Copper Clad Aluminum Wiring

[Paul MacLean]

I'm a home inspector consulting with an attorney who is defending another Austin inspector in a lawsuit. One of the items the inspector is accused of is not identifying copper clad aluminum wiring in the house. The wiring is not a major issue in this case, but I have been asked what I know about copper clad aluminum. The answer is next to nothing. I've tried googling copper clad aluminum but about the only thing I came up with is the the repair recommendations for aluminum wiring don't apply to copper clad aluminum.

Can anybody tell me what problems are associated with copper clad aluminum, if any? also I would really appreciate it if you can tell me where to look for reliable information.

Thanks in advance!

 

[pierre]

What is the lawsuit in reference to?

Why would they use a Home Inspector as a consultant and not another electrician or EE?

It would seem this topic is out of your strength, and you should probably decline the offer to help the attorney.

 

[ramsy]

There is a discussion with Mfg. references in this thread posted April 14, 2004
Mike Holt's Code Forum ? NEC ? Aluminum wire? Compact conductor?

 

[bob]

Do a goolge search for "copper clad aluminum wiring".
There is more than enough information for you to read.

 

[Paul MacLean]

What is the lawsuit in reference to?

Why would they use a Home Inspector as a consultant and not another electrician or EE?

It would seem this topic is out of your strength, and you should probably decline the offer to help the attorney.

The inspector was sued because of water penetration and mold issues. The copper clad aluminum issue was brought up when the defendant's inspection report was put under a microscope, and he did not properly identify the wiring in the house. The defense attorney's are just trying to be prepared for what might happen.

I was looking for general information. You should know that normal home inspectors find improperly done electrical work every day, and routinely recommend repair by a "qualified" electrician. If electricians and other tradesmen did their work properly the first time, there probably would not be a need for home inspectors.

 

[Ken9876]

If electricians and other tradesmen did their work properly the first time, there probably would not be a need for home inspectors.

You should of said " If there weren't hacks and unlicensed electricians, and cheap homeowners who have gotten advise from the Home Depot guy there wouldn't be a need for home inspectors"

However there still would be a need because things go bad over time and that is where home inspectors come in. Also as most home inspectors aren't licensed I wouldn't count on them seeing everything, even the best electrical inspectors miss a thing from time to time.

 

[busman]

If electricians and other tradesmen did their work properly the first time, there probably would not be a need for home inspectors.

How much of the bad electrical work you refer to was done by a licensed electrical contractor with permit and inspection? I would bet almost none. Yes a few things slip through the cracks, but MOST is DIY and handyman stuff. You can tell because most of the stuff is SO BAD that no electrician could be that incompetent and then followed up by an inspector who is equally bad. Just one EC's opinion.

Mark

 

[pierre]

Mark
That is not my quote, someone else wrote that.

 

[busman]

Pierre,

Sorry, I quoted the wrong post.

Mark

 

[haskindm]

Copper clad aluminum and plain aluminum wiring was and is an acceptable wiring method under the NEC so there would be no need for a home inspector or anyone else to report it. It must be installed correctly (as does copper wiring) and it must be installed using devices that are suitable. It may have been a good idea for the inspector to note that aluminum wiring was present and suggest that an electrician be called in to verify that it was installed properly, but that would not be a requirement. You would not advise a customer to have their copper wiring checked to make sure it was installed according to the NEC, so why would you assume that aluminum conductors were installed incorrectly. Is all of the branch circuit wiring aluminum, or just the large circuits such as the dryer and range receptacle? Or is the service cable aluminum? Sounds like someone is trying to do a "hatchet job" on the home inspector.