Hamilton, Ontario · 1965 to 1978 Homes
Aluminum Wiring Repair and Replacement in Hamilton
Copper pigtailing, rated devices or full replacement. We do every connection, not just the ones you can see, and close the job with an ESA certificate your insurer will accept.
Quick answer
Aluminum wiring in Hamilton homes built between about 1965 and 1978 is not dangerous because of the wire itself. The risk is at the connections, where aluminum can work loose and overheat over decades. The usual fixes are copper pigtailing at every connection with approved connectors, aluminum-rated devices, or full replacement with copper. Apollo Electric, ECRA/ESA 7009372, completes every remediation with an ESA inspection. You can verify any contractor's licence with the ESA contractor locator.
If Your House Went Up Between About 1965 and 1978, Read This
For roughly a decade, copper got expensive and aluminum branch circuit wiring went into a great many Canadian homes. Hamilton and the surrounding suburbs have plenty of them, including many 1960s and 1970s builds in East Hamilton and Stoney Creek. Most of those houses are still perfectly good houses.
The issue is not the aluminum sitting in the wall. It is the connections at either end. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper as it heats and cools, and over decades that movement can work a terminal loose. A loose connection under load gets hot. That is the failure mode, and it is why insurers ask about it.
Aluminum Wiring Warning Signs
- Outlets or switch plates that feel warm
- A faint burning or fishy plastic smell near a receptacle
- Lights that flicker on one circuit for no obvious reason
- Discoloured or scorched outlets and switches
- Breakers that trip on a circuit that was fine for years
If you smell burning plastic, do not wait for an appointment. Shut that circuit off at the panel and call us at 905-921-5487. We run 24-hour emergency service.
Aluminum Wiring Repair Options, Honestly Laid Out
| Option | What it involves | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Copper pigtailing | A short length of copper is joined to the aluminum at every device using connectors approved for the purpose, then landed on the receptacle or switch. | Sound wiring where the risk is at the connections. Satisfies most insurers when done at every connection and inspected. |
| Aluminum-rated devices | Standard receptacles and switches are replaced with CO/ALR rated devices built for aluminum. | Addresses part of the risk. Often done alongside pigtailing. |
| Full replacement | The aluminum branch wiring is removed and new copper is run. | Wiring that has been damaged, overheated or altered by previous owners. |
Pigtailing is considerably less expensive and less invasive than a rewire. We will tell you plainly when we think your home is past that point, rather than patching something that will be back.
What We Will Not Do With Aluminum Wiring
We will not pigtail a few visible outlets, hand you an invoice and call the house remediated. Partial work leaves the connections you cannot see exactly as they were, and it will not stand up with an insurer. If we take the job, we do every connection, and it gets an ESA inspection.
How an Aluminum Wiring Job Runs
- Assessment. We confirm the wiring type, check for heat damage, and count every device and junction.
- Written quote. You see the options side by side, with the one we recommend and why.
- ESA notification. Filed before the work begins.
- The work. Every connection is remediated, room by room, with power kept on where you need it.
- ESA certificate. The documentation your insurer will accept.
Aluminum wiring often sits behind an older panel. If your service is also near its limit, we can quote an electrical panel upgrade at the same visit. Homes with even older wiring may need knob and tube removal instead.
What Our Customers Say
The last time I used them was for some work on the basement... They found lots of fire hazards and exposed wires. They somewhat ‘up-sold’ me on doing some more work there, but I probably have a much safer house because of it. It was completed quickly and the new outlets are great.
Ken McDonald, Stoney Creek, Hamilton
Frequently Asked Questions
Is aluminum wiring safe?
The wire itself is not the problem. The connections are. Properly remediated connections, done at every device and inspected, address the main risk.
Will my insurer accept aluminum wiring pigtailing?
Most insurers accept copper pigtailing when it covers every connection and comes with an ESA certificate. Check with your insurer before work starts.
Can I replace outlets on aluminum wiring myself?
Standard devices are not built for aluminum, and the job needs an ESA notification. Have a Licensed Electrical Contractor do it.
How do I know if my house has aluminum wiring?
Homes built between about 1965 and 1978 are the most likely. The cable jacket may be marked "AL" or "ALUMINUM", and the conductors look silver rather than copper. We can confirm it during an assessment.
Areas We Serve
Apollo Electric serves Hamilton, Dundas, Ancaster, Waterdown, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Burlington, Oakville and Milton, plus Cambridge, Kitchener-Waterloo and the Greater Toronto Area. If you are just outside that list, call anyway. It is often still workable, and we will tell you honestly if it is not.
See all of our residential electrical services.
Contact and Service Details
Apollo Electric Inc.
83 Ferndale Ave, Hamilton, ON L8K 4L7
Phone: 905-921-5487 (24/7 emergency)
Email: zvonkoapollo@gmail.com
Non-emergency hours: 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, evening and weekend service available
ECRA/ESA 7009372 · ESA Authorized Contractor Program · WSIB compliant · Fully licensed and bonded · Over 30 years
To book non-urgent work or request an estimate, use our contact page.
Apollo Electric Inc. · ECRA/ESA 7009372 · Last updated 22 October 2026.