Did you know that copper plated wiring will change your home for good? The benefits of copper wiring are immense that you would not want any other kind of material for your own home’s electrical system.
When to replace your electrical wiring
- If your home was built between 1965 and 1985 when aluminum wiring was predominantly being used as an electrical conductor for most commercial and residential buildings.
- If your outlets show discoloration or stains, it means that it has been in use for quite a while and have endured enough power surges.
- If your light fixtures are always flickering whenever you plug an appliance, that means the electrical wiring cannot handle the power load and needs to be updated immediately. Moreover, if the breaker is tripping every now and then, that shows the need for replacement as well.
Contact our qualified electricians right away if you are noticing signs of faulty electrical wirings.
The benefits of installing copper wiring in your home
Is copper wiring in a house safe? Yes, it is. Copper wiring is the ideal material to use for any electrical wiring system. It trumps other materials like Aluminum for these top three reasons:
- It is non-corrosive, which means it will not rust or degrade even when placed in a rough environment. And because of that, this kind of copper wiring lasts for over 50 years. This is an important benefit considering houses tend to be exposed to excess humidity or moisture that could make other metal materials rust.
- The primary copper wire properties are ductility and malleability which simply means it can be formed into very thin wires and bent without breaking.
- It is not only an excellent conductor, but it is also known to have an impressive coefficient of expansion. So even as more current flows through it, the copper wiring will not easily heat up, expand, and break.
- It has an impressive melting point. Compared to other conductors, copper is unlikely to melt and start a fire, which is why professionals and qualified electricians choose this material.
- It is easy to work with which makes the lives of Arvada electricians less stressful. Copper wiring can be stripped easily, bent into shape, and soldered with ease. For that reason, it is so much safer to handle.
- It is durable, requires low maintenance, and resilient to changing temperatures.
- It is compatible with other electrical components and materials installed in residential or commercial buildings. Copper works well with other metals without causing damage.
Why electrical copper wires are better than iron wires
First of all, there are different types of copper wires that are being used extensively in different industries like car manufacturing and commercial and residential construction. It has high electrical conductivity and the electricity passing through is not heating the wiring too much for it to break or spark and cause a house fire.
Many Arvada electrician experts would prefer to use copper when doing residential wiring repair. That is because they know that copper wire is durable which means it is capable of withstanding the changes in weather conditions. And because copper wires are braided with multiple threads, they are so much better connectors for electrical appliances and devices that need to be recharged like mobile phones and laptops.
Now, you are probably questioning what is wrong with aluminum and is aluminum wiring safe?
Just like copper, aluminum is another common material used as an electrical conductor in both commercial and residential. However, unlike copper, aluminum is not as strong as an electrical wiring material.
Long before copper wire became the standard for circuit wirings, aluminum was the ideal option for its cheaper price and flexibility. Unfortunately, if your house is using aluminum wiring, you might find yourself in a constant aluminum wiring fiasco. Since this kind of material has high thermal expansion and contracts when cooled, it can easily become loose, break, and trigger fire hazards. Hence, you will be doing aluminum wiring repair constantly.
Numerous factors could cause the failure of aluminum wiring connections. That includes its contact resistance against other materials, corrosion, and its Creep or the rate of change it undergoes over time.
When it comes to aluminum wiring mitigation, you have few options. One method is to rewire the whole structure and install copper wiring and follow the local building code. This may not be the most affordable way, but it will completely remove the aluminum wiring from your home.
Another method is to install a thermal strip known as AlumiConn or COPALUM which is a sealed terminal. Either of these two can be attached to the old aluminum wire to avoid the extensive and costly process of rewiring the whole electrical system.
If you are unsure whether your home has aluminum wiring, checking the electrical panel on your own might not be the best idea. Have the professionals do the investigation for you.
Our expert electricians can tell you more about the benefits of copper wiring, get in touch with us before you begin rewiring your home.