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A U G U S T , 2 0 1 7
Aluminum Wiring
Aluminum wiring became popular
in between 1965 and 1973 as a
substitute for copper wiring in electri-
cal branch-circuit wiring. This began
due to the increasing cost of copper
during this time period. However,
aluminum has different metallurgical
properties than copper and it can
behave differently in an electrical
system as it ages. For example, it
expands and contracts at a different
rate than copper, which may cause
it to become loose or disconnected
when connected to copper wire, com-
monly found in switches, outlets and
household appliances. This can lead
to potential connection issues that can
create fire or electrical shock hazards.
The Franklin Research Institute for
the US Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) conducted a
national survey which showed that
homes built before 1972, and wired
with aluminum, are 55 times more
likely to have one or more wire con-
nections at outlets reach ‘Fire Hazard
Conditions’ than homes wired with
copper.
There are various remediation meth-
ods that can be used, not all of which
are universally accepted:
• Replace with Copper wiring (Best
Option):
Replacing all of the alumi-
num wiring with copper wiring will
eliminate any possible electrical
hazard related to aluminum wiring.
This work will need to be done by
a licensed and insured electrician.
However, this is the most expensive
of all remediation methods and
may be very difficult to complete in
older buildings.
• COPALUM Crimp Method (Widely
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