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Know What Home Inspectors Look For—And what to do!
Tips from a Certified Master Inspector to help you avoid surprises.
Before It Burns: The Aluminum Wiring Red Flag
Aluminum’s physical properties differ from copper: it expands/contracts more with heat and forms oxide at terminations.
Over years of heating and cooling cycles, screw lugs can loosen, resistance rises, and connections run hotter—a vicious loop.
The catch? Failing connections often don’t show early, obvious symptoms before they cross into hazardous territory.
That’s why proper identification and remediation planning matters during the conditional period, not after possession.
The Problem
From the mid-1960s into the early-to-mid 1970s, many homes were built or renovated with aluminum branch-circuit wiring (the 15–20A circuits feeding outlets and lights).
Over time, aluminum’s tendency to oxidize and loosen at connections can lead to overheating and fires. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) documented dramatically higher failure rates at receptacle connections in pre-1975 aluminum-wired homes versus copper.
How this Gets flagged
Year built/renovated: If you’re touring a home from roughly 1965–mid-1970s, keep your antenna up. (Earlier/later homes can have it too, especially if rooms were added in that era.) InterNACHI
Jacket markings in unfinished areas: In basements, garages, or attics, scan visible cable jackets with a flashlight at a low angle. You’re looking for “AL” or “ALUMINUM” printed/embossed every few feet. Watch for “CU-CLAD”/“Copper-clad”—that’s a different product and not the same risk profile addressed here. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Operational symptoms: Warm cover plates, flickering/dimming lights when appliances start, a “hot plastic” smell, or breakers that nuisance-trip can all be warning signs of stressed connections (not proof—but don’t ignore them). U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Pro note: Aluminum service entrance conductors (big cables feeding the panel) are common and not the issue here. The red flag is smaller branch-circuit aluminum feeding outlets and lights.
The Fix
This home likely has aluminum branch wiring from the late ’60s/early ’70s. It’s a known risk at connections.
The permanent remedies our safety agencies recognize are full rewiring, COPALUM crimps (Pig-tailing), or AlumiConn connectors.
We’ll recommend a licensed electrician to scope and price the remediation so your lender and insurer are satisfied.
Why It Matters
Deal certainty: Aluminum wiring is fixable with a plan. Flag it early, price it in, and keep closing day on track instead of discovering it at underwriting. Esasafe
Safety & liability: You’re not diagnosing—just recognizing a high-consequence risk and routing it to a licensed electrician using a recognized method. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Negotiation clarity: A documented scope (e.g., COPALUM/AlumiConn counts, panel labeling, device replacements) beats vague “electrician to review” clauses.
🛠️ Pro Tip
During showings, do a 60-second sweep in the furnace room/unfinished basement and around the electrical panel. Aim a flashlight across the cable jackets—not straight on—to make the embossing pop. If you see “AL”/“ALUMINUM” (and not “CU-CLAD”), note location(s) and snap a photo for the file. This one move often saves days of back-and-forth.
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🔎 Coming Next Week…
The Panel With a Reputation: How spotting FPE & Zinsco by label alone can save your client from a $3k–$8k surprise and a last-minute insurance “nope.”
Ron Henderson, CMI
Certified Master Inspector
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Disclaimer: Some details in these stories have been modified to protect the privacy of individuals involved. While the events are based on real experiences, names, locations, and certain specifics may have been altered.
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