Had a call yesterday that was a real wake up call about old aluminum wiring

Got sent to a house built in the early 70s for some flickering lights. Owner said it had been going on for a while. I mean, I know aluminum branch wiring is a thing from that era, but I hadn't run into a real problem with it myself. Opened up a few outlets and found the classic signs: oxidation, that dull gray color, and one connection at a backstabbed outlet that was literally loose and warm to the touch. The homeowner had no idea. It was just a normal Tuesday for them. I had to explain the whole deal about oxidation increasing resistance and the fire risk. Ended up putting in COPALUM crimp connectors on every connection we could find. Has anyone else had to deal with a full house of this stuff recently? What's your go-to fix now?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana_hill2718d ago

Glad you caught that before it got worse.

victor_taylor3218d ago

That warm, loose backstab connection is a classic find, and we just finished a full re-crimp job last month too.