Hidden Hazards in Older Homes - Aluminum Wiring in Volusia County Homes

Featured Communities: Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Pierson, Barberville

Many homes built in Volusia County between 1965 and 1975 contain aluminum wiring. There are many homes in the featured communities of Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Pierson, and Barberville that have been affected by aluminum wiring. Some homes have been dealt with and others are still waiting to be addressed.

When aluminum wiring was used in residential construction, it was the accepted practice at the time because of the extremely high cost of copper. In hindsight, it was an adequate conductor of electricity at the time and was available. Many engineers and fire investigators now recognize the differences in the behavior of aluminum in residential wiring as opposed to the more traditional use of copper. The effects of aluminum wiring can cause serious fire hazards in homes that have been wired with aluminum wiring.

Aluminum wiring will often grow or contract as it heats and cools, causing the connections of the wiring to the outlets, switches, and wiring terminals in the electrical panel to loosen. When these connections loosen they create resistance in the wire. Resistance in a wire creates heat, and if this heat is not addressed, it can cause a fire by igniting surrounding objects such as electrical insulation, wood, and drywall within the walls of a home.

The oxidization of aluminum wiring also creates another potential fire hazard. As the aluminum wiring is exposed to the air, it can oxidize and create aluminum oxide on the surface of the wire. This aluminum oxide is a conductor of resistance. As this forms on the surface of the wire connections, it can increase the resistance of the connection and cause even more heat to be generated. This can potentially cause a fire within the wiring. In contrast, the oxide that forms on copper wiring is much less conductive of resistance and thus does not create as much heat.

Loose connections can cause serious problems in homes with aluminum wiring. Although there are generally no visible signs of problems with aluminum wiring, sometimes there can be warm outlets, flickering lights or trips in circuit breakers. These instances are infrequent but must be watched for and could be a cause for concern.

There are many homes that have been wired with aluminum wiring in Volusia County that are many times more prone to start an electrical fire than homes that have been wired with copper wiring. The USCPSC states that homes wired with aluminum wiring are more prone to start an electrical fire. The insurance companies have also taken a keen interest in this and many times they will charge extra premiums to homes that have aluminum wiring in them. And in many cases, the insurance companies will not even issue a policy to homes that have aluminum wiring in them unless the aluminum wiring is first repaired.

Some folks will also remove the aluminum wiring and rewire the home using copper wiring. This is definitely the most cost effective method in the long run and can actually increase the value of your home. Others choose to “pigtail” the aluminum wiring. This is a method where the electrician runs short lengths of copper wiring to connect to each end of the aluminum wiring. These short pieces of copper wiring are then connected together with a special type of crimp connector called a copalum. The cost of having your home’s wiring pigtailed can vary depending on how much wiring needs to be done, but on average it can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 or more. Again, there is no guarantee that the aluminum wiring will not fail even after it has been pigtailed. That is why many insurance companies will not write a policy on a home that has aluminum wiring in it. Another reason that many people choose to have their home’s wiring completely re-wired using copper wiring instead is that it is only wise to take care for the safety of your home and family.

Home owners with homes built between 1965 and 1975 have aluminum wiring in their homes. Until it fails, they have no idea that it may pose a fire hazard. By having your home’s wiring inspected, you can find out if you have a potential problem before it becomes a real crisis and address it before it becomes a major problem and can cause serious injury or even death.