ways of checking for aluminum wire, however, none are as safe as looking for labeling on the cable jacket, and we recommend having an electrician do an inspection in your home. The symptoms of problems with aluminum wire include flickering lights and signs of overheating, such as burned insulation or oddly warm cover plates.
This is how aluminum wiring can cause fires. It can overheat more easily than copper and start electrical fires by slowly damaging its insulation and heating things around it. The issues are caused by oxidation and other factors that lead to overheating where the wiring is connected at splices, outlets, and light fixtures.
Aluminum wire might become dangerous because the issues that make it inferior all contribute to it wearing down. Special measures can be taken to make aluminum wiring safe, and some homes may already have these measures in place. Once you know the state of your wiring you can determine whether you need the implementation of safety measures or a complete rewiring.
You might not need to have any aluminum repair work done at all. If the home is properly wired and does not show signs of fire risks or faulty wiring, you can rest easy knowing your home is safe. They may or may not permit an alternate. Local codes: Municipal or state electrical code amendments may restrict the use of conductors beyond the requirements of the National Electrical Code.
Q7 Do you need to use special connectors with aluminum? All connectors are tested and listed for use with specific conductor type s. Most mechanical screw-type lugs are dual-rated and accept either aluminum or copper conductors. Q8 Are compression type connectors required for aluminum conductors? Both types of connectors have passed the same performance tests. Testing has shown that aluminum and copper building wire perform equally on mechanical screw-type lugs.
Q9 Is joint compound required to be used on aluminum to prevent corrosion? Only if the connector manufacturer or local codes specifically require it. However, even if oxide inhibitor is not specifically required, it is recommended for both aluminum and copper conductors to prevent ingress of moisture and the possibility of subsequent corrosion.
Both copper and aluminum conductors will corrode if installed in corrosive environments. Proper installation and choice of connector help to prevent corrosion at connections. Oxide inhibitors are also tested for specific uses. Be sure to follow manufacturers recommendations and use only inhibitors specifically listed for the conductor type and voltage class you are installing. Q10 Do aluminum connections need to be periodically tightened to maintain a good electrical connection?
Connector test performance requirements are based upon no retightening.
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