Plug sockets smelling of burning, burn marks around one of the pins?

If you have wall sockets that sometimes smell of burnings, or plugs with heat damage. STOP using them.

13 AMP single socket overloading is very common in Cyprus due to the use of electric heaters in the winter and high power cooling fans in the summer. Also misuse of the wall sockets by forcing Europeans and Middle East plugs into the wall sockets that are designed for British 13 AMP plug tops only.

• The main reason for the burn marks on the wall socket is overloading. This causes the copper pins and plastic protectors to melt and loosen creating an arcing effect when the socket is in use. You may also hear a crackling noise from the arching - Not good.

Sockets that have overloading damage should be replaced immediately by a qualified electrician only.

• You should never replace wall sockets yourself - Why? Because unless you own a professional electricians test meter, it is IMPOSSIBLE for you to confirm the safety of the socket once you have replaced it with a new one. Simply plugging in a fan or any other appliance into the socket to see if it works DOES NOT confirm that the socket polarity is correct, not does it confirm a correct (life saving) Earth Fault Loop Path. The test meter we use for this costs over €1,000 and requires a electrical qualification to use it in accordance with the wiring regulations.

​
Don't not risk your life or the life of others by attempting to replace damaged socket outlets in your home - It is not a DIY job.

For further info on replacing worn or damed 13 AMP sockets and home electrics upgrades.