Aluminum Wiring Repair in Cincinnati

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), homes wired with older aluminum branch-circuit wiring are 55 times more likely to have one or more connections reach “fire hazard conditions” than homes wired with copper.

The outlets shown here came from three different customer homes. Each one failed where the aluminum wire connects to the screw terminals. Notice that even the white neutral wire on the upper right outlet is charred.

Factory-Certified Repairs with a 10-Year Warranty

Cooper Electric has the tools, training and experience to perform factory-certified aluminum wiring corrections, backed by our 10-year warranty.

• Factory-certified aluminum wiring corrections
• 10-year warranty on aluminum wire repairs
• Permanent repairs using the AMP COPALUM reconnection system

Warning Signs of Aluminum Wiring Problems

• Cover plates on outlets or switches that are warm to the touch
• Circuits that do not work, or work only intermittently
• Flickering lights
• The smell of burning plastic at outlets, switches or lights
• Smoking outlets, switches or light fixtures
• Circuit breakers that trip for no apparent reason

Unfortunately, failing aluminum connections do not always give warning signs. They can fail without any prior indication.

A Brief History of Aluminum Wiring

Between 1965 and 1972, about 2 million homes were built with aluminum wiring. The wiring of greatest concern is single-strand solid aluminum used for the smaller branch circuits that supply outlets, switches, lights and appliances such as dishwashers and furnaces. Corrosion at the connections, particularly of the aluminum wire itself, increases resistance to the flow of current, and that resistance causes overheating.

Most modern homes have some aluminum wiring, including the main service wires and the heavier 240-volt circuits that feed ranges and air conditioners. Those larger circuits do not present the same risk as 15, 20 and 30 amp branch-circuit wiring.

What Should You Do?

If you notice any of the warning signs above, have a qualified electrician determine whether the problem is caused by deteriorating aluminum connections. Do not try to repair it yourself. You could be electrocuted, or you could make the connections worse by disturbing them.

Not sure whether your home has aluminum wiring? Look at the markings on the electrical cables where they are visible in an unfinished basement, attic or garage. Aluminum wiring is marked “AL” or “Aluminum” every few feet along the cable.

How Aluminum Wiring Is Fixed

Rewiring an entire home is often impractical or very expensive. A proper repair must fix every connection to, or splice between, aluminum wire in the home; it must be permanent; it must not require special switches, outlets or connectors to maintain; and it must be practical in an occupied, furnished home.

The CPSC recommends permanent repair methods such as the COPALUM crimp connector. A short piece of copper wire is attached to the existing aluminum wire with a specially designed metal sleeve, which is crimped with a powered tool to form what is in effect a cold weld. The sleeves and tools are available only to electricians trained and certified by the manufacturer, and Cooper Electric is factory certified.

Caution: Purple Wire Nuts Are Not the Answer

Some electricians without access to the COPALUM system try to repair aluminum wiring with purple twist-on wire nuts. These repairs are often offered cheaply, but they are not a recommended permanent repair for overheating aluminum branch-circuit wiring. We removed the connector shown here from a home we had to repair after a previous purple wire nut “fix.”

Repairing aluminum wiring should be a top priority for the branch circuits in your home.

Learn More

• InspectAPedia aluminum wiring information