Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector

Many people hear the words 'aluminum wiring' and think it is a death sentence, yet others have never heard of it, or why it is a problem. Many homes were wired with aluminum wiring, sometimes all circuits are aluminum, and sometimes only a few, or even one.

Between the years 1965 and 1975 (approximately), aluminum wiring was used, but the manufacturers realized ther was a problem, and the composition of the alumimum wiring changed around 1972 so it wasn't as problematic.

First of all, many utility companies use aluminum from the utility pole to your service connections due to its lighter weight, so it is not illegal. When connections loosen up, the lack of a tight connection is what causes 'arcing' which is kind of like a spark because of this loose connection. When arcing happens in an electrical service box and something like paper insulation catches this spark, you can have a fire.

If wiring connections at the receptacle or wall switch loosen up, this can also cause a fire. These things loosen up because all metals expand and contract at different rates when current passes through it. It gets hot, then cools down. After many years, this heating and cooling happens thousands of times. When aluminum expands and contracts at a different rate than the screw that holds it, this difference in expansion and contraction over the years causes connections to loosen up. Also, loose connections cause more current to gather at this poor connection and wires get hot. Hot wires within walls can cause a fire. Did you ever hear of someone opening up a wall during a renovation and finding old newspaper? This is an easy way for a fire to occur.

Wire can also 'work harden'. This is when you bend and flex wiring and other metals. When you bend some metals, the point at which they bend tends to harden, and if you keep on flexing it, it eventually breaks. So imagine running a wire behind a wall where it has to bend and flex in order to be 'snaked' within walls. If you were to look at this bend location closely, you would see minute cracks. Work hardening can also cause wires to fail.

Pigtailing was the main way to alleviate aluminum wiring problems, but many electricians in my area no longer do this. They recommend the wiring be replaced. So, it is their call - follow their advice. - Ray

I have heard of great disasters where people basements flood because of a clogged sewer drain in the street after a prolonged rain . The local municipality is usually supposed to keep these clean so they can accept rainwater runoff, but as you know, this is not a priority for these municipalities.

If you purchase a house with a sewer drain in front of it, it would be wise to keep out the leaves and debris yourself. I know it shouldn't be your problem, but if your basement floods, or your garage turns into a swimming pool and it causes damage, the municipalities usually turn a deaf ear. One fellow AR person on Long Island had this problem, but she did not win.

Keep this in mind especially if the house is near the water, as these areas are more prone to street flooding. Thanks for reading! -Ray

Wood pellet burning stoves have been around for a while now and have been in use in the northern climates for the most part. They have slowly been creeping south to my area more and more, and I have noticed more stores that sell them, and the pellet fuels as well.

My brother bought a Bixby wood pellet burning stove, and he hardly needs his oil heat system, except for the fact that he needs the oil burner for hot water. But he is saving lots of money by not being a slave to the oil companies.

That is the thing I really like. If we all bought pellet stoves, it would put a dent in the heating oil companies profits, and the big oil vultures as well.

I just got my Heloc today, and am planning a large extension onto my small house. I am building this extension with the pellet stove centrally located so it heats the entire house. I am also incorporating a hood built into the ceiling to capture some of the heat and distribute it to other areas via insulated ductwork with internal fans to push the warm air.

I hope to be nearly completely oil free next winter. I will of course leave the oil fired system in place, but hope to only use it in extreme weather. Pellets will always be cheaper than oil or gas. There are also cooperatives where you can buy pellets in bulk to save money.

So do your research and find a pellet stove that works for you, so you don't have to work to pay big oil! -Ray

Some people tile old staircases before the sale of the home to make it pretty, but this can be an accident waiting in the wings. On an inspection last week, I came across a small 4 step staircase with treads that were at an angle downward. This alone is a problem, but to tile it makes it much worse.

You are not supposed to tile staircases. Tiles can be slippery to start off with, but to add tile to an already angled tread surface is like wanting someone to fall. This particular staircase had no handrail either. The seller had done a 'quickee' job on this house to sell it. Make everything look pretty and someone will buy it I guess is the mentality.

Tiles are not for staircases. If you have wet feet or shoes, you may find your staircase is an elevator - down only too. -Ray

Staircase inspections are my specialty. I have built many staircases, and I see small ones and large ones all the time that are built or installed improperly. The rise and run (height and depth of tread) is of course the main thing you check for. Inconsistant rise and run can cause you to trip. When you make that first step upwards, your brain automatically calculates the height your leg lifts up to clear the second step. Its kind of an involuntary reaction if you are not consciously concentrating on climbing the staircase.

If you have more than 1/4 inch difference between the first and second step (or any steps for that matter), you can trip. The hardest part about building a staircase is not getting the steps to be all the same in height, but to calculate the correct overall height of the staircase so that when it is installed that the step from the bottom landing to the first step is the same as the last step to the top landing. If the house has plywood floors and hasn't been finished with wood planks, Pergo, or whatever is the final finished layer, the added thickness of the flooring material can throw off the calculation.

When you build a staircase and you don't calculate properly, your mistake is a big one financially, and can upset the timing of other contractors. You may be able to salvage some of the wood, but you trash a lot of the lumber. I never had a disaster with one of my staircases. I took my time calculating, and if need be, I would transport the staircase to the site for a test fit. I didn't specifically get paid for this 'fit' time but I calculated this into my quote so it did not give me a 'fit'.

Some staircase contractors make me have a real 'fit'! - Ray