6 Different Types of Electrical Wire and How to Choose One

Electrical wire is typically made of copper or aluminum, and these conductive materials are insulated as wires that bring electricity to various parts of your home.

When you’re installing new wiring, choosing the right wire or cable is half the battle. On the other hand, when examining the old wiring in your home, identifying the wire type can tell you a lot about the circuit the wiring belongs to (for example, if you open a junction box and need to determine which wires go where). Wiring for modern homes is quite standard, and most homes built after the mid-1960s have similar types of wiring. Any new electrical installation requires new wiring that conforms to local building codes.

Below, learn the different types of home electrical wires to choose the right option for completing electrical projects accurately and safely.

Wiring Terminology

It helps to understand a few basic terms used to describe wiring. An electrical wire is a type of ­conductor, which is 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 uninsulated (bare).

Warning

Many larger wires in your home are carrying 120- to 240-volt circuit voltage, often referred to as line voltage, and they can be very dangerous to touch. There are also several 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.