Aluminum wiring was introduced in 1972 and very soon, it was used in millions of homes because of its cheap rates as compared to copper wiring. It still is in use of several house owners and the main reason for that are its low prices. However, several issues come with aluminum wiring as it results in fire hazards that can be fatal at times.
In fact, there have been several incidents where fire hazards due to aluminum wiring have caused deaths of many. The threat level of aluminum wiring as a fire hazards is an open secret but despite this fact, people still buy aluminum wiring. In this article, you will find some in depth studies that highlight the dangers and causes of fire hazards due to aluminum wiring.
What Makes Aluminum Wiring a Fire Hazard?
The aluminum wiring itself is not a fire hazard; what results in fire hazards are its characteristics that are quite different from that of copper wiring. The aluminum wiring remains the same but fire hazards are caused by connection points. Unlike copper wiring, the rate of expansion and contraction in aluminum wiring, when it heats or cools, is supplementary, which results in loosening of the fasteners. Furthermore, aluminum wiring can oxidize quickly. Due to these characteristics, the wire becomes weak and brittle– resulting in an easy breakage if it is moved. The overheating between aluminum wiring and switches heats up the switches and it ultimately results in fire hazards without even tripping the circuit breakers.
What Do You Need to Do to Avoide Fire Hazards in Aluminum Wiring?
As these characteristics are always going to remain in aluminum wiring, the threat level of fire hazards is present largely. The houses with aluminum wiring have 55% greater chances of fire hazards as compared to those houses with copper wiring. However, using aluminum wiring is fine for single purpose circuits, as the chances of fire hazards are much lower in it. Using them does save you money but these connections also break up. In such a case, it is recommended that you call a professional electrician to solve such issues for you. In this way, you will be able to avoid fire hazards. |
