Many homeowners don’t have great knowledge of their wiring as they may not be

very interested or are not the first owners of the premise. As such, a common inquiry

is “How do I know if I have copper or aluminium wiring?” Such a question may arise

when there are issues with wiring, copper, or aluminium connectors.

It’s fairly common that once people learn their home has aluminium wiring, they

believe it the wiring system is unsafe. This is a general and familiar misconception.

In this blog, we will compare aluminium and copper wiring, their advantages and

other relevant information about the wiring systems. This blog is dedicated to helping

you understand and consider which one you should choose for your home.

Aluminium became a popular option for home electrical wiring in the 1960s because

of its ability to conduct electricity and the low cost. Although aluminium is cheap it

doesn’t mean that it is unsafe, and you should install a new wiring system made of

copper.

In short if compared, copper wiring is the best option because of the ease of use and

the electrical conductivity it has. Copper wiring is suitable for a lot of reasons, for

example, the copper wiring requires small conductors to transmit considerable power

loads. Copper wiring is more durable and better in performance than aluminium

wiring. However, disadvantages are also there if you use copper wiring instead of

aluminium, such as the cost. Some homeowners may not be able to afford it

because it is too expensive.

On the other hand, if you use aluminium wiring there are both advantages and

disadvantages. When compared, aluminium is more malleable and lighter than

copper allowing the user to work with it with ease. Also, if cost is a concern for you,

aluminium wiring can cost you half of copper wiring and the installation.

One of the major disadvantages associated with aluminium wires is that it must be

installed correctly. If the wiring is installed wrong, the house is at risk. There is a high

risk of house fire. In aluminium wires when current flows, the metal expands and

creates a cycle of contracting and expanding which is called as cold creep. During

this cycle, the connections may become loose and create spark. Also, there is a high

chance of wires melting, causing a fire if the wires heat up excessively.

To prevent such incidents from happening, one good way is to replace the

connection cap. You should opt for one rated connection caps for both aluminium

and copper making sure that the final connection with the appliances or devices is

made with copper. A lot of insurance companies consider this method as a cost-

efficient alternative when rewiring the house is required.

Overall, both types of wiring have advantages and disadvantages and which type

you choose depends on your needs and preferences. Copper is generally safer for

use while aluminium has a bad history of house fires because of improper installation

or by any other means but still aluminium is a safe option too. All you need is to

contact a reputable service provider to make sure you face no issue in future