Aluminum Wiring Repair in Calgary

How You Can Keep Your Family Safe From The Dangers Of Aluminum Electrical Wiring Without Ripping Out Your Walls ... I'll likewise show you how to fix it without spending a truckload of money doing it.

If your house was developed during the late sixties to the mid seventies, there is a good chance that aluminum wiring was used instead of copper for its electrical circuits. Aluminum was utilized due to the fact that there was a lack of copper due to the Vietnam War.

However, gradually, difficulty emerged - namely ... houses were burning down with the aluminum connections to devices - outlets and changes - as the cause. As a matter of truth, research study conducted by Franklin Research study Institute for Customer Product Security Commission (CPSC) exposed that homes built with aluminum circuitry are 55 times most likely to ignite than houses wired with copper. There is absolutely nothing incorrect with the aluminum itself. It is an excellent conductor and less expensive than copper. The issues emerge since aluminum expands and agreements far quicker than copper when used. This can cause a loose connection, producing gaps that can cause stimulating and fire. Compounding the issue even more is the truth that aluminum nearly immediately starts to oxidize the minute it is exposed to the oxygen in our air. This response forms an oxide covering on the wire much like rust forms on iron.

This oxide minimizes the ability for the wire to conduct electrical energy resulting in even more heat. Eventually, it can become hot adequate to melt or burn components - such as wall outlets and switches - where the exposed aluminum is in contact with the brass connections. So the issue is the exposed aluminum around the connections - and the connections themselves. When considered to be hazardous in 1974, aluminum wiring was all however discontinued in home applications. Unfortunately, it was far too late for the homes currently installed with it.

If your house is fitted with aluminum circuitry, you can be dealing with other problems aside from the apparent danger of fire. Some insurance provider will not insure houses with aluminum electrical wiring unless it is updated to present day electrical code. This can trigger unfortunate and unwanted monetary responsibilities if you were trying to offer your house or get your renovations gone by a government inspector. Furthermore, if your insurance company finds that a fire in your house was triggered by aluminum circuitry connections, they may reject your claim for financial settlement. Now there are several options to this bad scenario, but the very first thing you have to do is determine if you have aluminum circuitry to begin with. You can get an electrical contractor supervised by a master electrical contractor to take a look at it for you.

However the most convenient method to do this is to look at the printed or embossed markings on the external coat of the electrical wiring, which show up in incomplete walls or ceilings in basements, attics, or garages. Cable television with aluminum conductors will have "Al" or "Aluminum" and other details marked on one side of the cable jacket every few feet along its length. If for whatever factor, you can not see any circuitry, then there is another, albeit a little more involved way of checking.

Here are the 3 simple steps:

Step 1 - plug a hair dryer or light into any wall outlet, turn it on and leave it on.

Action 2 - go to your circuit panel and trip (shut off) the circuit breaker corresponding to that outlet. You'll know you have the best breaker when your hair dryer or light is off when you examine back on it.

Step 3 - disconnect the device and get rid of the outlet from the wall and check the electrical wiring attached to it. DO NOT DETACH THE WIRING. You can make the connection worse if you do.

You ought to be able to see the bare wire beneath the screws. It is easy to recognize aluminum because of its colour. If you an orange color, this is copper. However, if the exposed wire beneath the screws is white, it is aluminum. Got it?

aluminum wire