Burning Smell or Sparking Outlet? What to Do Right Now

If you see flames or smoke

Get everyone out and call 911. Do not use water on an electrical fire. If a small fire is contained and you have a Class C or ABC extinguisher, use it only if your exit is clear.

If there is a smell or sparks but no fire

1. Stop using the outlet or switch. Unplug what is connected if you can do so without touching anything hot or scorched.
2. Turn off the breaker for that circuit. If you are not sure which one, or the smell is at the panel, turn off the main breaker.
3. Feel the wall and cover plate with the back of your hand. If either is hot, stay nearby and stay alert. Heat inside a wall can smolder.
4. Call an electrician. Our emergency electrician line is answered 24/7.

Leave the breaker off until the circuit has been checked.

What a burning smell usually means

The smell is often described as fishy or like hot plastic. It comes from overheated insulation or a melting device. Common causes are a loose connection at an outlet, an overloaded circuit feeding a space heater, a failing breaker or a light fixture with a bulb of too high a wattage.

What a sparking outlet means

A tiny blue spark as you plug something in can be normal. Sparks that are large, yellow or white, that linger, that come with a pop or that leave scorch marks are not. They point to worn contacts, loose wiring, moisture or a short circuit. The outlet and its wiring need repair, not just a new cover plate.

Do not ignore these warnings

• A cover plate that is warm or discolored
• A buzzing or crackling sound in a wall
• A breaker that is hot to the touch
• Lights that dim when a heater runs

After the repair

Ask what caused it. If the answer is an overloaded circuit, add a dedicated circuit. If it is aging wiring, an electrical inspection will show whether other circuits are in the same condition.