Fire Risk

Aluminum Wiring Dangers in Your Home

Roughly 1.5 million U.S. homes built between 1965 and 1973 used aluminum wiring (shown at right). According to a report published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), homes wired with aluminum wire manufactured before 1972 ("old technology") are 55 times more likely to have one or more connections reach fire hazard conditions than homes wired with copper.

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So Why is Aluminum Wiring Hazardous?

Certain properties of aluminum can cause connection deterioration, possibly presenting a fire hazard.

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The Real Issue With Aluminum Wiring

When current flows through a connection, it becomes warmer. The expansion of the aluminum, confined under a screw terminal, generates tremendous pressure so that the metal “flows” into the spaces in the connector. Removing the electrical load causes the aluminum to cool and contract, creating a gap between the wire and the connector. The slightly loose-fitting connection now has a higher resistance, and more corrosion forms in the gap, further increasing the resistance. The next time a heavy load is applied, the connection becomes even hotter, and so on, until one day the connection may burn out, or surrounding material may ignite.

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Don’t wait until the unthinkable happens; let our highly skilled and experienced team help you reduce the risk of fire from outdated aluminum wiring!

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