{"id":7853,"date":"2021-12-22T22:48:27","date_gmt":"2021-12-22T21:48:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessfinancenews.com\/?p=7853"},"modified":"2022-01-21T10:44:16","modified_gmt":"2022-01-21T09:44:16","slug":"aluminum-wiring-remediation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessfinancenews.com\/re\/aluminum-wiring-remediation\/","title":{"rendered":"Aluminum Wiring Remediation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Aluminum Wiring Remediation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When we debated about the convenience of buying a house with aluminum wiring<\/a>, we considered that if we plan an aluminum wiring remediation process, we would not have any problem buying the house, even with an FHA loan<\/a>, or selling it<\/a>. The reason is that after this aluminum wiring remediation we will be passing the electrical chapter of any conventional appraisal<\/a> or FHA inspection<\/a>. Therefore, we are going to deal with this process without delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certain properties of aluminum can cause deterioration of connections, possibly presenting a fire hazard after years of service. A fundamental principal of electrical safety for wiring is that high temperatures are hazardous.  The hazard lies in the overheating of connections, typically after carrying a heavy electrical load, such as a hair dryer or portable heate<\/em>r.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every connection of aluminum-to-aluminum or aluminum-to-copper wire in your building should be repaired in order to obtain the maximum benefit of the repair work. Appliances connected directly to 12 and #10 AWG aluminum branch circuit wiring (i.e. dishwashers, cooking equipment, heaters, air conditioners and light fixtures) must be repaired in addition to wall outlets, switches, junction boxes,
and panel boxes. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aluminum wiring is still permitted and used for certain applications, including
residential service entrance wiring and single-purpose higher amperage circuits such as 240V air
conditioning or electric range circuits.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All electrical modifications and additions must be in accordance with local regulations and inspected by
municipal authorities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aluminum Wiring Remediation Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method<\/em><\/strong><\/td>Description<\/em><\/strong><\/td>Results<\/em><\/strong><\/td>Cost<\/em><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
TOTAL REWIRE<\/em><\/strong><\/td>Replace the home\u2019s aluminum wire with copper wire.<\/td>The most sure and permanent solution.<\/td>Highest (usually prohibitive)<\/td><\/tr>
COPALUM CRIMP<\/em><\/strong><\/td>A type of pigtail connection whereby copper is \u201ccrimped\u201d with the existing aluminum.  This method is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association, UL and the US Consumer Products Safety Commission.<\/td>If every connection is corrected this way, it is considered a complete and permanent repair.<\/td>High<\/td><\/tr>
REPLACE<\/em><\/strong><\/td>If the outlets and switches are aging, or not marked CO\/ALR, replace them with CO\/ALR approved devices.<\/td>Greatly reduces the most frequent failures. Less permanent than rewiring or COPALUM crimp.<\/td>Moderate<\/td><\/tr>
TIGHTEN<\/em><\/strong><\/td>All connections should be abraded to remove the existing oxidation, immediately covered with an non-flammable anti-oxidant and then  tightly reconnected.<\/td>This is not a permanent correction. Re-tightening must re-occur every year or two.<\/td>Low<\/td><\/tr>
LEAVE IT ALONE<\/em><\/strong><\/td>If no signs of trouble exist, repairs can be postponed. Periodic examination by a qualified electrician is recommended.<\/td>Consider this choice as buying (or borrowing) time.<\/td>Lowest<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let\u00b4s see now all the options from the table above, one by one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rewire The House<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The definitive answer to aluminum wiring worries is to eliminate the primary cause: get rid of the aluminum wire itself. Depending upon the architectural style of your home and the number and locations of unfinished spaces it may be relatively easy to rewire your home. The cost and disruption of doing the job depends greatly upon the construction of the house. A good crawl space or basement and a good attic make the job much easier. If remodeling is contemplated, either complete or in part, by all means replace any aluminum wiring in the area. Consider upgrading or replacing the service entrance at the same time, since it is probably thirty to forty years old and a bit small by today\u2019s standards.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

