Homes which were built in late 60s and early 70s, there is a possibility that aluminum wiring was done instead of copper wiring. During those periods aluminum was used since copper had some shortage in the Vietnam War. Trouble emerged over time since homes were burning down into ashes with the cause being aluminum switches, connections to gadgets and outlets. Researches showed that homes made with aluminum wiring are 60 times more likely to burn than homes with copper wiring. This is because aluminum is a perfect conductor of heat and also expands and contracts faster than copper. This may lead to loose connections, hence leading to gaps which may cause sparking and fire.

1. WHY CONDUCT ALUMINUM WIRING REPAIR IN
YOUR HOME
Homes which were built in late 60s and early 70s, there is a possibility that aluminum wiring was done
instead of copper wiring. During those periods aluminum was used since copper had some shortage in the
Vietnam War. Trouble emerged over time since homes were burning down into ashes with the cause
being aluminum switches, connections to gadgets and outlets. Researches showed that homes made with
aluminum wiring are 60 times more likely to burn than homes with copper wiring. This is because
aluminum is a perfect conductor of heat and also expands and contracts faster than copper. This may lead
to loose connections, hence leading to gaps which may cause sparking and fire.
The other problem caused by aluminum wiring is that aluminum oxidizes immediately after catching it is
exposed to oxygen. This forms an oxide coating on the wire. Aluminum oxide reduces the ability for this
wire to conduct electricity leading to more heat. After people realized the dangers associated with
aluminum wiring, it was too late for homes already installed with aluminum wiring appliances so the
solution became aluminum wiring repair. Aluminum wiring repair is also fostered by the fact that some
insurance companies do not insure homes made with aluminum wiring unless it is up to date as far as
electrical codes are concerned. This has made many people to consider aluminum wiring repair since it
may lead to serious financial obligations if your home is not insured. These problems will occur when
you try to sell your home or when a government inspector passes by to inspect your renovations.
When conducting aluminum wiring repair, you should make sure that you get a professional electrician to
do it. Do not conduct it by yourself; you can cause more risky situations by your action. There are only
two safe and approved ways of conducting aluminum wiring repair. The first method is to completely
replace the wiring with copper wiring. Although, this is not a simple fix since it requires thousands of
dollars for the job to be completed. It also takes several weeks to complete the job hence leading to
inconveniences at home.
The other solution is to connect aluminum wiring to short piece of wire made from copper, then connect it
to the existing fixtures. This method is called pig-tailing and is very safe and effective if done with the
correct connectors. Apart from this, it is also durable and economical. However, it is very important to
consider the type of connectors to use to repair aluminum wiring because of the bad nature of this metal
and connections.
Only two types of connectors are acceptable to repair aluminum wiring by joining aluminum and
copper wires together. They include the Copalum and AlumiConn. When using the Copalum connector
you are required to use a crimping tool which can only be used by a professional electrician. The
AlumiConn connector also needs to be used by a certified electrician to ensure its safety and
effectiveness. The new connection will be safe and durable and you will have successfully done
aluminum wiring repair.
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