Aluminum Electrical Wiring Advice for Renters and Tenants
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Renters and Tenants safety advice for aluminum-wired homes
If your rental home has solid conductor aluminum wiring branch circuits (household circuits) here are 9 safety tips
What to tell the landlord
How to make your aluminum wired home safe
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Here we provide immediate safety advice for occupants of rented apartments, homes, or condominiums where solid conductor aluminum electrical wiring has been installed.
See if you have aluminum wiring (solid conductor branch circuit) installed in your home. Aluminum wiring identification tips are provided at ALUMINUM WIRING, HOW TO RECOGNIZE.
Look for signs of aluminum wiring failure, such as flickering lights, odors of burning plastic at switches or receptacles, outlets or switches that are warm to the touch, charred or sparking receptacles or switches, but be aware that overheating may have occurred or be occurring without an easy to spot sign in the occupied space; See U.S. CPSC Aluminum Wiring - CPSC Publication #516 for other trouble signs.
Turn off the circuit(s) involved in these signs of trouble and call a licensed electrician who is familiar with aluminum wiring hazards and proper repair methods.
Aluminum wire failures and fire hazards may be subtle; overheating may occur not just where something is plugged in or at a switch, but at other connections or outlets on the circuit.
Don't panic, but it is reasonable for a property owner to fix the Aluminum wiring promptly, correctly, and completely. Also see DIRECTORY OF ELECTRICIANS - Aluminum Wiring.
The immediate safety step to take is to Install smoke detectors at locations recommended by your local building officials or fire department. Sample smoke detector locations are also provided on instructions that come with the smoke detector.
In the event of smoke or a fire from any cause whatsoever, exit the building, notifying others to do so as well, and call the fire department from outside the building.
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Thanks to reader J.S. for suggesting this topic 02/03/2010
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
How to Reduce the Risk in buildings with Aluminum Electrical Wiring - Overview of Acceptable Repair Practices (in the document you are presently viewing)
Aluminum Electrical Repair Method Details - "How to" details, how to identify, COPALUM repair, alternative repairs, history, products, research, source of special AMP TYCO COPALUM connectors & COPALUM Electricians (in the document you are presently viewing)
COPALUM Electricians: Sources of TYCO COPALUM -Certified/Trained Aluminum Wire Repair Services (in the document you are presently viewing)
Other Products, Ideal 65 Purple Twister (not recommended), & other Aluminum Wire Products/Articles (in the document you are presently viewing)
Reducing the Fire Hazards in Aluminum-Wired Homes, Jess Aronstein, Ph.D., This document answers most technical questions about the hazards and remedies of aluminum electrical wiring. Some of the sections of this very thorough document are listed below:
Electrical Panels, How to Inspect in buildings, safety for electrical inspectors, electrical panel, fusing, wiring defects, defective products. Inspection Class Presentation
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