COPALUM Crimping<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since it is often impractical to rewire some types of aluminum wired homes, or since rewiring may be prohibitively expensive for some homes (e.g. split or multi-levels with no unfinished areas).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US Consumer Product Safety Board concluded a permanent repair must permit the repair of every connection to, or splice between, aluminum wire in the home.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The repaired connections must be permanently repaired and must result in a system that can be maintained without the need for special switches, wall outlets or other connectors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The repair technique must be practical for use in an occupied and furnished home.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The  US Consumer Product Safety Commission-sponsored research, laboratory tests, and demonstration projects identified only one method of repairing existing aluminum wire circuits which meet these criteria. That repair is known as the COPALUM crimp connector repair.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crimp connector repair consists of attaching a piece of copper wire to the existing aluminum wire branch circuit with a specially designed metal sleeve and powered crimping tool. The metal sleeve is called a COPALUM parallel splice connector and is manufactured only by AMP Incorporated (a division of TYCO). This special connector can be properly installed only with the matching AMP tool. This tool makes a permanent connection that is, in effect, a cold weld. An insulating sleeve is placed around the crimp connector and heat-shrinked to complete the repair.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Replace The Outlets And Switches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The other repair recommended by the industry uses switches and outlets labeled \u201cCO\/ALR\u201d. Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) lists these devices especially for use with aluminum wire, although they can be used with copper or copper-clad wire. CO\/ALR devices perform better with aluminum wire when installed carefully and according to best electrical practices than do the types of switches and outlets usually used in the original installations of old technology aluminum branch circuit wiring. However, CO\/ALR connectors are not available for all parts of the wiring system (for example, for permanently-wired appliances and ceiling mounted light fixtures, GFCI outlets, etc).  CO\/ALR devices must be considered to be, at best, an incomplete repair. Further, CO\/ALR wiring devices have failed in laboratory tests when connected to aluminum wire typical of that installed in existing homes. The test conditions simulated actual use conditions; no \u201coverstress\u201d type of testing was used.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE: If you have an aluminum wire termination in your home which exhibits symptoms of failure, twist-on connector pigtails or CO\/ALR devices may be used as an emergency temporary repair for a failed aluminum termination. Should such a repair be performed, it is recommended that you arrange to have your home rewired or the COPALUM crimp connector repair performed as soon as possible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many homes still have the original wiring devices, and these stand a good chance of being the CU-AL type or the unmarked type. They are also getting pretty old, so that receptacles may be having trouble gripping plugs, and switches may be failing. Bending and handling of the wire should be kept to a minimum. The wire at each connection should be cleaned of oxidation, and non-flammable, anti-corrosion paste should be applied. This is not a do-it-yourself project when aluminum wire is involved.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tighten and Check All Connections<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although not considered a permanent repair, tightening all the aluminum connections can buy you some time while reducing the hazard. As was noted earlier, aluminum contracts and expands at a much greater rate than copper wire causing hazardous spacing between the wire and connection.  Arcing can occur and if combustible material (accumulated dust, dirt debris) is present a fire may occur.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This procedure entails stripping the insulation off of the wire or abrading the exposed wire (if the amount of wire present in the box is limited) the wire is completely coated with a non-flammable oxide inhibitor to prevent any further oxidation. Then a new connection is made that ensures a tight connection. All visible dust and dirt should be removed and at that point this connection should be safe for a year or two.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the method chosen for dealing with outlets and switches, the connections in the circuit breaker panel and at all junction boxes should be checked. At the circuit breaker panel, verify that each aluminum wire is coated with corrosion inhibitor. Apply the specified torque to each screw terminal to make sure it has not loosened. When re-making a connection remember to abrade the wire to remove the aluminum oxide layer and immediately apply corrosion inhibitor before re-connecting.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leave It Alone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes it is best to leave things alone, and other times one can\u2019t get away with leaving things alone. If the aluminum wiring is in good condition, the latter, not the former, may apply. If you are trying to avoid the repairs for a while, have an electrician who specializes in aluminum wiring repairs inspect some heavily used circuits, then repeat the process once a year. Aluminum wiring in good condition is better off left undisturbed. Load testing and inspection of the devices for the CO\/ALR marking can be done without perturbing the wiring. Consider this option a postponement of the inevitable.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

