Calgary Aluminum Wiring Replacement Solutions

There are some Calgary homes that may need an aluminum wiring replacement at some point in their lifetimes. Many houses built in the 1960s and throughout the 1970s were wired with aluminum because it was a much cheaper alternative to copper. Aluminum is a great conductor, however, these days, it’s smart to get an aluminum wiring replacement for your home. There have been problems with aluminum wiring in the past that have caused loose connections, resulting in overheating and, in some cases, caused a fire. So for electrical safety, aluminum wiring is no longer used for branch circuit wiring in housing.

When you have aluminum wiring in your home, you may not know that it is the cause of problems you're experiencing with your electrical system. Some indicators of existing aluminum wiring may be:

• Flickering lights
• Receptacles and switches hot to the touch
• Smoke and or sizzling sounds coming from the receptacle or switch
• The smell of burning plastic or rubber
• Loss of power throughout the house
• Circuit breaker trips for no reason

Technically Speaking, Why Does Aluminum Wiring Need Replacement?

Aluminum wiring can be dangerous due to the fact that it’s a softer metal and depending on the ambient temperature, the amount of load and heat produced along with the vibration in the building, aluminum can expand and shrink more than copper. When this happens the aluminum wire can come loose from its intended connection, causing arcing and sparking that could become a serious fire hazard.

When you hire our Calgary electrician, we offer a cost-effective method to resolve this problem that is less intrusive than the alternative, which is cutting drywall in order to replace the home's wiring with copper. All our methods meet and exceed the Canadian Electrical Code.

Aluminum Wiring Replacement Solutions We Provide:

• Aluminum Wiring Retrofits
• Residential Aluminum Re-Wiring
• Aluminum Wiring Copper Replacement
• Commercial Aluminum Wiring Replacement
• Aluminum Wire Replacement Cost Estimates
• Aluminum Wiring Repair

Why Aluminum Wiring is a Safety Concern

• Aluminum will oxidize very easily—it can develop a significant amount of rust within a day. This increases the resistance of aluminum wiring, and that can lead to the receptacle overheating.
• Aluminum is softer and more malleable than copper wiring, which makes it much more prone to damage.
• Aluminum expands as its temperature increases—this is called thermal expansion—which means that it can change shape at the terminal screws, which can cause it to come loose or disconnect.
• Aluminum wiring was very popular during the sixties and seventies, though even by the late seventies some homes were already using copper. If your home still has aluminum wiring, the safest thing to do is have it completely replaced. Our electricians can help, and we’ll always make sure your Monroe home’s electricity is not only fully functional but completely safe as well.

Aluminum Wiring Inspections

Remember, even if you have aluminum wiring in your home, you won’t necessarily need to replace all of it. Our electricians can inspect your Calgary home and its wiring to determine whether you need any, all, or part of it replaced. Aluminum wiring does fail more frequently than copper at connection points, but it’s still safe for use for power distribution, even in newer homes.

Aluminum wiring does become a serious problem when it’s used for branch circuit wiring. Branch circuit wires are the wires that feed into your switches, plugs, and lighting, though aluminum wiring is still commonly used for larger feeders that provide energy to things like AC systems. If you’re unsure about whether or not your home needs an aluminum wiring replacement, call our electricians today with any questions, or schedule an electrical safety inspection.

Aluminum Wiring Repairs

Sometimes your home won’t need an entire aluminum wiring replacement to be considered up to code or safe. A partial replacement or a simple repair can be enough. When it comes to these kinds of electrical repairs, our electricians will be able to find your aluminum wiring and “pigtail” it with some copper cable, meaning the copper will be the material that connects to your electrical devices instead of the aluminum. This will create a safer electrical environment for your home and family.