Aluminum Wiring Hidden Dangers, Learn How to Future Proof a Home

An estimated 450,000 homes were built in Canada during the 1960s-1970s using aluminum wiring as a cheaper alternative to copper. Statistically, these homes are 55 times more likely than a home wired with copper to have fire hazard conditions. Thousands of Calgary homes were wired during this time including those in the communities of Lake Bonavista, Parkland, Braeside and Silversprings.

Many homeowners are unaware of the danger until is brought to their attention during a routine home inspection. Learn how to future proof a home with the help of Westridge Electric Ltd. There are a few options to ensure a home will be safe. One Southeast Calgary homeowner is replacing all the aluminum wiring in his home with copper wire to ensure his family's safety.

“For us, copper was the safest solution," homeowner Scott Maclean says. “It future proofed our home for resale, it provided us with peace of mind that ALL aluminum wiring connections were identified and changed to copper, and it brought our home up to today's electrical code safety standards.

The end result provides the greatest long term benefit.“ Dustin Prete of Westridge Electric Ltd. states that in the last 2 years alone he has seen 3 instances of aluminum wiring causing a substantial fire, one resulting in the complete destruction of a home. “There is no doubt in my mind that the aluminum wiring from the 60's and 70's is a significant fire hazard," says Prete. “I have a drawer in my office full of burnt up and melted devices caused by compromised aluminum connections."

The issue with aluminum wiring lies in the termination points where it is connected to devices including outlets and switches. Aluminum has different properties than copper and the two metals react differently and expand and contract differently when under electrical load. Compromised connections can result in sparking, arcing, oxidation and heat build up leading to the possibility of a fire.

Dustin recommends removing all aluminum wiring in a home as the best solution. However, this can be costly and may not always be a viable option. As a second option he recommends a product called Copalum, another permanent solution for homeowners that can't afford to completely rewire a home. He advises caution when choosing an aluminum wiring solution. “The industry standard right now seems to be to simply pigtail the wires. If I only do that, I'm going to have to revisit the home every couple years to tighten the connection back up when the aluminum starts to creep again.

Copalum is the best permanent method outside of rewiring a home with over 20 years of proven evidence supporting its effectiveness. It uses a cold weld compression connection that creates a singular alloy that will not oxidize, creep, or corrode." Westridge Electric is the only electrical contractor in western Canada authorized to permanently fix aluminum wiring with Copalum.

Serving Okotoks, Calgary and the foothills region for nearly 20 years, the company's aim is to supply customers with premium electrical services and a superior customer experience provided by a professional and knowledgeable team who take pride in their workmanship.