Aluminum Wiring Repair
Aluminum wiring repair using COPALUM™ mitigates fire hazards and lowers insurance costs.
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Aluminum Wiring & Background
Are your commercial buildings or multi-family housing complexes built between the mid-1960 through the 1970s? There's a good chance that the wiring used is made from Aluminum instead of Copper.
During that time, a spike in the cost of copper caused builders to switch to aluminum for branch wiring in homes.
Aluminum wire is softer than copper, making it easier to nick, cut or crush.
Creeping is caused by aluminum's tendency to expand more than copper as electricity is transmitted. Repeated expansion and contraction causes the wires to creep out from under the terminal screws, resulting in loose connections.
When aluminum corrodes, the white aluminum oxide does not conduct electricity, unlike corrosion on copper, leading to overheating.
Safety Issues & Repair
The aluminum wire itself is safe, but the termination points in switches, outlets, etc. are risk areas for sparking, overheating and fires.
Symptoms include: Flickering lights, warm cover plates and burned insulation.
Increased safety and fire risk lead to higher insurance costs or difficulty in obtaining insurance coverage.
Retermination, using approved repair methods, mitigates these fire and safety hazards.
COPALUM™
Kwick Lights is an authorized COPALUM™ installer. COPALUM™ offers a cost effective, insurance approved, permanent repair method for aluminum wiring.
The patented COPALUM™ crimp method is recommended by the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission (CPSC) and is found to be as effective in hazard mitigation as a complete, much more expensive, copper rewire.
Our TE certified technicians will inspect all termination points in receptacles, switches fixtures and ceiling fans. Then a short segment of copper wire is cold welded onto the ends of the existing aluminum wires using a special crimp and tool.
- Kwick Lights is a TE Connectivity Authorized COPALUM™ Installer
- Protect Against Electrical Fires
- Affordable Alternative to Copper Rewire
- Accepted Repair Solution by Most Insurance Carriers
- Proven Safety Record
- Permanent & Eco-Friendly Repair
Kwick Lights is a TE Connectivity Authorized COPALUM™ Installer
AlumiConn™
Kwick Lights also offers the AlumiConn™ system, an alternative aluminum wiring repair solution, approved by select insurance carriers.
The purpose-built AlumiConn™ connector is cost effective and uses an appropriately torqued set screw.
Our experienced technicians will inspect switches, receptacles, fixtures and ceiling fans. Then a short segment of copper wire is attached to the existing terminations using the connector. This creates a conductive connection between aluminum and copper without the two wires being in direct contact, thus mitigating the hazards caused by the two materials' different expansion rates.
- Most Affordable Repair Solution
- Eliminate Contact Between Aluminum & Copper
- Mitigate Fire Hazards
- Accepted Repair Solution By Select Insurance Carriers
- Limited Track Record
- Prevent Oxidation of Aluminum
InspectAPedia.com® - Online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice - illustrated, detailed, authoritative research on finding, diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects, energy conservation, & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.
Project Management
Kwick Lights can take care of project management responsibilities for your commercial project.
- Project Planning & Reporting
- Scheduling Unit Repairs with Individual Residents
- Organize Service Line Drops with Utility Providers
- Coordination With Other Contractors
Since we price the repair "per device", you only pay for repaired devices. If an existing copper connection is found, only a small inspection fee is assessed.
Our comprehensive reporting includes photos of all repaired devices, their type, location and state encountered. Upon completion of the repair, our team will provide the necessary documentation along with photo evidence of the work performed. We then provide this information to your insurance carrier.
We've partnered with financial service providers to extend financing options for large aluminum wiring repair projects. We can also align the aluminum wiring repair with your insurance policy renewal in order to immediately start realizing your savings.
Aluminum wiring can be identified either by a stamp reading "Aluminum" or "AL" along the jacket, or by the conductor's silver color, versus the brown color of copper. Remember that only experienced electricians should deal with live power circuits - call Kwick Lights today if you're unsure and would like for a technician to evaluate your home.
