According to The Data Rat :
My house has aluminum wiring.

You're having multiple problems, which suggests that you need to take
an overall view of the whole thing.

I strongly recommend taking a look at the electrical wiring FAQ.

Here's a link directly to the relevant section:

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/electrical-...ection-16.html
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.