Do you have aluminum wiring in your Ottawa home?
Aluminum wiring was commonly used for lighting and outlet circuits in homes built in the 60’s and 70’s. While inherently safe, special precautions must be taken to ensure its integrity. It also expands and contracts significantly more than copper with temperature and large electrical loads. When Aluminum wiring is used to connect devices such as outlets and switches, over-tightening the Aluminum lead can cause stress in the metal, weakening the connection. Symptoms of poor connections might be arcing in outlets and flikering lights. Problems can occur when standard outlets or switches are wired with aluminum, as contact with dissimilar metals can corrode and overheat, possibly leading to fires.
Insurance companies will often request that copper pigtails are added to each device in your house to comply with current electrical safety standards.
How can I identify Aluminum wiring in my Ottawa home?
If your house was built in the 60’s and 70’s there is high probability that AL wiring was used. The best place to look is close to your existing electrical panel or unfinished basement where wiring is visible. Aluminum wiring is identified by “AL”, or “Aluminum” printed every meter or so along the wire insulation. A local licensed electrical contractor will also be able to quickly identify Aluminum wiring in your Ottawa home.
What should I do if I find Aluminum wiring in my Ottawa home?
If Aluminum wiring is found in your home, a local licensed electrical contractor will recommend that copper pigtails are added to devices wired with Aluminum wiring. This recommendation might also come from your insurance company.
What is a copper pigtail?
Copper pig-tailing involves adding a copper wire lead to each switch and outlet to connect to the existing aluminum wire using special connectors and anti-oxidizing compound. The connectors are approved for this specific purpose - Copper to AL connections while the anti-oxidizing compound will slow the oxidation process that can affect AL conductors. While this is an excellent solve, removing and replacing the aluminum with copper wiring is the best solution.
How much does copper pigtailing cost?
The process of copper pigtailing is labour intensive – every switch and outlet in the house must be inspected and replaced if aluminum wiring is found. A three-bedroom house contains approximately 60 devices. If aluminum wiring is found in your Ottawa home, a local licensed electrical contractor will generally charge on a “per device” basis. This can range between $30-$45 depending on the device being replaced. If you plan on renovating your home in the future, we recommend replacing the Aluminum wiring while the walls are open and accessible.
What’s next?
Once the pig-tailing is complete, the licensed electrical contractor will coordinate an electrical inspection with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). With the inspection passed, an electrical compliance report will be sent to the homeowner for their records. We recommend sending this report to your insurance company.