XXXX<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is one method that is the rewiring of the connections: from aluminum wiring to copper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aluminum wiring was used extensively in homes built between 1969 \u2013 1976. Aluminum was chosen over copper because of price. Copper prices were at an all-time high. The construction industry was looking for cheaper materials and aluminum wire was the next best conductor available.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aluminum wiring on its own is not dangerous. The problem lies with the connection or junction points. It just requires special connectors, but those connectors can oxidize or rust. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When these connection points oxidize, the connection becomes weak causing electrical hazards and possibly fire. If you have aluminum wiring, you can deal with it without replacing your wiring. Rewiring your home can cost thousands of dollars, but by using a process called pig-tailing, the concerns of aluminum wiring can be resolved. Pig Tailing refers to a process whereby you attach a 6 inch copper wire to the end of the existing aluminum wire and attach it to the wire using a special marrette (connector). <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The common connector you can buy at your local home improvement store is not rated for this. Using these standard connectors is wrong and you will fail your house inspection. What you need is a special type of marrette (connector) that is for use with mixed materials (aluminum and copper). <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is recommended to use a licensed electrician to do aluminum to copper pig tailing. Hiring a licensed electrician can ensure that any other electrical issues can be spotted and rectified quickly. This can save you the extra labor costs of a separate service call later.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact your insurance provider to check their policies, most insurance companies are refusing to insure homes with aluminum wiring. Hiring a licensed electrician to perform the remediation and inspection ensures it meets all current electrical codes in your area. This satisfies most insurance providers and the home can then be insured. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do the work yourself, you can\u2019t get certification required by insurance companies.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First Step Is To Identify Aluminum Wiring In A property<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Identifying the aluminum-wiring hazard is the first step towards fixing the problem. The following simple
steps can be taken to assist you in determining if aluminum wiring is present: (It is recommended that a
licensed electrician make the determination)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Determine when was the building or house built or re-wired, or when new circuits added?
    Buildings built, rooms added, circuits rewired or added between 1965-1973 may contain
    aluminum wiring.<\/li>
  2. Don’t assume that there’s no aluminum wire if your building was not built during these years.
    Circuits may have been added, extended, or modified using aluminum wiring. Or an installer
    may have had leftover aluminum wire and used it after these dates.<\/li>
  3. Don’t assume there’s no aluminum wire just because you find none in the panel. Aluminum
    may have been used for part of circuits or for some but not other circuits in the building.<\/li>
  4. At outlets and switches, look at stripped wire ends. Oftentimes, simply removing the cover
    plate will give sufficient view. Be especially cautious if you see back-wired receptacles. It may
    be difficult to see if the wire is aluminum, but if it is, the smaller wire contact surface when this
    method was used may increase the risk of overheating or other failures.<\/li>
  5. Look at wire at circuit breakers in the electric panel for aluminum wire. The electrician will notice bare silver-colored wire visible at the circuit breaker. The aluminum wire could simply be present in a single circuit installed between two copper wires located on adjacent breakers.<\/li>
  6. Look for the word “Aluminum.” Look for printed or embossed letters on the plastic wire jacket where wiring is visible or at the electric panel. Some aluminum wire has the word “Aluminum” or a specific brand name such as “Aluar”, “Kaiser Aluminum” plainly marked on the plastic wire jacket. Some white colored plastic wire jackets are inked in red; others have embossed letters without ink and are hard to read. Try shining a light along the wire. <\/li>
  7. In an area where the wire is visible, such as an attic, look at the wire gauge or “size.” Look for #12-gauge wires in the attic or other places where wiring is readily available. If you see only #12 and no #14, look further. Aluminum wire must be one wire gauge size larger for a given circuit than if copper was used. So while #14 copper wire is permitted on a 15-amp electrical circuit, if aluminum wire was used for the same circuit it would have to be #12. Similarly, a 20- amp circuit uses #12 copper wire or #10 aluminum wire. Common residential lighting and electrical-receptacle circuits are 15-amp or possibly 20-amp (e.g., in a kitchen). So if you see only #12 or larger wires in the attic of your house look further to see if it’s aluminum. The wire gauge size is printed or embossed on the wire jacket. #12 does not guarantee it’s aluminum, it’s just more data to point in that direction.<\/li>
  8. Look at bare wire exposed at the neutral bus. An easy place to look for aluminum wiring
    (other than at the circuit breakers) might be at the neutral bus where both white neutral wires
    and ground wires are connected in a row. At the neutral bus it’s easier to see exposed portions
    of the wire itself.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Accepted Aluminum Wiring Remediation Processes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Aluminum wiring can be replaced or
    repaired to effectively and permanently reduce the possibility of fire and injury due to
    failing (overheating) wire connections and
    splices. It is highly recommended that you
    hire a qualified electrician to perform this
    remediation.
    Other than complete replacement of aluminum wire with copper wire, there may<\/em> be numerous potential solutions for the
    permanent repair of hazardous aluminum
    wire connections and splices. However,
    CPSC can recommend repair methods or
    products only where there is satisfactory,
    documented evidence that the methods or
    products meet the following criteria:
    \u2022 Safe. The method or product must be
    safe and not increase the risk of fire or
    other hazards.
    \u2022 Effective. The method or product must
    be effective and successfully eliminate or
    substantially mitigate the fire hazard.
    \u2022 Permanent. The method or product
    must affect a permanent repair. Methods
    or products designed to address temporary or emergency repair situations, but
    which may fail over time, are not considered permanent.
    Based on these standards, as of the date
    of this publication, CPSC approves of only
    three methods for a permanent repair.
    1) Complete Replacement of Copper
    Cable
    2) COPALUM Method of Repair
    3) Acceptable Alternative Repair
    Method\/AlumiConn Connector<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Complete Replacement with Copper
    Cable
    <\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Replacement of the aluminum branch circuit conductors with copper wire eliminates
    the primary cause of the potential hazards,
    the aluminum wire itself. Depending on
    the architectural style of your home and
    the number and locations of unfinished
    spaces (e.g., basements and attics), it may
    be relatively easy for a qualified electrician
    to rewire your home. A new copper wire
    branch circuit system would be installed,
    and the existing aluminum wire could be
    abandoned inside the walls. This is the best
    method available; but for many homes,
    rewiring with copper is impractical and\/or
    prohibitively expensive.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    COPALUM Crimp Method of Aluminum Wiring Remediation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n


