Burning smell from a power point: what to do?

Why a power point starts to smell

Electrical heat smells like hot plastic, rubber or, oddly, fish. That smell comes from insulation and plastic fittings breaking down. Inside a power point, heat usually comes from one of a few places:

• Loose connections. A terminal screw that has worked loose over the years makes a poor contact. Poor contacts heat up under load and can arc.
• Worn sockets. Old outlets lose their grip on the plug pins. The plug sits loose, sparks when moved, and the contacts scorch.
• Overloading. Heaters, kettles, air fryers and double adaptors on one outlet can pull more current than the fitting or circuit should carry.
• A failing appliance or lead. A damaged plug or cord can overheat right at the point.
• Old or damaged wiring. Brittle insulation behind the wall, or past work that was never done properly.

What to do right now

Switch the power point off and unplug anything in it, only if you can do that without touching anything scorched, wet or hot. If the plate is melted, smoking or sparking, do not touch it. Turn the circuit off at the switchboard, or the main switch if you are unsure which circuit it is.

Do not keep using that outlet, and do not move the appliance to the next point on the same wall and carry on. If there is smoke or flame, get everyone out and call 000 first.

Then call us on 1300 456 367. We work 24/7 across Melbourne, and a hot or burning outlet is a job we treat as urgent.

Signs you should not ignore

• Brown or black marks on the power point plate or the plug.
• A plug or wall plate that is warm or hot when the appliance has been running.
• Crackling, buzzing or sparks when you plug something in.
• Lights that flicker when an appliance on that outlet starts.
• A breaker or safety switch that trips when that point is used. Our post on why a switchboard keeps tripping covers that side.

What we do on site

On a repairs and faults call we isolate the circuit, take the fitting off and check the terminals, the cable and the back box for heat damage. We test the circuit and the safety switch so we know the problem stops at that outlet and is not further along the run.

Often the fix is replacing the damaged power point and remaking the connections. If the circuit is overloaded we can add extra outlets or a new circuit so heavy appliances are not sharing one point; that is everyday work under power points and appliances. If the cable or the board is the real issue, we explain what we found and what it needs, including any switchboard work.

You get a price before any work starts. Or we can do and charge when that suits the job. All our work carries a 2-year workmanship warranty, and a Certificate of Electrical Safety is issued when the job needs one. Energy Safe Victoria requires this work to be done by a registered electrical contractor, so please leave the cover on.

Can I just replace the power point myself?

No. In Victoria, replacing a power point is electrical work that must be done by a licensed electrician. A burnt outlet is also a symptom, and swapping the plate without checking the wiring can leave the real fault behind the wall.

Rentals, offices and strata

Landlords, property managers and facilities teams can send us the address and the tenant contact, and we will report back with what we found. For offices and shops, overloaded outlets under desks and in kitchenettes are common, and regular maintenance and safety checks catch them before they become a call-out.