“Hi. I’m Craig Bryant with Bryant Electric Service, and I’ve been in business in Austin for almost 30 years now. I’ve been asked by many people a lot of different things about electrical work, and so I hope I can help with answering some of your questions as well.

OK. I’ve been asked many times about the difference between aluminum and copper wire, and the biggest difference is that copper is just a lot more stable metal than aluminum. And electricity, the biggest enemy to electricity is heat. The hotter it gets, the more important it is to have a stable metal. Aluminum is good but not as good in that in the long run over many years or decades because the instability of aluminum, when it heats up it contracts and expands. As it cools down, it contracts and heats, it expands.

So that happening over time over years and decades especially at your main service or wall plugs or something then that causes a loose connection and it starts arcing and the arc can create a fire over time. That just doesn’t occur in copper ever if it’s installed properly and it’s real tight at the beginning when it’s installed.

So the other problem with aluminum is oxidation. As they’re both exposed to air, copper oxidizes as you can see when it turns green, but it doesn’t affect the connection of the wire. Whereas aluminum, when it oxidize, it creates this crust that builds on it. And you’ve probably seen it before, but this crust can sometimes get as much as a quarter inch thick. And besides the fact that the metal is not as compatible to the heat and temperature problem. With that crust building up, it will also create a gap between the connections that can cause an arcing.

So copper is always better than aluminum and everything except price. And the main reason that it’s being used is because it’s so much cheaper.”

Cold winter months bring opportunities for cozy moments indoors  — but also some potential hidden dangers. More than 45,000 electrical fires occur in homes each year, according to thea licensed electrician update any damaged or two-prong outlets.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you have old and unsafe wiring because electrical work is mostly hidden behind the walls of your home. Remember, however, that wiring problems are a major fire threat. Pay attention to these signs of hidden electrical issues and then get safe by

Lamps and other light fixtures provide necessary illumination but can also pose a risk. Placing a bulb with a higher wattage than a fixture can handle poses a risk for igniting a fire. Heed the maximum wattage allowed for all fixtures and decrease the wattage or replace ones that seem to get excessively hot when lit.

Never decorate a lamp with paper or cloth that could ignite, and keep fixtures away from textiles, like bedding or curtains. Replace cords that are frayed or damaged.