Don't ignore it or leave it until tomorrow. We explain how to act and why this smell is never harmless
There are smells in the house that can be ignored for a while and there are others that cannot. The smell of burning near the consumer unit is one of the latter. It doesn't always mean there's an immediate emergency, but it does mean something isn't working properly and you need to find out what it is before it escalates.
At Iluminamos tu Vida we deal with this type of situation in Madrid quite frequently, and in almost all cases the smell was the sign of a problem that had been developing quietly for some time. Acting quickly makes all the difference.
Why does the consumer unit smell like burning?
The smell of burning in the distribution board almost always has the same origin: heat. When there is a loose connection, a deteriorated component or a circuit working above its capacity, heat is generated locally. That heat ends up affecting the plastic insulation, the connection terminals or the components of the board themselves, and that is what you can smell.
It's not a smell that appears out of nowhere. It's usually the result of a problem that has been building up for days or weeks. That's why when it appears, you have to take it seriously.
What do I do the moment I detect it?
The first thing is to locate whether the smell is coming clearly from the fuse box or from somewhere nearby on the wall. If the smell is strong, persistent or accompanied by smoke even if very slight, turn off the main circuit breaker to cut the electricity supply to the whole house and call an emergency electrician. Do not wait to see if the smell disappears on its own.
If the smell is mild and intermittent, with no other visible symptoms, you can call an electrician to check it the same day, but do not leave it until next week. A mild smell today can become a serious problem tomorrow.
What you shouldn't do
Do not open the consumer unit to try and see what is happening unless you have the appropriate knowledge. The interior of the unit contains live parts that can be dangerous if handled without knowing what you are doing. Neither should you try to resolve the problem on your own by changing fuses or disconnecting wires at random.
And above all, don't ignore it thinking that if the smell disappears, it's already sorted. The heat may have stopped momentarily, but the problem causing it is still there.
What is the electrician going to check?
When an electrician arrives in this type of situation, the first thing to do is identify the source of the heat. They check the condition of all the connections in the consumer unit, verify whether any component shows signs of overheating, check that the circuit breakers and the residual current device are in good condition and that the circuits are correctly sized for the load they carry.
In many cases the problem is resolved by tightening a loose connection or replacing a damaged component. In others, the diagnosis reveals that the panel needs a more extensive upgrade. In any case, it is much better to know in good time.
At Iluminamos tu Vida we handle this type of emergency in Madrid. If you have noticed a burning smell near your consumer unit, give us a call and we will check it as soon as possible.