If your home was built between 1965 and 1973, it may contain aluminum wiring — and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that improperly repaired aluminum wiring is a serious and ongoing fire hazard in millions of American homes. CPSC estimates that homes wired with aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to have one or more wire connections reach fire-hazard conditions than homes wired with copper.
Why Aluminum Wiring Is Dangerous
Aluminum wiring was widely used in residential construction during the late 1960s and early 1970s when copper prices surged. The problem with aluminum is that it expands and contracts at a different rate than the copper terminals, outlets, and switches it is connected to. Over time, this repeated expansion and contraction loosens connections, creating resistance at the connection point. Electrical resistance generates heat — and heat at a loose connection inside a wall can cause the surrounding wood and insulation to smolder and eventually ignite.
Aluminum wiring fires often start in wall outlets and switches where the connection to copper components is improperly made. The fire begins inside the wall or outlet box — invisible and undetectable until smoke or flames appear.
What to Do If Your Home Has Aluminum Wiring
- Do not attempt to repair aluminum wiring connections yourself. Only a licensed electrician should work on aluminum wiring.
- The only permanent repairs acceptable to CPSC are copalum crimping — which uses a special crimping tool to permanently join aluminum and copper wires — or the installation of CO/ALR rated outlets and switches at every connection point.
- Pigtailing with standard wire connectors is not an acceptable long-term repair.
- Have a licensed electrician inspect your home to assess the condition of all aluminum wiring connections.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
