You might be wondering about aluminum conduit vs. steel conduit. A competitor may have turned from steel to aluminum, and reaped incredible cost savings as a result. You’re thinking that you might possibly want to do the same thing, but you’re not convinced it would be the right decision. The experts with American Conduit can, with complete confidence, show you why switching to aluminum might actually be one of the best choices you’ve ever made.
About Us
American Conduit has about a million pounds of conduit on hands at all times. This is possible because we’re a brand of the leading aluminum extruder in the world, Hydro. Our company has been in business for four decades, and we’re the leader in conduit innovation. We offer both rigid aluminum conduit as well as PullEase electrical metallic tubing, and do so at a price that can’t be beaten. You can also choose from a wide variety of diameters as well as lengths.
What sets us apart even more from the competition is our commitment to customer satisfaction. If you haven’t purchased aluminum conduit before, we’ll be here to answer all of your questions. Just tell us your application and we’ll be more than happy to tell you which type of conduit, as well as which diameter and size, will be the best fit.
Breaking Down Aluminum Vs. Steel Conduit
There are so many reasons aluminum is a superior choice to steel that we can’t fit all of them into this article. These are just a few of the more important ones.
Cost Savings
Buying aluminum conduit can really boost your bottom line. You’ll save up to 20 percent per foot versus steel, but you’ll also see significant savings on labor.
The reason is that aluminum is only about 30 percent the weight of steel. That means you won’t need as many workers to carry your aluminum conduit into place and then perform an installation. Since steel is so much heavier, it usually takes two or three people to lug it around and then put it in the ground. It only takes one person to do the same thing with aluminum. You could save as much as 75 percent on labor as a result.
Corrosion Resistance
If you’ve ever seen a rusted out old bike, you’ve seen oxidation at work. Unless the steel conduit you’re using is galvanized (which makes it even more expensive), it will suffer the same fate. But that’s not an issue with aluminum.
Our products won’t discolor or rust, even when subjected to the elements for an extended period of time. That makes it safer to use than non-galvanized steel. You can feel free to use aluminum in any sort of outdoor construction application with complete confidence.
Safety
Speaking of safety, aluminum won’t emit sparks, and it also won’t burn. If you have a flammable environment, you should actually make the change to aluminum as soon as you can. Our clients’ conduit applications include grain elevators, refineries, coal mines, water treatment facilities, and other potentially explosive environments.
Ease of Use
Aluminum conduit comes out as one single pipe, so there are no seams that could fail or snag wiring. Steel conduit has seams, and that can obviously cause problems. Aluminum can also easily be bent and threaded, unlike steel. That makes pulling wire much easier, and much faster. That’s especially the case with our PullEase electrical metallic tubing.
Learn more about aluminum conduit vs. steel conduit by calling American Conduit at 1 (800) 334-6825 or contacting us online.