—What you are noticing
A burning smell from the electrics
A hot plastic or fishy burning smell near a socket, switch, fitting or the board is a warning. Treat it as one.
Electrical components that are overheating often smell before they show any damage. The smell is commonly described as hot plastic, burning dust or, sometimes, fish. It can come from a socket with a loose connection, an overloaded adaptor, a light fitting running too hot, a failing appliance or the distribution board itself.
This guide describes what people notice and what is safe to do. It does not diagnose your installation; only someone who has seen it can.
The right response is the same in every case: stop using what you suspect, unplug it if that can be done safely, and switch off the circuit at the board. If you cannot tell where the smell comes from, or if there is visible smoke, switch off the main switch and keep people away. Then have the installation checked before switching back on.
01In short
The points that matter most
Smell first, damage later
Overheating often smells before anything looks wrong.
Switch off and leave off
The circuit stays off until someone has found the cause.
Look for scorching
Brown marks, melted plastic or a warm faceplate show where to point the electrician.
02Detail
What is checked
Sockets and plugs
Overloaded adaptors and loose connections behind sockets are common sources of heat.
Fittings and switches
Lamps too powerful for a fitting, or poor connections in switches, can overheat.
The distribution board
Loose terminals or overloaded devices at the board can overheat and need urgent attention.
03Checklist
Information that helps
Where the smell is strongest
A room, a point or the board.
What was running
Heaters, kettles, irons, chargers or AC units in use at the time.
Any visible marks
Photos of discolouration or melted plastic, taken without touching.
04Questions
Questions people ask
- Can I keep using the rest of the house?
- If the smell is clearly from one circuit and that circuit is off, other circuits can usually stay on. If unsure, switch off the main switch.
- The smell went away. Is it fixed?
- Not necessarily. Overheating can be intermittent. Have it checked before relying on that circuit.
- Why does it smell like fish?
- Some plastics give off a fishy smell when they overheat, which is why that smell near electrics should be taken seriously.
05Related
Related guides
- A tingle from an appliance or metal fittingAnother thing people notice, with a related check.
- An RCD that trips at randomAnother thing people notice, with a related check.
- When to stop resetting a breakerA related safety point or decision.
- Signs an electrical problem is urgentA related safety point or decision.
This guide sits under troubleshooting. All topics are on the guides page.
—NEXT
Smelled burning near the electrics?
Once the circuit is off, tell us where the smell was and what was running. We will arrange for it to be checked.