5 signs you need to call an electrician — and when not to wait

The electrical installation is the part of the house we think about least — as long as it works. Most faults, however, don't appear from one moment to the next: small signs warn you first. A circuit breaker that trips too often. A socket that feels warm under your hand. A faint smell of burning around a switch. It is easy to get used to these or to put them off, yet the disaster management authority also warns that worn wiring and undersized installations mean an increased fire risk.

In this article we've put together the five most common signs that you should call an electrician — and also when you must act immediately, and what you can do until a professional arrives.

Sign 1: the circuit breaker or RCD trips frequently

The circuit breaker and the residual current device (RCD) are the protective devices of the house. When they trip, they are doing exactly their job: they are telling you something isn't right.

• The circuit breaker trips when the current in a circuit is too high — because of overload or a short circuit. If, for example, the kettle, the microwave and the iron are all running on the same circuit at once, a trip can still be explained. But if it happens repeatedly and seemingly for no reason, it may point to a fault in the installation or in an appliance.
• The RCD trips when current ‘leaks’ where it shouldn't — this warns of the risk of electric shock. You should never ignore an RCD that trips regularly.

What to do? Don't keep switching it back on. Repeatedly resetting it doesn't solve the fault, it only hides it. Call a professional, who will use measurements to find the faulty circuit or appliance.

What to note down for the electrician

It helps a lot with fault-finding if you jot down a few things: which circuit breaker or RCD tripped, when it happened (time of day, weather — for example after heavy rain), and what was switched on at the time. If the trip always happens when a particular appliance is switched on, that is important information too. Often this already shows us where to look during the phone call.

Sign 2: a warm, discoloured socket or switch

A socket or switch must not become noticeably warm in use. If the plate is warm or discoloured, has brown marks, or the plastic is deformed, it may point to a poor contact, a loose connection or overload. With a poor contact the connection point heats up — over time this can melt the insulation.

Also watch out if a plug sits loosely in the socket, falls out, or the appliance only works when held at a certain angle: a loose contact can lead to heating just the same.

This also includes feeling a slight tingling or an electric shock when you touch an appliance or switch. That is never normal.

What to do? Don't use the affected socket, unplug the appliances from it (if it is safe to do so), and call an electrician. In the case of an electric shock, switch off the affected circuit at the distribution board.

Sign 3: a smell of burning, crackling, sparks

The smell of burning plastic, or of something ‘hot’, near a socket, switch, light fitting or the distribution board is one of the most important warning signs. So is a crackling or buzzing sound from a switch or socket, or a spark when you plug in or pull out a plug.

According to the disaster management authority's advice, in the event of overheating, abnormal operation or a smell of burning, an electrical appliance must be disconnected from the mains immediately — pull the plug out of the socket. If the smell or the sound comes from a fixed socket, a switch, a light fitting or the distribution board, switch the circuit off at the circuit breaker and call a professional.

What to do? This is the sign you must not wait on. See below: When do you need to act immediately?

Sign 4: flickering or dimming lights

If a lamp flickers now and then, there may be a simple cause — for example a faulty bulb or an unsuitable LED driver. But if the flickering appears on several lamps, if the light dims when a larger appliance switches on, or if the flickering comes with crackling, it may point to a poor contact or an overloaded circuit.

LED lamps and dimmers

A common cause of flickering LED lamps is that the lamp and the dimmer don't match, or that the LED driver is unsuitable. On its own this isn't a fault in the installation, but it is worth putting right: flickering light is annoying, and a poor pairing can also shorten the life of the equipment. The electrician checks whether the lamp, the driver and the dimmer can work together.

What to do? If replacing the bulb or the fitting doesn't help and the problem keeps recurring, have the circuit checked by a professional. A poor contact doesn't go away on its own.

Sign 5: an outdated installation

Not every warning sign is dramatic. An old installation can run for years seemingly without a fault, even though it no longer meets today's loads. Some signs that point to an outdated installation:

• An old distribution board with rewirable fuses instead of circuit breakers, or one with no RCD.
• Aluminium wiring. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the connections of old aluminium wiring carry an increased risk of overheating, so it is worth having it checked by a professional.
• Few sockets and lots of extension leads. If there are adaptors and extension leads plugged into each other in every corner of the home, it shows that the installation hasn't kept up with today's needs. The disaster management authority explicitly warns: don't overload extension leads, and don't plug several extension leads into each other.
• New, large appliances. An induction hob, an air conditioner, a heat pump or an electric car charger can mean a load that the old installation was not designed for.

