Common Types of Electrical Wire Used in the Home

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It helps to understand a few basic terms used to describe wiring. An electrical wire is a type of conductor, a material that conducts electricity. In the case of household wiring, the conductor itself is usually copper or aluminum (or copper-sheathed aluminum), and is either a solid metal conductor or stranded wire. Most wires in a home are insulated, meaning they are wrapped in a nonconductive plastic coating. One notable exception is ground wires, which are typically solid copper and are either insulated with green sheathing or are uninsulated (bare).

The most common type of wiring in modern homes is in the form of nonmetallic (NM) cable, which consists of two or more individual wires wrapped inside a protective plastic sheathing. NM cable usually contains one or more hot (current-carrying) wires, a neutral wire, and a ground wire.

As an alternative to NM cable, individual wires can be installed inside of a rigid or flexible metal or plastic tubing called conduit. Conduit is typically used where wiring will be exposed and not hidden inside walls, floors, or ceilings.

These larger wires in your home are carrying circuit voltage, and they can be very dangerous to touch. There are also a number of wires in your home that carry much lesser amounts of "low-voltage" current. These are less dangerous, and with some, the voltage carried is so low that there is virtually no chance of shock. However, until you know exactly what kind of wires you are dealing with, it's best to treat them all as dangerous.

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Common Types of Electrical Wire Used in the Home