![]() Our products help you deal with specification changes, mismatched cables and lugs, new equipment installation, and much more. We’re a top provider of cable adapters, splicers, and reducers. Whether you choose to install arc fault breakers, repair some bad splices or sections of wiring, or rewire your entire home, we’ll provide the safe, reliable, affordable services you need. Contact us today to learn how we can help protect your home against the potential danger of electrical fires.When you’re doing electrical construction work and a cable doesn’t fit, you need a solution – fast! That’s when to call in Greaves. If you have aluminum wiring in your home, we have the experience at Upstate Electrical Solutions to deliver the safety you need. Because special tools are required to complete this work safely, it’s best to leave any protective splicing to professionals rather than trying to do the work yourself. These connectors include chemicals to fight the oxidation and corrosion that occurs when aluminum and copper are spliced together. Electricians have to use specially designed connectors to splice copper and aluminum together. If you’re aware that you have some copper and some aluminum wiring in your home, we can help by making sure the splices are safe. If it was built before 1999 and hasn’t been rewired, you almost certainly do not have any arc fault protection in place. If your home was built after 2014, chances are you have AFCIs in place. AFCIs are a relatively recent addition to home electrical safety, so the age of your home may help you guess whether you have them in place already. The CPSC reports that the installation of AFCIs in all homes could prevent more than 50% of residential fires annually. This stops the flow of electricity - which in turn can stop a fire. As soon as it detects anything abnormal, such as extra heat or current flowing through an electrical circuit, the AFCI trips the circuit breaker. These devices add a layer of protection against electrical arcs that can cause fires.ĪFCIs monitor the flow of electricity throughout your home. Do Arc Fault Breakers Prevent Electrical Fires?Īnother safety solution for your home is the installation of arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) or arc fault breakers. It also saves you the hassle of getting a bad inspection report that causes your buyer to either back away from the purchase or to demand that you rewire the home anyway. ![]() In addition, if you have any plans to sell your home, getting rid of the aluminum wiring will increase your home’s value. You’ll certainly have more peace of mind when you rewire from aluminum to copper. Given that any aluminum wiring is at least 50 years old, your home is probably overdue for rewiring, even if you aren’t seeing problems with outlets or switches. If you see the marking “CO/ALR,” you probably have aluminum wiring. You can also take a look at your electrical terminals. If you’re not sure what type of wiring you have, we’re happy as your local electrician to come and check it out for you. While this is the most intrusive correction to the problem, it’s also the safest and most complete one. One reliable solution if your home has aluminum wiring is to rewire the whole home. Options for Correcting the Problem Should You Rewire Your Home? Aluminum, which is brittle, can crack as a result of repeated vibration - and where those cracks occur, electrical current can arc into the air, creating a fire hazard. While all electrical wires vibrate when current flows through them, copper handles the vibration better than aluminum. As aluminum and copper expand and contract at different rates, connections and splices can come loose - which can lead to further damage to the equipment but to overheating and arc faults, resulting in electrical fires.Īn added problem that’s unique to aluminum wiring is that of vibration. ![]() This results in voltage dropping across the connection. If not properly connected, oxidation and corrosion occur. The problem is particularly prevalent when copper and aluminum wires are connected because of the chemical reaction that occurs between the two metals. As connectors deteriorate and electrical circuits are heavily loaded (as occurs during the winter when people plug-in electrical heaters), electrical fires can result. When aluminum and copper wires are incorrectly connected, the result can be electrical arcing - which is the cause of 18% of all residential fire-related deaths and 39% of fires occurring during the winter months. The problems occur at the connectors, especially when aluminum and copper wires are spliced together or when aluminum wires are used with devices intended for copper wiring. Aluminum and copper both conduct electricity well.
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