Burnt Plug Socket

1) I can smell burning from my plug sockets help!

The important thing to remember is not to panic. If there is a burning smell then you can safely isolate the sockets and make safe until help can arrive. If there is smoke or fire then stop reading this article and possibly call the fire brigade. Don’t throw water on electrical accessories or wiring. 

If there is a burning smell from your sockets then it is sensible to stop using the sockets in the house straight away. Go to your Fusebox / consumer unit where all the electrical trip switches are and turn off the sockets circuit. 

2) I have a burnt plug socket; can it be fixed?

If you have a burnt plug socket then it is normally possible to replace this for you. Sometimes the wires that attach to the rear of the plug socket are also burnt or damaged and, in this case, it is necessary to repair, rewire or make safe the wires behind. Sometimes a burnt plug socket will have significant damage to wiring behind and will mean the socket cannot be reinstated. In this case we will replace the socket with a plain blank plate to house the wires and allow access for any future problems. 

3) What causes a burnt plug socket?

Many things can cause a socket to be affected in this manner. The most common issues are 

•    Poor connections within the socket due to wear and tear or age
•    Poor wiring connections behind the socket such as loose cables, damaged terminals or overcrowded wiring
•    Appliances that have poor wiring in the plugs and / or poor wiring connections within the plug of the appliance
•    A plug that has been overloaded with high powered items. 

4) Can I replace the plug socket myself?

The short answer is no. Only an electrician has the knowledge, test equipment and tools to carry the task out safely and ensuring compliance with the wiring regulations. Did you know that a socket will continue to function if wires are reversed? It will be incredibly dangerous as well but will still work for a while. A socket will also function if there is no earth. The earth can be connected in to the socket but without an electrician to test there is no way of knowing if the earth is connected throughout the circuit and safe. 

Despite the availability and ease of purchase of electrical items throughout many retail stores, the correct installation, compliance with safety regulations and knowledge needed to undertake these tasks is not so easy to achieve. We always recommend hiring a professional to undertake any electrical work in the home. A professional will carry out the work correctly and where necessary, test all work and produce a compliance certificate. 

5) The plug socket is only a bit burnt will it be ok to leave it and not use it?

No. The socket is still connected to the circuit and as such will possibly still affect the circuit. Also, without investigation as to the cause of the burnt plug socket there is no way to guarantee the safety of the circuit or the other sockets. We recommend that electrical dangers are checked out without delay whenever they occur. 
If the front of the socket is visibly damaged / burnt then it is likely there is further hidden damage which will only be revealed with investigation. 

6) How much will it cost to have the plug socket replaced / fixed?

This type of job normally comes under our minimum charge plus parts. Check our website for typical prices for minor repairs such as this. Remember that we do not simply replace items and leave, we always carry out some vital testing on the circuit to ensure that there are no further dangers. This not only complies with regulations but gives you, the client, some peace of mind. 

7) Will this happen again once the issue has been fixed?

Quite possibly. Maybe not the socket that has been replaced, maybe a different socket. It all depends on the cause. If the socket has been affected by loose cables, then it is conceivable that there are loose cables elsewhere in your property. If the socket has been affected by an appliance that is faulty and the appliance is then re-used in the socket or another socket then the issue is likely to reoccur.

8) I’m worried about my electrics now, what can we do?

There are a few things that we can do to set your mind at ease. If your electrical system in your home has not been inspected in the last 10 years or worse….. EVER, then it’s a good idea to ask us to come and carry out a thorough electrical test and inspection. This is a process that will take a few hours and result in an Electrical Report which will highlight any safety concerns or non-compliances with wiring regulations. You can read more about inspections by looking at our help sheets and other blogs. 
We can carry out a much less in-depth inspection of your electrical system by conducting just a visual check with a couple of basic tests. This takes an hour or less and costs less but will also tell you less. 

This lesser type of inspection can be useful if the installation is very old. We can sometimes save you money on a thorough inspection if we can see easily that the installation requires several issues correcting. In these cases, it is not normally necessary to conduct a more thorough electrical check if it is obvious that the installation requires a rewire. 

If you have a burnt plug socket don’t leave it. Have it investigated. We are friendly and we can help.

Use the contact form on our webpage to contact us.