Burning smell from a powerpoint? Read this first.

Burning-plastic smell at a powerpoint, switch or your switchboard is one of the most common warning signs of an electrical fire-in-progress. Don't wait it out. Here's the 60-second response.

Right now. 60 seconds

1. Unplug whatever is in that outlet. Don't pull on the cable, pull on the plug.
2. Switch the relevant circuit breaker off at the switchboard. If you're unsure which one, switch the main switch off.
3. Don't turn it back on until a sparky has been.
4. Ring 0411 054 811. Tell them which outlet, which room, what was plugged into it.
5. If you can see flame, smoke, or the outlet is hot to touch, ring 000 first.

What's actually happening

A burning smell at an outlet usually means one of:

• Loose terminal, the screw clamping a wire down has loosened over time, the wire is now arcing on/off thousands of times a second, melting the plastic around it.
• Overloaded outlet, too many high-current devices on a double-adapter, a heater on a tired old GPO, a microwave on a circuit that's already running the toaster.
• Failed appliance, the appliance has shorted internally and is burning the outlet up to make a point.
• Cable damage, rodent damage, builders' nail through the cable, age, the cable feeding the outlet is failing inside the wall.

Any of those four is a fire risk and worth a same-day visit.

What we'll do

When I arrive on a burning-smell call, the order is:

1. Make-safe first. Power off, open the outlet, look inside.
2. Diagnose the cause: loose terminal vs cable damage vs overload vs appliance.
3. Replace the outlet (always, once it's discoloured it stays discoloured).
4. Test the rest of the circuit for similar issues.
5. If the cable feeding the outlet is damaged, run a new one.
6. Issue a CES so insurance has its paperwork if you need it.

Average call: 45 to 90 minutes. Average cost: $260-$480 depending on what we find.

How to prevent it next time

• Don't double-adapter heaters or kettles. They are designed for one socket.
• Replace yellow / cracked / wobbly outlets. Once the plastic has aged enough to discolour, the contact springs are also done.
• Test your safety switches every 6 months. They are your last line of defence.
• Upgrade old switchboards. Most burning-outlet calls in Brisbane I see are in homes with old, sub-divided circuits running far more load than they were designed for. A modern RCBO board with one breaker per circuit is dramatically safer.

, John