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Safety and emergencies

Burning plastic smell in the house: is it electrical?

Written for Ambient Electrical with AI help. Published 24 September 2026, updated . How we write guides

In short

A burning smell from a power point, switch or light should be treated as urgent. Stop using the power point or light, switch it off, and if it is safe, turn off that circuit or the main switch at the switchboard. If there is smoke, flame or heat you can feel through the wall, get out and call 000. A burning, melting-plastic or fishy smell usually means a connection is overheating, and it needs a licensed electrician before that circuit is used again.

If you would rather have it checked, Ambient Electrical offers electrical fault finding in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

Do this now

  1. Stop using the power point, switch or light and unplug anything connected to it, if you can do that without touching anything hot.
  2. Turn off that circuit at the switchboard, or the main switch if you are not sure which circuit it is.
  3. If there is smoke, flame or a wall that is hot to touch, get everyone out and call 000.
  4. Call a licensed electrician. Ambient takes calls 24 hours a day on 0415 684 120.
  5. Leave the circuit off until it has been checked.

What the smell usually means

Electrical burning smells come from plastic insulation and fittings heating up. Some people describe it as fishy rather than smoky, because some fittings give off that odour as they overheat.

Is it the appliance or the wall?

Unplug the appliance and move it away. If the smell stays with the appliance, stop using it. If it stays at the power point, switch or ceiling, the problem is in the fixed wiring, which only a licensed electrician may work on in NSW.

Discolouring or brown marks around a power point, a plug that is hot when you pull it out, or a switch that is warm to touch all point to the same thing: heat where there should not be any.

What the electrician will do

Find the source, test the circuit, and replace whatever has been damaged by heat, whether that is the power point, the switch, the fitting or a length of cable. If the cause is too much load on one circuit, the lasting fix is often an extra circuit or more power points, so nothing is running through one overloaded outlet.

Sources

Ambient Electrical is an electrician in Bronte, Bondi and Coogee, and works across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

Common questions

What does an electrical burning smell smell like?

An electrical burning smell is usually like hot or melting plastic. Some people describe it as a fishy smell. Either way it means something is overheating and should be switched off and checked.

Can a power point catch fire?

A power point can catch fire. A loose connection or an overloaded outlet can heat up enough to melt the fitting and ignite nearby material, which is why a burning smell should be treated as urgent.

Should I turn off the power if I smell burning?

Turning off the power is right if it is safe to reach the switchboard. Turn off that circuit or the main switch, then call an electrician. If there is smoke or flame, get out and call 000.

Is a burning smell from a power point an emergency?

A burning smell from a power point should be treated as an emergency. Switch it off and call a licensed electrician the same day. Ambient takes emergency calls 24 hours a day on 0415 684 120.

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