Should we be rewiring or pigtailing the aluminum wiring in our condo?

Question

We have purchased a condo home that was built in 1975. The inspector brought up the hazards of aluminum wiring. Since we have very little knowledge regarding this area we were wondering if we should rewire the entire place or if it is OK just to have an electrician pigtail? Can you please help? We just want to ensure our safety.

Answer 1

Aluminum wiring is not the fire hazard people would have you think it is. In fact it is perfectly safe and there has been studies showing that the only increased chance of fire is produced with an improper installation. This usually means that contractors using outlets or devices that are not rated for aluminum. This does cause the wire to eventually overheat at contact and expand/contract so many times that it becomes brittle and can short.

Pigtailing aluminum is perfectly acceptable. Your electrician would just go to every outlet and pigtail the aluminum with a short copper strand using a Al/Cu Wire Connector (these are usually purple for identification). This is probably the best solution for lights and other "non" outlets. For outlets you can pigtail or just connect an Al/Cu rated outlet.

However your local building code may have stipulations - mine is fine with correctly rated outlets. I have read in other places that they require pigtails and I have read in other places (an electrician driven county) that they require a rewire.

Answer 2

As with all things CHECK YOUR LOCAL CODES. I work for an Electrical contractor in Florida. We currently have a contract with a townhouse community of 200 plus units built in the 70's with aluminum wire. In our case and per our code we are replacing ALL receptacles and switches with a copper rating. All receptacles have to be tamper "resistant" and GFI's are required. At least one in a bathroom provided if a second bathroom is on the same floor it feeds off of the first. (Load and line side apply) and at least one in the kitchen (again first in the home run from the breaker panel) and any outside receptacles (unless they are protected by a GFI breaker). We use purple AlumiConns WITH Noalox Anti‑Oxidant Compound in it and 14 gauge copper pig tails. We're also required to add ground wire to the switches. On average you'll need 2 two ports (2 holes with screws) per single pole switch, 3 two ports per three way and 4 two ports per four way, 4 two ports per GFI, 2 three ports per regular receptacle, and 1 three port and 2 two ports per switched receptacle.

Answer 3

My house was built in 1974 and has aluminum wiring. After 45 years I have just added decorative Copper only plugs and switches using the pigtail and anti-oxidant joint compound method for hooking them up. Interesting thing is all of the old plugs and switches were copper only and they were hooked directly to the aluminum wire. I never found any of the connections that showed any signs of deterioration, oxidation or heating problems. Could this be another fantiscie of the manufacturing industry to sell more product at a higher price.

Answer 4

Here’s the problem with the Alu wire. Even if the original install was done correctly a homeowner watches a video now he thinks it’s no big deal to replace a couple of brown outlets to almond or whatever. Or homeowner Uncle Joe has done some wiring and says sure no problem I can change a couple of outlets. In fact, I have a couple in my trunk. See where I’m going and it happens all the time.

I don’t feel it’s ever safe because you never know if it’s done correctly. Same as those dreaded back stabs on switches and receptacles. those things can be deadly as well. I’ve been on a panel to get those made illegal but guess who is running things? The safety board you may think so with the new tamper resistant. Nope is the manufacturers with the big fat checkbook. If it was all about safety backstabbing connections would have been outlawed decades ago.

But if the manufacturer wants to sell more devices ta da introducing tamper resistant. Mandatory from now on still come with the quick connects which is now more of a hazard when plugging in and out with extra force loosens and eventually arcs.