Aluminum conduit from American Conduit can lower costs while increasing reliability and efficiency. If you think that steel is the best choice for protecting wires and cabling, you’re about to learn why that’s far from being the case. We have more than 40 years of experience manufacturing and selling aluminum conduit in a wide range of sizes, so we’re obviously biased. But once you see the facts, there’s a very good chance you’ll decide to choose aluminum for all your conduit needs.
The Tale of the Tape
When you look at all the advantages of using aluminum instead of steel, you might wind up wondering why you didn’t make the switch years ago.
First of all, aluminum is a lot less expensive than steel. The reason is that aluminum is a great deal lighter. Not only does it cost less for materials, it also costs less in labor. It takes far fewer people to maneuver aluminum conduit into position, and fewer people to perform an installation. As a result, you can devote those extra workers to other projects, speeding time to completion.
You might think that you’d have to give up quality in order to save a few dollars. But aluminum conduit doesn’t force you into that type of compromise. Our aluminum is not only comparable to steel in strength, but also durability. We use special alloys, as well as special production processes, that make our aluminum just as strong as steel. You’ll even be better off using aluminum in areas that tend to get extremely cold. The colder aluminum gets, the stronger it gets.
Other Reasons to Choose Aluminum Instead of Steel
Also, unlike steel, aluminum won’t corrode over time. Steel will do just that, unless it’s coated with expensive materials. Aluminum, on the other hand, will stand the test of time, and hold up even in the harshest environments. One example is a food processing plant. Operating this type of plant typically involves the use of a lot of chemicals, and a lot of water. Steel conduit simply couldn’t handle either – but aluminum can. It will protect your wiring and cabling day in and day out, year in and year out.
Another area where aluminum soundly beats steel is in the area of safety. As you already learned, aluminum is a lot easier to carry. Your workers won’t face as high a risk of issues such as muscle pulls, or other injuries related to exertion. Aluminum also doesn’t emit sparks, whereas steel does. If you used steel conduit in a volatile environment, the consequences could be disastrous.
Finally, aluminum does a much better job of protecting any electrical equipment that may be nearby. There are times that wires and cables can cause electromagnetic interference, damaging sensitive equipment in the process. You’ll never have to worry about that problem when you use aluminum conduit.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Hopefully we’ve made a strong argument as to why you should seriously consider switching from steel to aluminum conduit. American Conduit will always have whatever size of conduit you need, and we’ll also get it to you quickly and efficiently. Thanks to our relationship with the leader in aluminum extrusion, Hydro, we have about a million pounds of conduit in stock at all times. Learn more about our company and our products by contacting us online or calling 1-800-334-6825.