Aluminum electrical wiring: danger or simple precaution?

Between roughly 1965 and 1975, copper was expensive and many homes were wired with aluminum. The wire itself is not dangerous. Its connections are the issue: aluminum expands, oxidizes and loosens at outlets, switches and splices, which can overheat.

The answer is not to rewire everything, but to have every connection checked and secured by a master electrician.

Silver rather than copper-coloured wire at the ends, “AL” or “ALUMINUM” printed on cable sheathing visible at the panel or in the basement, and a house from 1965 to 1975. The inspector flags it when seen. They do not remove outlets to check every splice.

Recognized remedies are devices rated for aluminum (marked CO/ALR), approved connectors to join aluminum to copper, or crimp-type connections done by an electrician.

Most insurers accept an aluminum-wired house provided there is a verification report from a master electrician, sometimes required within a period after purchase.

The cost is moderate and predictable, so it is easy to negotiate. The lack of verification is mostly an unknown to resolve.

Verification and securing of connections by a master electrician most often runs from hundreds to a few thousand dollars, depending on the number of outlets and devices. Full rewiring is generally not necessary.

These are orders of magnitude. Confirm them with a quote.

Before you buy, here is what I would do.

1. Ask the insurer its conditions for an aluminum-wired house.
2. Have a verification report produced by a master electrician during the inspection condition or right after purchase.
3. Watch for overheating signs: warm outlet covers, plastic smell, flickering lights.

I flag the mention, I file it under your inspector’s label, and I add the insurer and the master-electrician check to the steps before signing.

Does your report mention this? Send it to me. In five minutes, I tell you what is priority, what to have checked and what to ask the seller.

Rarely. Securing the connections is the recognized fix. Full rewiring is mostly justified during a major renovation.

No. Large-gauge aluminum service cable is common and accepted. The issue concerns small-gauge branch circuits.

From an electrician’s report or CO/ALR-marked devices. Otherwise, assume it was not done.