    As an alternate to rewiring with copper,
    CPSC recommends attaching a short
    section of copper wire to the ends of the
    aluminum wire at connection points (a
    technique commonly referred to as \u201cpigtailing\u201d), using a special connector named
    COPALUM to join the wires. CPSC staff
    considers pigtailing with a COPALUM connector to be a safe and permanent repair of
    the existing aluminum wiring. The repair
    should include every connection or splice
    involving aluminum wire in the home, including outlets, dimmers, switches, fixtures,
    appliances, and junction boxes. The repaired system, with short copper wire extensions at every termination throughout the
    home, permits the use of standard wiring
    devices, including receptacles and switches.
    The COPALUM repair method is recommended by CPSC on the basis of CPSC sponsored research, laboratory tests, and
    demonstration projects. This repair method
    has been thoroughly proven by more than
    a quarter of a century of field experience to
    provide a permanent, low-resistance electrical connection to aluminum wire. The
    COPALUM repair method eliminates the
    aluminum connection failure problems and
    still uses the existing, installed aluminum
    wire. The COPALUM repair method has
    been shown to be practical for installation
    in an occupied and furnished home.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Every connection of aluminum-to-aluminum or aluminum-to-copper wire should be
    repaired in order to obtain the maximum
    benefit from such repair work. All appliances connected directly to No.12 or No.10
    AWG aluminum branch circuit wiring (e.g.,
    dishwashers, cooling equipment, heaters,
    air conditioners, and light fixtures) must be
    repaired in addition to wall outlets, switches, junction boxes, and panel boxes.
    The COPALUM connector is a specially
    designed system that includes a metal sleeve
    intended to be installed only with a dedicated power tool and crimping die to make
    a permanent connection, that is, in effect,
    a cold weld (the precision dies in the COPALUM tool compress the connector and
    wires using upwards of 10,000 pounds of
    force, as required to make the permanent
    aluminum wire connection).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t
    \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

    An insulating sleeve is placed around the
    crimp connector to complete the repair.
    The copper wire pigtail is then connected
    to the switch, receptacle, or other termination device. An example of a repaired receptacle outlet is also illustrated below.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t
    \"\"
    COPALUM Crimp Connector and its Specialized Installation Tooling<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t
    \"\"
    Recommended COPALUM Connector Repair<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

