Five signs your installation is genuinely dangerous
The handful of warning signs that mean you should stop, kill the main breaker, and pick up the phone.
Most electrical problems are inconvenient. A few are dangerous. Here’s how to tell which is which.
1. The smell of melted plastic
Especially near the panel. PVC insulation has a very specific burnt-sweet smell. By the time you can smell it, something is already cooking.
2. The panel is warm to the touch
A working panel runs at room temperature. Warm means a breaker is working too hard. Hot means the contact between breaker and bus bar is failing.
3. Black soot above an outlet
Soot is the residue of an arc that has already happened. Treat it as proof, not theory.
4. Lights that dim when the fridge starts
A small dip is normal. A noticeable, lasting dim is voltage drop — usually undersized cabling or a poor neutral connection somewhere upstream.
5. Aluminum wiring you didn’t know you had
Older buildings (1965–1985) commonly used aluminum on branch circuits. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper, which loosens screw terminals over time. If you find it, you don’t need to rewire tomorrow — but you do need to inspect every connection.
What to do tonight
- If you smell burning or see soot, switch the main breaker off and call.
- Otherwise, take photos of the panel and any suspicious outlets. Send them. We’ll triage.