Hate to bring this one up again....

[Robert Jones]

The house was built in 1908. Has been completely cosmetically updated. When I took the panel cover off, I was surprised to find branch aluminum wiring along with Romex. Kaiser Aluminum but all of the other branch aluminum wiring I have seen was "K-Flex". The camera flash glare limits the view of the model, but it's definitely not "K Flex".

Does it matter what the model is?

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[Richard Moore]

from WA SOP

(d) Report, if present, solid conductor aluminum branch circuits. Include a statement in the report that solid conductor aluminum wiring may be hazardous and a licensed electrician should inspect the system to ensure it's safe.

Nothing in that about brands, etc. I'd punt to the licensed sparky.

[Marc]

I'm with Richard.

I offer my boilerplate:

There's some aluminum wiring installed. Aluminum wiring was on the residential construction market between 1964 and 1972. The CPSC (Consumer Products Service Commission) has had research conducted that shows that 'homes wired with aluminum wire manufactured before 1972 ("old technology" aluminum wire) are 55 times more likely to have one or more connections reach "Fire hazard conditions" than is a home wired with copper' (CPSC 516). There is a specification for circuit breaker, receptacle, and switch devices as well as for electrical connectors (CU/ALR) that is designed for use with aluminum.

An electrician should check each and every device (wall receptacle & wall switch) involving aluminum conductors for the CU/ALR feature (CU/AL specification will not suffice). If it doesn't have it or if the electrician isn't sure, it should be replaced with one that does. He should also replace all connection hardware (wire nuts and such) involving aluminum conductors with AlumiConn connectors available at www.AlCopStore.com 866 8262256.

My recommendations are in blue.

Understand that I often tweak my boilerplate for the particular house.

Marc

[inspector57]

I would not buy a house with aluminum wire unless I planned to remove it and replace with copper.

There will always be a stigma attached to aluminum wire if and when a house is sold again even if the safety issues are dealt with sufficiently. I have never seen a house with aluminum wire that has been upgraded completely. It seems they always do it wrong or incompletely.

[Jerry Simon]

I would not buy a house with aluminum wire unless I planned to remove it and replace with copper.

There will always be a stigma attached to aluminum wire if and when a house is sold again even if the safety issues are dealt with sufficiently. I have never seen a house with aluminum wire that has been upgraded completely. It seems they always do it wrong or incompletely.

I agree. Some well-meaning sap down the road may replace a device and create a real hazard. I always recommend a full re-wire.

[Robert Jones]

Thanks guys.

[Marc]

The aluminum wouldn't stop me from buying the house. Take care of the connections and the problem with that aluminum is parred down to the connections to the breakers.

I'd be fixing the connections myself.

A home inspection I did several years ago had a major repair to its foundation 6 years previous. Buyers were walking away, the seller frustrated, so he took 100K off the price. My buyer expressed concern about the pressure grouted cracks, so I looked everything over then called the foundation contractor to report to me, in front of the buyer, on the status of the repair. As I expected, he reported the repair remained successful and the foundation was stable. My buyer bought the house.

Aluminum is still in used by some electric utilities.

Marc