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How is Aluminum Wiring Dangerous and What to Do About It
Replacing Dangerous Aluminum Wiring with Copper Wiring
The Risks of Aluminum Wiring
If your home was built between 1965 and 1974 with aluminum wiring, you’re at a high risk of a fire hazard. Copper wiring prices in the late 1960s spiked, leading many builders to find a less expensive alternative to wiring. Aluminum wiring fit the bill, but many builders didn’t realize it couldn’t conduct electricity as well and ran hotter than copper wiring. Aluminum wiring’s issues with oxidation and corrosion make it more prone to contraction and expansion, leading to fire hazards. The good news is that Dalcon Electric can help clients with aluminum wiring. Our team in San Jose, CA, and the surrounding areas will replace it with safer options. For over 30 years, we’ve provided the area with education and installation of the highest quality electrical systems. Contact us to learn more!
How Can I Tell if My Home Has Aluminum Wiring?
The easiest way to check if you have aluminum wiring is to look at your electrical panel or cables. There should be visible labeling with “AL”, “ALUM,” or “ALUMINUM.” The most important thing is to ensure you do not touch the wiring while looking for the labels. There should be a plastic sheath to protect you from electric shock, but it’s essential to proceed with caution. Our team of professionals can perform an electrical inspection to check your switches, fixtures, panelboard, receptacles, and appliance connections. We’ll check for discolored or loose connections and melted insulation.
Dangers of Aluminum Wiring Detection
The Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests any homes built before 1972 with aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to reach fire hazard conditions. Signs of deterioration and overheating of aluminum wiring include:
- Buzzing sounds in outlets
- Hot cover plates
- The smell of burning plastic
- Discoloration of switches
- Flickering Lights
- Loose outlets
Dalcon Electric’s Whole House Rewiring Services
Our Dalcon Electric team is passionate about ensuring your home’s electrical system is as safe and dependable as possible. Our whole house rewiring services are often necessary when your home’s wiring is not up to code or presents a fire hazard. We understand the dangers of aluminum wiring and are here for your wiring needs. We offer free home safety assessments to inspect your wiring system.
Going Beyond Wiring for Your Safety
Removing and replacing your aluminum wiring with copper wiring is a tedious job that is meant for professionals. Never try to take it on yourself. Our licensed electricians have over three decades of experience and training in rewiring homes and businesses. We go beyond simply changing the wiring in your walls. We replace electrical panels, upgrade sockets and light switches, and inspect all areas of your home for better wiring protection.
Contact Dalcon Electric for More Info Today
Dalcon Electric is here to ensure you feel safe and secure in your home using your electricity. Our team is highly trained to grant you the confidence to feel safe with your wiring. If your home was built between 1965 and 1974, contact us to inquire about aluminum wiring removal. We’ll ensure your home’s electrical system is code compliant today!
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Resetting Circuit Breakers
Resetting Circuit Breakers
The first thing to understand is that a circuit breaker can have tripped off even when it looks like it’s in the “ON” position. This is because a circuit breaker will sometimes trip off internally, without the “ON/OFF” handle flipping to the “OFF” position.This is what to do when you have a loss of power that you suspect may be caused by a tripped circuit breaker.
1. Shut down any computer equipment that may be affected by a loss of power.
2. Go to your circuit breaker panel and firmly flip the first breaker OFF and then back ON again.
3. Do the same thing with each circuit breaker until you have flipped all of the circuit breakers OFF and then back ON again.
4. Now check and see whether the device that didn’t have power is now back on again.
5. If your power has been restored… you’re done! If your power is still out, it’s time to call an electrician.
Note: About 25% of all electrical power problems can be solved using the above technique. Good Luck!
More Technical Stuff About Circuit Breakers
Inside most circuit breakers there are two types of protection: One is thermal. The other is magnetic. The thermal strip measures heat build-up caused by overloading. When it reaches a certain temperature, it will shut off the breaker. The magnetic coil measures sudden increases in current (such as a short). At a predetermined limit it will shut the breaker off. Older breakers sometimes have only one of these features. For maximum protection, a breaker with both types of protection is recommended.
There are usually three spots on the outside of a breaker that show wear. If the “ON/OFF” switch (located at the top) has broken off or is loose, we recommend the breaker be replaced. Next is the load lug. If it is burnt or abnormally loose, we recommend the breaker be replaced. Last, and most common, is the stab. The breaker stab is what makes contact with the bussing in the panel (the bussing carries the power throughout the panel). The stab connects to the bussing through friction and spring tension. The spring tension, over time, may break down. If so, arcing or burning may result. If the stab has become burnt, discolored, or is abnormally loose, we recommend that the breaker be replaced and that the bussing in the panel be checked.
NOTE: It is possible for a breaker to appear OK in regard to it’s outward appearance and its capacity to carry continuity, but still be questionable, bad, or intermittent. The opposite may be true as well. A breaker with a poor outward appearance may be perfectly safe and structurally sound. Therefore a decision to replace a breaker should not be based solely on appearance, continuity, age, etc. A good electrician can recommend the proper course of action based on taking into account all the relevant factors.
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Telephone Power
Telephone Power
When power goes out in your home, remember, YOUR CORDLESS PHONE WILL NOT WORK IF THE PHONE’S BASE UNIT HAS NO POWER. However, if this happens you can still use any telephone that is plugged directly into a telephone outlet.