Why is my electrical panel showing a burning plastic smell when it's cold outside – Advice from Electriman, North London Electricians

If you can smell burning plastic coming from your electrical panel, also called a consumer unit or fuse box, take it seriously. This smell almost always means something inside is getting hotter than it should be, and that heat is breaking down the plastic insulation on the wires or components inside the unit.

Why does cold weather make it worse? When temperatures drop, the metal parts inside your panel contract slightly. If a screw terminal was already a little loose, that contraction can open the gap just enough to cause arcing. Arcing is when electricity jumps across a small gap, and it generates intense localised heat. That heat is what you are smelling.

What you should do right now:

1. Do not ignore the smell or assume it will go away on its own.

2. If the smell is strong, smoke is visible, or the panel feels warm to the touch, turn off your main switch and call 999 before calling an electrician.

3. If there is no smoke and the smell is faint, turn off the main switch as a precaution.

4. Do not open the consumer unit yourself. The internal components carry live voltages even when the main switch is off, and only a qualified electrician should work inside it.

5. Check whether the smell started after a period of heavy electrical use, such as running heaters, which can point to an overloaded circuit.

What an electrician will look for:

A registered electrician will open the unit safely, inspect every terminal for signs of

Need a qualified electrician in North London?

Electriman covers Mill Hill, Barnet, Finchley, Edgware, Enfield, Watford and surrounding areas. All work is Part P certified and fully insured.