Aluminum Wiring Repair, Pigtailing & Insurance Inspections

ALUMINUM WIRING

Why it matters

Aluminum wiring isn't automatically dangerous. Neglected aluminum wiring is.

The wire itself is rarely the problem. Every connection it makes is — at each outlet, switch, light fixture and panel terminal. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper every time a circuit heats up and cools down, and fifty years of that movement works connections loose. A loose connection has resistance, resistance makes heat, and that heat sits inside a wall behind a plastic cover plate where nobody sees it.

An inspection tells you three things: whether you actually have aluminum branch wiring, what condition the terminations are in, and what it will take to make it right. Most homes we open up show problems at connections that looked perfectly normal from the outside.

WHAT ACTUALLY GOES WRONG

THE WIRE IS FINE. THE TERMINATIONS AREN'T.

Most homes we inspect show at least three of these.

MOVEMENT

EXPANSION & CONTRACTION

Aluminum moves more than copper every time a circuit heats and cools, decades of that back screw terminals off.

OXIDATION

RESISTIVE OXIDE LAYER

Copper oxide still conducts. Aluminum oxide doesn’t, and it forms right where the contact needs to be clean.

DISSIMILAR METALS

GALVANIC CORROSION

Where aluminum meets copper, corrosion sets in at the joint. Standard wire connectors aren’t listed for these splices.

HANDLING

NICKS & BRITTLENESS

Softer and less forgiving than copper — it nicks when stripped and hardens when bent, so disturbed conductors fail.

DEVICES

UNRATED RECEPTACLES

Ordinary outlets and switches aren’t approved for aluminum. A previous owner’s hardware-store swap leaves it unlisted.

THE OUTCOME

OVERHEATING AT TERMINATIONS

Warm cover plates, discoloured receptacles and the smell of hot plastic are late symptoms, not early ones.

Service area

Powering your property, wherever you are.

Operating from Burlington and Hamilton, serving commercial, industrial and residential clients across the western GTA and Niagara region.

Emergency line

24-Hour Service

Power down or a safety issue? Our crews respond around the clock for commercial & industrial clients.

FAQ

Common Questions

My breaker keeps tripping. Can I just keep resetting it?

A breaker trips because something on that circuit is drawing more current than it should, or because there is a fault. Resetting it repeatedly does not address the cause and is not safe as a long-term habit — have the circuit looked at.

How long does troubleshooting take?

It depends entirely on the fault. Some are found in minutes; an intermittent problem that only appears in certain conditions takes longer. We will tell you what we are seeing as we go.

Is troubleshooting available outside business hours?

Yes. Our professional team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies.

Can you work on wiring installed by someone else?

Yes. A large share of our repair work involves correcting or completing wiring done previously by others.

Which areas do you serve?

We serve Burlington and the surrounding areas of southwestern Ontario, including Oakville, Hamilton, Hamilton Mountain, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Flamborough, Dundas, Ancaster, Campbellville, Milton, Waterdown, West Lincoln and Haldimand. Not sure whether you are in range? Send us a note and we will tell you.

Do you offer emergency service?

Yes. Our professional team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Keep 905-634-5577 handy, or contact us right away.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes. Brant Electric Limited is a licensed electrical contractor and a member of the Electrical Safety Authority. Where a job requires ESA notification, we handle that as part of the work.

Comprehensive Services

We offer safe and reliable electrical services.