Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Aluminum Wiring Woes
Aluminum Wiring Woes
Spring is here! I took a break from updating the blog while we reinvented out webpage, and now that it is up and running, I thought it was time to revisit the CWS Blog.
This is place where I will keep friends old and new informed of new items, specials, and current topics of interest. This is also a great place for me to address questions that come up often.
This is one of the times of year we get a lot calls about aluminum wiring. Spring and fall, with the extreme temperature changes, has a tendency to cause the aluminum wire to expanded and contract at a greater rate than other times of the year when the temperature remains more consistent. We often time see problems on exterior walls, where the fluctuation of temperature is most prevalent.
Aluminum wiring has a tendency to make people nervous, especially when they start having problems. While I believe concern is warranted, I also believe with a little common sense and a bit of knowledge, you can safely co-exist with your aluminum wiring. The most important thing to know is this:
If you have intermittent electrical problems, be copper OR aluminum, call a licensed and insured professional. Aluminum rarely spontaneously combusts. You will almost always notice certain areas of your electrical system “acting funny.” Lights flicker or don’t work. Outlets getting warm and or not working. In addition, you may also notice a nasty burning plastic smell. Most people just move down to the next outlet on the wall, find one that works and continue to vacuum. The longer you wait, the worse the problem becomes, causing more time and money to make the repair.
If you have aluminum wiring, the best thing to do is have the wiring evaluated by a licensed professional. Currently, there are three standard repairs that are being offered.
You can learn more about these methods, and aluminum wiring from a document put together by Hartford Insurance, which is available HERE.
I will briefly review the three repairs:
1) Pig tailing, this is the option offered by most electricians.This is the least expensive of the three – A short piece of copper is joined to the aluminum with a special wirenut, and the copper is attached to your device (switch or outlet)
2) Use of CO/ALR devices – These are switches and outlets that are rated for both copper and aluminum use.
3) Use of the AMP / Tyco Crimp Device. This product is essentially a “cold weld” pig tail method. I have heard nothing but good things about this product, but it is also the most expensive method of repair, and not offered through CWS. If you are interested, one of our competitors does offer this repair.
Why am I giving you links to the competition? Because you need to make the call as to what you feel most comfortable doing. We are talking about your safety, and the safety of your family. You need to be aware of all the options available to you, and make the call. Sometimes CWS is the right fit, sometimes we are not.
That all being said, the rule of thumb is this:
If you have aluminum wiring, get it looked at by a licensed professional, and get the work done!
If you don’t have the money, time, ambition to get the bids for repair, DON’T INGNORE problems when they come up. If you can’t get the entire home repaired all at once, start with the exterior walls, and do as much as you can afford to do. Have it done in phases if you can’t afford to have it all repaired at once.
If you have any question or comments, always feel free to drop me an email, of give me a call at: 303-494-7464 – We’re here to help!
Spring is here! I took a break from updating the blog while we reinvented out webpage, and now that it is up and running, I thought it was time to revisit the CWS Blog.
This is place where I will keep friends old and new informed of new items, specials, and current topics of interest. This is also a great place for me to address questions that come up often.
This is one of the times of year we get a lot calls about aluminum wiring. Spring and fall, with the extreme temperature changes, has a tendency to cause the aluminum wire to expanded and contract at a greater rate than other times of the year when the temperature remains more consistent. We often time see problems on exterior walls, where the fluctuation of temperature is most prevalent.
Aluminum wiring has a tendency to make people nervous, especially when they start having problems. While I believe concern is warranted, I also believe with a little common sense and a bit of knowledge, you can safely co-exist with your aluminum wiring. The most important thing to know is this:
If you have intermittent electrical problems, be copper OR aluminum, call a licensed and insured professional. Aluminum rarely spontaneously combusts. You will almost always notice certain areas of your electrical system “acting funny.” Lights flicker or don’t work. Outlets getting warm and or not working. In addition, you may also notice a nasty burning plastic smell. Most people just move down to the next outlet on the wall, find one that works and continue to vacuum. The longer you wait, the worse the problem becomes, causing more time and money to make the repair.
If you have aluminum wiring, the best thing to do is have the wiring evaluated by a licensed professional. Currently, there are three standard repairs that are being offered.
You can learn more about these methods, and aluminum wiring from a document put together by Hartford Insurance, which is available HERE.
I will briefly review the three repairs:
1) Pig tailing, this is the option offered by most electricians.This is the least expensive of the three – A short piece of copper is joined to the aluminum with a special wirenut, and the copper is attached to your device (switch or outlet)
2) Use of CO/ALR devices – These are switches and outlets that are rated for both copper and aluminum use.
3) Use of the AMP / Tyco Crimp Device. This product is essentially a “cold weld” pig tail method. I have heard nothing but good things about this product, but it is also the most expensive method of repair, and not offered through CWS. If you are interested, one of our competitors does offer this repair.
Why am I giving you links to the competition? Because you need to make the call as to what you feel most comfortable doing. We are talking about your safety, and the safety of your family. You need to be aware of all the options available to you, and make the call. Sometimes CWS is the right fit, sometimes we are not.
That all being said, the rule of thumb is this:
If you have aluminum wiring, get it looked at by a licensed professional, and get the work done!
If you don’t have the money, time, ambition to get the bids for repair, DON’T INGNORE problems when they come up. If you can’t get the entire home repaired all at once, start with the exterior walls, and do as much as you can afford to do. Have it done in phases if you can’t afford to have it all repaired at once.
If you have any question or comments, always feel free to drop me an email, of give me a call at: 303-494-7464 – We’re here to help!
