Residential construction in North America from the late 1960s into the early 1980s used aluminum wire due to the rising price of copper wire. With the change to aluminum wiring there were some changes to the electrical code but basically the installation methods were the same. Although aluminum wiring is no longer used in North America it is still used as a feeder conductors from the street to your house and panel.

Aluminum wire used in house construction did present some safety issues. These safety issues were not from the wiring itself but, from what electricians were doing with it and to it. The main issue with aluminum wiring is that the wrong devices were connected to it or connections were done incorrectly. Installers at the time were learning how to work with this new wiring. They took liberties that were alright with copper wiring but not for aluminum wiring. As a result safety issues arose which led to overheating of electrical circuits that resulted in house fires.

Homeowners became skeptical of aluminum wiring and refuse to purchase houses that were built with it. The fact of the matter is that aluminum wiring is just as safe as copper wiring providing the installation was is accordance with the electrical code and all electrical devices such as wall plugs and switches are aluminum rated.

This problem was further compounded by DIY homeowners making alteration to their home wiring system as part of completing DIY home improvement projects or performing route electrical system maintenance such as replacing devices. They were either not knowledgeable of the code differences between using electrical wiring and aluminum wiring or used devices that were not rated for aluminum.

If you happen to live in a house that was built at the time when aluminum wiring was used in the electrical system, you should consult with a licensed electrician before making any alteration to the system.

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