The problem was that home builders and electricians were treating the aluminum wiring, in the same manner, they would copper wiring. This created three opportunities for the wire to fail and cause a fire. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission , there are approximately two million homes and mobile homes constructed using aluminum wiring since If you are shopping for resale homes, and they were built between and , there is a good chance that you will end up looking at homes that have aluminum wiring.
If you have purchased a home or are considering buying a home with aluminum wiring you have a couple of options:. You may need to shop around a little to find an insurance company that will still insure homes with aluminum wiring.
The best course of action is to perform one of the approved repair methods and then obtain certifications that repairs have been completed for the insurance company.
If you are selling a home with aluminum wiring, it would be in your best interest to go ahead and have any potential repairs made prior to putting the home on the market. This way potential buyers will know the repairs have been made. If you supply them with a certification from a licensed electrician, you will make the process of obtaining home insurance easier for them.
Waiting until after the home inspection to deal with aluminum wiring can delay closing. Handling the problem before you put the home on the market eliminates a lot of potential problems.
Life Expectancy. Clay Soil. Common Problems. Garages and Carports. Flat Low Slope Roofs. Electrical Panels. Sprinkler Systems. Hurricane Resistance. Home Inspection. Heating and Air Conditioning. Building Codes. Fireplaces and Chimneys. Energy Efficiency. Washers and Dryers. Doors and Windows. Electrical Wiring. Plumbing Drains and Traps. Aging in Place. Click on magnifying glass for all search results. For the most part, homeowners have no problems with aluminum wiring , but when incorrect receptacles or conductors are installed, the threat of a hazard is likely.
While a continuous run of AL Wire does not necessarily present a problem, when that wire is connected to outlets and light switches — and even to other wires in junction boxes — the connection can deteriorate and develop into a fire hazard. Aluminum has several properties that make it inferior to copper for wiring.
Aluminum is a softer metal than copper, and besides being prone to damage during installation, it also expands more when heated. The expansion and contraction of the wire can lead to wire creeping out from its place under the screw holding it in place, causing loose wires and overheating.
Another difference between aluminum and copper is oxidation. The layer that forms on copper conducts electricity easily, but aluminum oxide is a bad conductor of electricity, which can lead to overheating.
You can tell if you have aluminum wire in your home by checking your electrical panel or looking at cables running through the basement or attic. There are other ways of checking for aluminum wire, however, none are as safe as looking for labeling on the cable jacket, and we recommend having an electrician do an inspection in your home. The symptoms of problems with aluminum wire include flickering lights and signs of overheating, such as burned insulation or oddly warm cover plates.
This is how aluminum wiring can cause fires. It can overheat more easily than copper and start electrical fires by slowly damaging its insulation and heating things around it. The issues are caused by oxidation and other factors that lead to overheating where the wiring is connected at splices, outlets, and light fixtures.
Aluminum wire might become dangerous because the issues that make it inferior all contribute to it wearing down. Special measures can be taken to make aluminum wiring safe, and some homes may already have these measures in place.
0コメント