If your home in Scottsdale, AZ was built between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s, there is a significant chance that you are living with a hidden fire hazard inside your walls. During this era, the price of copper skyrocketed, leading builders to switch to a cheaper alternative for residential wiring: aluminum.
At the time, it seemed like a smart economic decision. However, decades of use have revealed a critical flaw. Unlike copper, aluminum wiring is prone to physical and chemical changes that can cause connections to loosen, overheat, and arc. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), homes with aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to reach “fire hazard conditions” at outlet connections than homes wired with copper.
This sounds terrifying, but panic is not the answer—remediation is. aluminum wiring fix does not necessarily mean ripping open every wall in your house. At FHR Electric, we specialize in cost-effective, code-compliant solutions to make aluminum wiring safe. In this guide, we will explain the science behind the failure, how to identify if you have it, and the specific repair methods we use to protect your family.
The Science: Why Does Aluminum Fail?
Aluminum is an excellent conductor of electricity; that isn’t the problem. The problem is how it behaves mechanically compared to the brass and steel screws used on switches and outlets.
1. Thermal Expansion and Contraction
Every time you turn on a vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer, electricity flows through the wire, heating it up slightly. When you turn it off, the wire cools. Aluminum expands and contracts with these temperature changes significantly more than copper does. Over thousands of cycles (years of use), this movement causes the wire to “creep” or wiggle out from under the terminal screw. This creates a gap.
2. Oxidation
When copper oxidizes, it turns green, but the oxide is still conductive. When aluminum oxidizes (rusts), it forms a white powder that is an electrical insulator. As the wire loosens and exposes more metal to air, this oxidation builds up. It blocks the flow of electricity, causing resistance. Resistance generates intense heat—often enough to melt the plastic faceplate or ignite the surrounding drywall.
3. Galvanic Corrosion
When aluminum touches a dissimilar metal (like a copper screw on an outlet), a chemical reaction occurs that corrodes the connection. This further weakens the bond and increases heat.
How to Identify Aluminum Wiring
You don’t need to be an electrician to spot the clues, but you should never touch live wires or remove panel covers yourself. Here is what to look for:
- Construction Date: If your home was built between 1965 and 1973, assume you have it until proven otherwise.
- Cable Markings: Go to your attic or unfinished garage area where the electrical cable is visible. Look for the letters “AL,” “ALUM,” or “ALUMINUM” printed on the plastic jacket.
- Wire Color: If you can see the bare wire ends (perhaps at the electrical panel), aluminum is silver-colored, whereas copper is penny-colored.
Warning Signs of Failure:
If you notice flickering lights that can’t be explained by a bad bulb, warm switch plates, or a distinct smell of burning plastic near outlets, you may have an active failure. Call (602) 492-9999 immediately for an emergency inspection.
The Solution: Do I Need to Rewire the Whole House?
This is the most common question we get. The answer is usually No.
While a complete rewire (removing all old wire and installing new copper) is the absolute safest method, it is incredibly expensive and invasive. It involves cutting holes in nearly every wall and ceiling. For most Scottsdale homeowners, this isn’t financially feasible.
Instead, we use a process called “Pigtailing.” This involves attaching a short piece of copper wire to the end of the existing aluminum wire using a specialized connector. The copper end is then connected to the outlet or switch. This bridges the gap safely, ensuring the device (the outlet) only touches copper, which eliminates the expansion/contraction issue at the terminal.
The “Right” Way vs. The “Wrong” Way to Pigtail
This is critical. Not all pigtailing methods are safe. In fact, doing it wrong can be more dangerous than doing nothing.
The Wrong Way: Standard Wire Nuts
You cannot simply twist the aluminum and copper wires together with a standard yellow or red wire nut. The chemical reaction (galvanic corrosion) will still happen inside the nut, leading to a meltdown. We often find this “handyman special” during inspections, and it is a major code violation.
The Right Way: AlumiConn or COPALUM
At FHR Electric, we use CPSC-approved connectors designed specifically for aluminum wiring fix.
- AlumiConn Connectors: These are small terminal blocks. The aluminum wire goes in one port, the copper in another. Screws are torqued down to secure them. The wires never physically touch each other; they are bridged by a tin-plated metal bar inside the lug. This physically separates the dissimilar metals and provides a secure, permanent bond.
- COPALUM Crimps: This method uses a high-pressure power crimper to “cold weld” the copper and aluminum together inside a specialized sleeve. This creates a molecular bond that is permanent.
We typically prefer the AlumiConn method for residential retrofits because it is less invasive to the box while providing a robust, torque-verified connection that meets all AZ electrical codes.
CO/ALR Devices: An Alternative Option
Another option is to replace every switch and outlet in the house with devices marked “CO/ALR.” These switches have special indium terminals designed to be compatible with aluminum.
While valid, this method has drawbacks:
1. Limited Style: You can’t get CO/ALR devices in modern “Decora” styles, smart switches, or USB outlets. You are stuck with the old-fashioned look.
2. Light Fixtures: You cannot buy “CO/ALR” light fixtures or ceiling fans. For those connections, you must pigtail anyway. Since pigtailing works for everything, we generally recommend it over simply swapping devices.
The Remediation Process: What to Expect
Fixing aluminum wiring is a meticulous process. When you hire FHR Electric, here is the workflow:
- Device Count: We walk the home and count every outlet, switch, and light fixture to give you an accurate quote.
- The Work: Our technicians open every single box. We remove the old device, strip the wires, apply an anti-oxidant paste (if required by the connector type), and install the AlumiConn connectors.
- Torque Verification: We use torque screwdrivers to ensure every screw is tightened to the exact manufacturer specification. This is the most important step for safety.
- New Devices: While we are in there, we usually install brand new, white tamper-resistant outlets and switches. This not only makes the home safe but gives it a fresh, modern look.
- Testing: We verify proper polarity and grounding on every circuit before leaving.
Insurance Implications
Many home insurance carriers in Scottsdale will not write a new policy for a home with aluminum wiring unless it has been remediated by a licensed electrician. Or, they may charge a massive premium. By having FHR Electric perform this work, you receive a “Certificate of Remediation” or a detailed invoice stating that the home is now safe. This can often lower your premiums and is a huge selling point if you ever list the home on the market.
Don’t Gamble with Fire Safety
Aluminum wiring isn’t a problem that gets better with time; it only degrades further. If you sleep in a home built between 1965 and 1973, you need to know the status of your wiring.
FHR Electric has remediated hundreds of homes in the Scottsdale area. We treat your home with the care it deserves, ensuring that your electrical system is safe, stable, and ready for the future.
Call (602) 492-9999 today to schedule an aluminum wiring inspection. Let’s make your home safe again.