Halloween may bring flickering lights, mysterious noises and theatrical gloom, but behind the spectacle there is a real and preventable risk of electrical incidents.
What feels like a ghost in the corner might be a deteriorating socket or a loose connection instead, but that doesn't mean it's any less of a threat to you and your family.
This message is not simply aimed at homeowners, it is relevant to every electrician, contractor and wholesaler who understands the hidden risks of decorating and dressing up season.
When the seasonal mood shifts to orange and black, the trade is often asked to assist clients confronting unusual electrical setups: outdoor lighting systems, extension leads to power inflatables or animatronics, guest areas temporarily wired and then forgotten for the year.
And it is precisely here that a straightforward job can morph into a hazard.
It is often the spooky signs themselves that flag the most serious underlying faults.
Flickering Lights
Flickering lights may add to the Halloween atmosphere, but in a live environment they are more than mood lighting.
They often suggest loose wiring, worn terminals or load issues in the circuit.
Electricians will know that persistent flicker, especially when appliances switch on, points to voltage fluctuation or poor contact at the consumer unit or a junction point.
For a homeowner unfamiliar with circuit behaviour, it can look theatrical, but for us it is an unmistakable signal to test the installation thoroughly.
If ignored, these faults can lead to arcing or overheating, putting occupants at risk of electric shock, and in the worst cases, starting fires that can engulf a property within minutes.
Green Oozing Goo
“Green goo” sounds like something out of a haunted house attraction, but when it emerges from plug sockets or accessories, it tells a very specific story.
It is the plasticiser leaking from PVC cable insulation, particularly common in older installations where cable materials have begun to deteriorate under sustained heat or mechanical stress.
This goo can conduct electricity and cause further damage if left unchecked.
If you see this on site, it is time to trace the run and recommend a rewire, not just a replacement fitting.
Left unresolved, it can become conductive, increasing the risk of short circuits, electric shock, or fire, particularly in properties where wiring is already beyond its safe lifespan.
The Smell of Sulphur
An acrid, sulphur-like smell or what some describe as a ‘fishy’ odour is another common Halloween-time warning that gets misattributed.
This smell typically comes from overheating components, often the phenolic resins used in older socket backs or plug tops.
It means excessive heat is being generated, most likely by a poor connection or an overloaded circuit.
When the smell lingers after a device is unplugged or worsens during peak use hours, it must not be ignored.
For site teams or electricians working in rental or temporary-use properties, this sign is especially critical as these are often overlooked during routine checks.
This smell is a final warning before insulation fails completely, which can result in live parts being exposed, electric shock, or a uncontrollable fire starting inside the walls or fitting.
Buzzing, Clicking, and Strange Noises
Unusual sounds from consumer units, sockets, or even behind walls are another unnerving sign of real issues.
Buzzing can indicate arcing or relay failure, while clicking noises could mean a mechanical fault in a breaker or switch.
During Halloween setups with high numbers of devices plugged in, lighting displays, speakers, animatronics, the added demand may be just enough to expose these faults.
Treat every unexplained sound from an electrical fitting as a cue for immediate inspection.
These sounds often precede serious faults and, if left unaddressed, can result in live sparking, electric shock, or fires developing unseen behind walls or enclosures.
Discolouration and Heat
Discoloured sockets, switches, or plugs, especially with brown or black edges, are visible signs of excessive heat or shorting.
During Halloween, when temporary circuits are drawn up for displays or events, it’s easy for equipment to be left running too long or configured poorly.
Plastic degrades quickly under stress, and signs of scorching or melting indicate serious fault risk.
We advise contractors to instruct clients clearly: discolouration is not cosmetic, it’s a signal the system is at the edge of failure.
Burn marks or melted plastic show that the fitting has already been subjected to dangerous temperatures, and continued use in this state can easily lead to fire or contact with live, exposed components.
For electricians, these spooky symptoms are not gimmicks, they are alerts to check the fundamentals: connections, insulation, RCD protection and consumer unit integrity.
From our vantage at TradeSparky we see three overlapping areas of concern that are elevated in the Halloween context.
The first is outdoor decoration.
Rain, dew, leaves, garden soil and footfall all conspire to make décor circuits inherently more exposed.
Cables routed across lawns or driveways, plug tops in paths, low quality festive lighting rated only for indoor use, all of these pose intermediate risks of shock, fire or mechanical damage.
The second is the pop up or ad hoc
These often fall outside normal inspection regimes, and the temptation to “just plug it in for two or three nights” leads to overlooked safety margins.
The third is the behavioural risk
Once the décor is installed, it tends to stay on late, be forgotten, or become entangled with other loads (charging, display, audio systems) and is subject to minimal supervision.
We know from the trades that the best approach is practical and preventative.
Use only lighting and décor labelled for outdoor use, avoid overloading sockets, don’t leave decorative lighting running unattended or whilst away from home, ensure cables aren’t trip hazards or accessible to children and pets, and above all don’t assume spooky electrical behaviour is supernatural.
If there is flickering, discolouration or green residue you must call a registered electrician rather than a ghost buster.
It is good practice to highlight to your customers that just because the plug works doesn’t mean the circuit is safe.
From the wholesaler perspective we at TradeSparky see this season as an opportunity to reinforce product standards and client advice.
Offer outdoor rated cables and lighting, RCD protection units, socket covers and high quality extension leads.
Encourage clients to schedule inspections if their property is used for Halloween activities, especially rental or hospitality.
Ensure you highlight to site teams the specific hazards associated with decorative earthing connections, shared circuits with high currents such as inflatables, fog machines, audio systems, and the risk of fires arising from temporary installations left unattended.
Some contractors may view temporary décor circuits as low priority compared to major projects, and some homeowners may treat aesthetic lighting as quirky rather than serious wiring.
That risk perception gap is part of the problem.
Others argue that over cautious messaging may undermine consumer confidence and limit seasonal creativity.
But our view is that creativity and safety are not mutually exclusive, they must go hand in hand.
Ignoring the fundamentals of wiring can turn a fun installation into the kind of incident that appears in the national press the next day.
As creative outdoor lighting, inflatables, projections and home events become more mainstream, the intersection of décor and electrical engineering becomes more prominent.
Regulators, training providers and trade bodies might look at better defining temporary wiring installations and offer clear sector guidance for electricians and homeowners alike.
Suppliers should consider labelling décor circuits and leads explicitly for event use and weather exposure.
And contractors should build into their checklists the idea that when Halloween, or Christmas, or summer garden lighting arrives, a temporary wiring review is part of the package.
