Aluminum Wiring Remediation

Aluminum wiring started being used in single family homes as a replacement for copper wiring around 1965. Between 1965 and 1972, over two million homes were wired with aluminum. Many homes caught fire and people died as a result of aluminum wiring causing fires. The Franklin Research Institute determined that pre-1972 homes wired with aluminum were 55 times more likely to reach "fire hazard conditions" than homes wired with copper. Aluminum wiring failed at the connection points, such as splices between wires, connections at outlets, circuit breakers, switches, lights etc. In 1972, the formula for aluminum wiring changed, making it a much safer product. Aluminum wiring was used in single family homes for a few years after that, but was completely phased out by the mid-'70s due to house fires and casualties. The problem with aluminum wiring is that it expands and contracts at a high rate, which can lead to loose connections. Connections between aluminum and copper can also cause oxidation, resistance, heat, increased expansion... you get the picture. All of that is a recipe for disaster.