There are several objective reasons for replacing electrical wiring: there was an emergency in the apartment with damage to hidden electrical wiring; the electrical wiring was installed a long time ago, and the insulation is dilapidated and crumbling; The load in the apartment has increased significantly, and the old wiring is heating up. There may also be a subjective reason – you want to make more powerful wiring in advance for the future. If the old wiring is made of aluminum wire, then it is very advisable to replace it with a wire with a copper core of the required cross-section. How urgently to do this is up to the owner of the apartment. The main thing is not to lead to an accident, which could lead to a fire.
Reasons for replacing wiring
The residential electrical network consists of more than just wires. Wires to the apartment come from the building’s electrical equipment panel, pass through junction boxes along the entrances, branch into apartments on the floors, and are connected to sockets in the apartment. All this must be done following the rules for the design and installation of electrical installations – PUE.
According to electrical professionals, the first technical argument for upgrading wiring is its age. It is believed that wires with aluminum conductors can be safely used for approximately 25 years. After this period, the insulation begins to crumble, and the metal structure ages. And wires with copper conductors live much longer. In addition to age, copper outperforms aluminum in other characteristics. Copper has a lower resistance to electric current. This means that the copper cable will heat up less under load, which is a plus for extending the life of the insulation.
Aluminum metal in contact with atmospheric air oxidizes and becomes covered with an electrically insulating film of oxide. This leads to the fact that the conductive surface area decreases and it is necessary to lay a cable with a larger cross-section. The strength of an aluminum core is less than that of a copper core: a couple of bends and the core breaks. Of course, aluminum cable is cheaper than copper cable, but it is unwise to save on this.
The nature of our life is changing very quickly. Apartments are equipped with electrified appliances, the load on the cable increases, and the wear of the aluminum cable accelerates. It is known that most household fires occur due to an accident in the apartment’s electrical wiring. At production facilities, fires are often caused by poor design and operation of electrical wiring. It is already prohibited to lay aluminum cables in new houses. In new buildings, only double-insulated copper cables are laid. And almost always three-wire (the third wire connects the ground).
Any repairs and reconstruction of electrical wiring in apartments should be entrusted only to professionals. The materials used and installation elements must be certified and manufactured by certified manufacturers.
Conclusion
Repair is a troublesome and dirty business, but necessary. And as for replacing the wiring, it should be combined with a major overhaul. After completing the installation work, it is necessary to check the functionality of what has been done and only then begin finishing the room.
