If you are thinking of buying a home built between the mid-1960s and 1972, then you need to learn whether it was wired with aluminum. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) has identified homes wired with aluminum as far more likely to reach “fire hazard conditions” than those wired with copper.
The hazard results from changes in aluminum when it expands from heat as compared with the various metals utilized in switches, screws, outlets, or other hardware. Those changes mean that the connections can work themselves loose. Overheating and other wire damages take place over time. The problem propagates itself because the longer it goes on, the worse it gets.
Builders switched to aluminum in the mid-1960s because it was lighter and less expensive than copper. Aluminum is so much lighter that even when wire size is doubled, it still weighs less than copper. Alloys of steel and aluminum were put into use around 1972, but the USCPSC has noted problems can still arise in those homes.
Not all homes inevitably catch fire, but the danger lies in the inability to tell how well the aluminum wiring was installed. Continuing with activities of daily living in an aluminum-wired home is just a roulette game, because the people who live in the house might have no warning that a fire is imminent. The actual danger depends on how the wiring was installed including how connections were tightened and the amount of the circuitry in the household.
After 1972, attempts were made to mitigate the danger of aluminum wiring. Circuit breakers were made from a copper-aluminum alloy identified as CU/AL. This material was also attempted for use in switches and outlets, but it could not be integrated properly and had to be revised. This next material became known as CO/ALR, but again, the safe life of hardware utilizing this revised alloy was not dependable.
Obviously, the most reliable way to eliminate this hazard is to rewire the home with copper. However, the cost is prohibitive, and there are stop-gap measures to take. It is equally necessary to take these precautions for alloy aluminums put into use in the late 1970s.
The second most certain prevention is the installation of copper “pigtails” on the end of every aluminum wire in the home. The copper wire pigtail serves as the bridge between the aluminum wire and the termination, whether it’s an outlet, circuit breaker, or appliance. It is vital that the installation be done by a highly skilled wiring expert, because as excessive heat builds up it will continue to deteriorate the connection. Another method is the installation of more reliable connectors and devices. This is less reliable but also less expensive.
Homes built prior to 1960 are unlikely to have aluminum wiring. However, if the structure was remodeled or if additions were installed, then very likely the aluminum wiring is in place in those sections.
Without tearing your walls apart, shine a flashlight to wiring that connects to panels and look for the word “aluminum” printed on or embossed on the wiring. Also, if you see that your wiring is #12 gauge, there is a good chance it is aluminum.
There is no certain way to tell if an aluminum-wired home presents a danger. Tell-tale symptoms include flickering lights, outlets or light switches that feel hot to the touch, an odor reminiscent of burning plastic, or malfunctioning circuits. However, it bears repeating that a fire can occur in a home with no prior warning.
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[tags]aluminum wiring,real estate,home,house,home improvement[/tags]
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