What to do? Ask for an inspection. An electrical safety inspection shows what condition the installation is in and what is worth upgrading.

Why is it not worth putting it off?

Electrical faults rarely get better on their own. A loose connection gets hotter with every use, and heat ages the insulation and the connector material — so a sign that seems harmless at first can turn into a serious fault over time. And behind an RCD that trips regularly there may be a leakage current that means a risk of electric shock.

Early repair is usually simpler, too: replacing a socket or re-tightening a connection is a smaller job than restoring a melted joint or a burnt-out circuit.

When do you need to act immediately?

There are situations in which you must not wait for an appointment:

• a smell of burning, smoke or sparks at a socket, a switch or the distribution board,
• a hot, melting or discolouring socket,
• an electric shock or tingling when you touch an appliance or switch.

In that case:

• 1. Switch off the power, if you can do so safely — switch off the affected circuit or the main switch at the distribution board. For an electrical fire, the disaster management authority recommends cutting the power at the electricity meter.
• 2. Don't touch the faulty socket, switch or cable.
• 3. If there is fire or smoke, call 112. An electrical fire must not be put out with water while it is live — a dry powder extinguisher is the right one.
• 4. Call an electrician, and don't switch the power back on until a professional has examined the fault.

What can you do in the meantime, and what should you not do?

What you can do:

• Press the test button on the RCD at the intervals recommended by the manufacturer (see the instructions). If it doesn't trip when you press the button, call a professional.
• Don't use a cable reel or an extension lead wound up, because it can overheat under load.
• Before use, check the plugs and cables of your appliances for cracks or breaks.

What you should not do:

• Don't repair the socket, the switch or the distribution board yourself. The disaster management authority likewise advises having faults in the electrical installation repaired by a professional in every case.
• Don't repeatedly switch a tripped circuit breaker or RCD back on.
• Don't cover or block the distribution board — in an emergency you need to reach it quickly.

When should you ask for an inspection even if there is no fault?

Warning signs aren't the only reason to call an electrician. It is also worth asking for an inspection if you:

• are buying a flat or a house and don't know when the installation was last checked,
• are planning a renovation — before the walls are opened up is the easiest time to decide on upgrading the installation,
• want to install a large appliance — for example a heat pump, an air conditioner, an induction hob or an electric car charger,
• have an old house whose installation hasn't been upgraded for decades.

An electrical safety inspection ends with a report, so you get an accurate picture of the condition of the installation — and of what is worth upgrading.

How we work on fault-finding

1. Phone conversation

Call us first and describe the fault — in many cases it is already clear from the phone call what we need to prepare for.

2. Call-out

In Sopron and within 30 km the call-out time depends on our current workload. In urgent cases — a smell of burning, repeated short circuits — call us straight away and we will agree the earliest available appointment.

3. Fault-finding with instruments

We use measuring instruments to locate the faulty circuit or appliance.

4. Repair

Where possible we repair on the spot; if a part is needed, we source it.

5. Documentation

On request we carry out an electrical safety inspection and hand over a report.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if the fuse keeps tripping?

Don't keep switching it back on — there is probably an overload or a short circuit in the system. Call a professional, who will use measurements to find the faulty circuit.

Is it dangerous if the socket is warm?

A socket must not become noticeably warm in use. A warm or discoloured socket may point to a poor contact or overload, so don't keep using it, and call an electrician.

What should I do if I smell burning?

If you can do so safely, switch off the affected circuit or the main switch, and don't touch the faulty part. If there is smoke or fire, call 112; an electrical fire must not be put out with water while it is live. Then call an electrician.

How can I tell whether my installation is outdated?

A sign can be an old distribution board with rewirable fuses, the absence of an RCD, aluminium wiring (which is worth having checked), and lots of extension leads because there are too few sockets. An electrical safety inspection gives you the accurate picture.

How quickly can you come out?

In Sopron and within 30 km the call-out time depends on our current workload. In urgent cases call us straight away and we will agree the earliest available appointment.