Warm power point, or a burning smell that comes and goes?
Stop using that power point or switch and unplug whatever is in it. If you can smell burning right now or see smoke or scorch marks, switch off at the main switch if it's safe to reach, and call 000 if there's fire. A scan is for catching problems early. A fault that's already showing itself needs an electrician now.
What a heat camera actually shows
Current flowing through a tight, healthy connection makes very little heat. A loose terminal, a worn breaker or a circuit carrying more than it should runs warmer, and a thermal camera shows that difference as colour on a screen. The electrician is looking for one spot that's hotter than everything around it.
That's why scans are done with the power on and the house working. A loose connection on a circuit with nothing switched on looks perfectly normal, so expect to be asked to run the oven, heaters or air conditioner while they look.
Where a scan earns its keep
The switchboard is the main target, because every circuit in the house meets there. A clear view of those connections means working near live parts, so it's licensed work and it needs care.
A scan also helps before buying an older home, when a board trips under heavy load, or before a circuit takes an EV charger or induction cooktop. Pre-purchase inspections often include one.
What it can't tell you
A camera only sees surfaces. Cable deep in a wall, damage on a circuit that's switched off, and poor earthing don't show up as heat. Insulation and earth faults need testing with instruments, which a full electrical safety inspection covers.
So a clean scan means nothing was running hot at that moment. It doesn't prove the wiring is sound.
What a useful thermal report includes
- Heat images beside ordinary photos, so you can see exactly which breaker, terminal or outlet is hot.
- What each hot spot probably means, in plain words.
- What needs fixing now, what can wait, and what's fine.
- The electrician's licence number, so you can look it up on your state's register.
What you can check, and what needs a licence
You can
- Notice any power point or switch plate that feels warm in normal use, or a smell near the meter box.
- Unplug appliances one at a time to see whether one of them is the problem.
- If you own a phone thermal camera, point it at closed fittings and the closed meter box door. It can't see inside, so a cool reading proves nothing.
- Write down when the warmth or smell happens and what was running.
Leave to a licensed electrician
- Scanning the switchboard and its connections.
- Tightening, repairing or replacing anything that shows up hot.
- Testing insulation and earthing, which a camera can't see.
- Working out whether a circuit is overloaded and needs splitting.
Who to ask for
You want an electrician who does inspections and fault finding regularly, so they know what normal looks like on a home switchboard and won't raise alarm over a breaker that's warm but fine. We match you with one who'll talk you through the images.
When we'd book one
If a power point has felt warm, the board trips when the heavy appliances run, or you're buying an older house, we'd book a scan alongside a proper inspection, not instead of one. If the house is new and nothing's playing up, it's usually not worth it. Ask for the images and a plain-English list of fixes, and get anything hot repaired before you add new load.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.