    Acceptable Alternative Repair Method: AlumiConn <\/h3>\n\n\n\n


    CPSC staff recognizes that copper replacement may be cost prohibitive and that the
    COPALUM repair may be unavailable in
    a locality. Based upon an evaluation that
    was, in part, CPSC supported,5
    consumers
    are advised that, if the COPALUM repair
    is not available, the AlumiConn connector
    may be considered the next best alternative
    for a permanent repair. This repair method
    involves pigtailing using a setscrew type
    connector instead of the COPALUM crimp
    connector in the repaired connections.
    The AlumiConn connector has performed
    well in initial tests, but is too new to have
    developed a significant long-term safe
    performance history as the COPALUM
    repair. The repair should be conducted by a
    qualified electrician because careful, professional workmanship and thoroughness are
    required to make the AlumiConn connector repair safe and permanent.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t
    \"\"
    Do Not Use Common Hand-Crimped
    Connectors with Aluminum Wire<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

    Remediation Methodologies That Are Not Recommended <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Two other repair methods described
    below are often recommended by some
    electricians because they are substantially
    less expensive than COPALUM crimp
    connectors. CPSC staff does not consider either of these repairs an acceptable
    permanent repair.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The use of electrical receptacles and switches marked COALR, CO\/ALR, AL-CU or CU-AL have not
    been recommended at this time by the US CPSC for aluminum wiring repairs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The first repair (\u201cpigtailing\u201d) involves attaching a short piece of copper wire to the aluminum wire with a twist-on connector sometimes called a wire nut; the copper wire is connected to the switch, wall outlet or other termination device. The Commission staff has evaluated the effectiveness of \u201cpigtailing\u201d as a repair. In CPSC-sponsored laboratory testing some brands of twist-on connectors have performed very poorly. Over time, substantial numbers of these connectors have overheated in laboratory tests. Surveys of statements made by electricians and electrical inspectors confirm the highly variable and often poor performance of these connectors when used with old technology aluminum wire. It is possible that some pigtailing \u201crepairs\u201d made with twist-on connectors may be even more prone to failure than the original aluminum wire connections.<\/strong> Accordingly, the Commission staff believes that this method of repair does not solve the problem of overheating present in aluminum branch circuits.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Twist-on Connectors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n


    The first temporary repair involves
    pigtailing with a twist-on connector. The
    effectiveness of \u201cpigtailing\u201d using twist-on
    connectors has been evaluated by CPSC
    staff. In CPSC-sponsored laboratory testing
    and life tests, substantial numbers of these
    connectors overheated severely.
    Surveys of and statements made by electricians and electrical inspectors confirm the
    highly variable and often poor performance of twist-on connectors with aluminum
    wire. It is possible that some pigtailing
    \u201crepairs\u201d made with twist-on connectors may be prone to even more failures
    than the original aluminum wire connectors. Accordingly, CPSC staff believes
    that this method of repair does not solve
    the problem of overheating present in
    aluminum-wired branch circuits.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t
    \"\"
    \u201cPigtailing\u201d with Twist-on Connectors
    Is Not a Recommended Repair<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

    \u201cCO\/ALR\u201d Switches and Receptacles<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n


    The other repair recommended by the
    industry is to use switches and receptacles
    labeled \u201cCO\/ALR.\u201d These devices are
    intended for direct connection to aluminum wire, although they can be used with
    copper or copper-clad wire. CO\/ALR
    devices perform better with aluminum
    wire than non-CO\/ALR devices when<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    installed carefully and according to best
    electrical practices. However, CO\/ALR
    wiring devices have failed in laboratory tests
    when connected to aluminum wire typical
    of that installed in existing homes. The test
    conditions simulated actual use conditions;
    no \u201coverstress\u201d type of testing was used.
    Further, CO\/ALR connectors are not
    available for all parts of the wiring system
    (e.g., for the permanently wired appliances
    and ceiling mounted light fixtures). In the
    opinion of CPSC staff, CO\/ALR devices
    must be considered, at best, an incomplete
    repair.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Recommendations on Temporary Repairs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


    AL\/CU twist-on connector pigtails or
    CO\/ALR devices may be used as an emergency, temporary repair for a failed aluminum termination<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Concerns Arounds Original Aluminum Wiring Installation<\/strong>s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    concerns related to the original installation (1965-
    1972) of single-strand aluminum\/solid aluminum wiring connected to the lower
    branch circuits (receptacles, switches, lights and small appliances). Homes with
    aluminum main service wires and heavier 240 volt circuits that feed major
    appliances (e.g., dryers, ranges, air conditioners) are however different and require a different treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Trouble Signs <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Unfortunately, failing aluminum-wired connections seldom provide easily detected warning signs. Aluminum-wired connections and splices have been reported to fail and overheat without any prior indications or problems.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n