Find it, not guess it
We test the circuits and check connections under load, because a loose joint often looks perfect until current goes through it.
Electrical Burning Smell? Do This Now
Something is overheating. This is the one on our list that does not wait until Monday.
A burning smell from a power point, a switch, a light or the switchboard means a connection is getting hot. Here is what to do right now, in order, and why a smell that fades away has not fixed itself. We answer the phone any hour across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Port Stephens.
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Call 000 first if
Any of these, ring 000 before anything else
- You can see smoke, flame or sparks
- The smell is strong and you cannot find where it is coming from
- A wall, ceiling or the switchboard is hot to touch
- Anyone feels faint, sick or short of breath
Get everyone out first and ring from outside. Do not open the switchboard, do not throw water at anything electrical, and do not go looking in the roof space.
If there is no smoke, do this in order
Unplug what is nearest, if you can do it safely
If the smell is clearly coming from one appliance or one power point, pull the plug out. If the plug or the point is hot, or you can see a brown mark, do not touch it. Go to step 2 instead.
Switch that circuit off at the switchboard
Open the switchboard door only. Never unscrew a panel. A switch is ON when the lever points up, so push the one for that area down.
If you cannot tell which circuit it is, turning off the main switch is fine and it is the safer choice. Losing the fridge for a few hours is a better outcome than the alternative.
Leave it off and ring us
Not tomorrow. A burning smell is the stage where a loose connection is already arcing, and the next stage is not a smell. We answer the phone any hour.
Do not switch it back on to test it
People do this to check whether the smell comes back. It does, and every time it heats up it gets a little worse. Leave it off until it has been looked at.
What that smell actually is
Heat. A connection somewhere has worked loose, and electricity crossing a loose joint makes heat rather than going where it should. The smell is the insulation, the plastic around it or the fitting itself starting to cook.
It smells like fish, or like stale urine, more often than it smells like a bonfire. That is overheating PVC and electrical components, and it is a smell people look up on their phone rather than act on, which costs hours. If there is no food or pet explanation for it, treat it as electrical.
Where we find it, most often:
- Power pointsEspecially ones running heaters or dryers
- Light switches and dimmersWarm to touch is the early sign
- The switchboardA smell at the board is never minor
- Light fittingsOld downlights sitting against insulation
- Extension leadsCoiled up, under rugs, or daisy chained
- The appliance itselfWhich is a repairer, but find out first
A smell that goes away has not gone away. It usually means a joint that heats up when something heavy is running and cools down after. The fault is still there and each cycle makes it a bit worse. This is the single most common reason a small job becomes a big one.
What we do when we get there
Make it safe first
The faulty part comes out and the circuit is made safe before anything else, so you are not left waiting on a part with a live problem.
Check what else is like it
A loose connection is rarely alone if the house was wired the same way throughout. We check the rest rather than leave you the next one.
Safety inspection >Want this sorted?
Tell us what is going on. We ring you back, usually the same day.
The ones people leave too long
A power point that runs a heater
Heaters and dryers pull the most current of anything in the house, so a marginal connection shows up there first. A warm plug in winter is a warning, not a quirk.
A smell at the switchboard
That is the one place where everything in the house meets. A smell there gets attended the same day, whatever the hour.
Switchboard upgrades >
Old downlights and insulation
Older halogen fittings run hot and were often installed before anyone worried about insulation being packed against them. A brown ring on the ceiling is the tell.
LED upgrades >
Renting, or managing rentals?
Renting? Switch the circuit off, then tell your property manager immediately and put it in writing. A burning smell is an urgent repair, and the word burning is the word that gets it treated as one.
Property managers: send these through as urgent and we attend, including after hours. We report what we found with photos, which matters if the same property has a history. Property maintenance >
Related home services
Emergency and after-hours
The phone is answered any hour, by a person.
Read more >Fault finding and repairs
We find it rather than replace parts and hope.
Read more >Power point not working
Dead, brown, buzzing or hot to touch.
Read more >Switchboard upgrades
When the board itself is the problem.
Read more >Burning smell questions
What does an electrical burning smell mean?
Something is overheating. It is usually a loose connection at a power point, a switch or the switchboard, and heat at a loose connection is one of the more common ways a house fire starts.
Why does my house smell like fish or urine?
Overheating electrical components and PVC insulation can give off a smell people describe as fish or stale urine. If there is no food or pet explanation, treat it as electrical and ring an electrician.
The burning smell went away. Is it fine now?
No. A smell that comes and goes usually means a connection that heats up under load and cools down again. It is still there and it is still getting worse. Get it found.
Should I turn the power off at the switchboard?
If you can safely reach the board and you know which circuit it is, switch that one off. If you cannot tell, switching off the main switch is fine. Never open the board itself.
Do I call 000 or an electrician?
Call 000 if you can see smoke or flame, if the smell is strong and you cannot find it, or if anyone is unwell. Otherwise switch it off and call an electrician straight away.
Can I just stop using that power point?
It reduces the risk but it does not remove it. Some faults stay live even with nothing plugged in. It needs to be found and fixed rather than avoided.