5 Dangerous Electrical Faults in the Home You Must Never Ignore

Electrical fires and electrical shocks cause hundreds of serious accidents in Swedish homes every year. As a property owner, you bear the legal responsibility to ensure your electrical installation is safe. Do you recognize any of the following? Call an electrician — don't take chances.

1. Brown or Discolored Wall Outlets

Brown, melted, or cracked plastic around a wall outlet's holes is a classic sign of overheating (varmgång) — a loose connection that leads to overheating. Common cause: electric radiators or cabin heaters connected for a long time.

What you should do: Stop using the outlet immediately. Cover it with tape and call an electrician. Fire hazard.

2. Pungent Smell Near the Electrical Panel

A sharp smell of melted plastic, bakelite, or burnt cable from inside the electrical panel or a junction block is an acute sign of fire. It indicates that a cable is loose and that electrical arcs are forming — one of the most common causes of electrical fires in houses.

What you should do: Turn off the main power. Call an emergency electrician. Never open the electrical panel yourself.

3. Flickering Lights Throughout the House

Do the lights flicker synchronously throughout the house when the heat pump, stove, or tumble dryer starts? It could be a sign of a loose neutral (nollsläpp) — a serious fault in the incoming neutral wire from the grid company.

With a loose neutral, the voltage in the outlets can shoot up to 400 V instead of 230 V and destroy all sensitive electronics (TV, computers, chargers) in an instant.

What you should do: Call your grid owner (Ellevio, Vattenfall Elnät, E.ON) immediately and report a suspected loose neutral. Unplug sensitive electronics while waiting for an answer.

4. Shocks or Tingling from Faucets and Appliances

Do you feel a weak shock or a "tingling" when you touch the faucet nozzle, the kitchen sink, or the washing machine casing? It is a classic sign of leakage current (krypström) — electrical leakage from a grounded fault seeking ground via the water pipes.

This can also be a sign of ungrounded outlets combined with a broken appliance.

What you should do: Unplug the suspected appliance and call an electrician with a megger (insulation tester) for a diagnosis.

5. Fuses That Trip Repeatedly

A fuse that trips once and then holds is likely a temporary overload. But if the same fuse trips repeatedly, it is a sign of an underlying fault — a damaged cable, a broken outlet, or an appliance drawing too much power.

What you should do: Do not tape up the fuse and do not force a stronger one in. Identify the cause using our RCD troubleshooting guide or call an electrician.

Quick Reference Table

Frequently Asked Questions about Dangerous Electrical Faults

Can I check a suspected loose connection myself? No. All troubleshooting inside fixed electrical installations requires a certified electrician according to the Swedish National Electrical Safety Board's regulations. You can change light bulbs and pull out plugs — that's it.

How often should I inspect my electrical installation? The Swedish National Electrical Safety Board recommends an electrical inspection every 10–15 years for villas. Older houses (built before 1980) or when buying a new house should be inspected immediately.

What does troubleshooting cost? A standard troubleshooting costs approx. 900–1,500 SEK incl. travel costs. The ROT deduction (30%) applies to the labor cost.

Do you recognize any of the warning signs?

Never take chances with electricity. Smista Elinstallation's experienced electricians in Stockholm come out with measuring instruments, identify the fault, and fix it on the same visit. Contact us for a quick diagnosis.