Industry Insights

Do Smart Meters Cause House Fires? Myth vs. Fact (2026)

Posted by

Christopher Burg

August 17, 2026

On August 7, 2026

Updated on August 17, 2026

For the vast majority of homes, no — smart meters do not cause house fires. Tens of millions of smart meters run safely across the U.S., and the rare fire that does involve a meter is almost always traced to a faulty connection at the meter socket, a specific defective batch of meters, or pre-existing wiring problems — not to the digital electronics that make a meter “smart.” The concern is worth taking seriously, because a small number of real incidents did happen, but the facts are narrower and less alarming than the headlines suggest.

So do smart meters cause house fires? Almost never — and rarely because the device is “smart.”

Table of Contents

The short answer

Smart meters are installed on the majority of U.S. homes, and smart meter fires are very rare.
When a meter overheats, the usual culprit is the socket connection (the blades and jaws behind the meter), not the meter’s electronics.
A few specific meter models were recalled or swapped out by utilities after clusters of overheating incidents.
Regulators have not found that smart meters, as a category, are unsafe.
Warning signs — scorch marks, a burning smell, buzzing, or flickering — should be reported to your utility right away.

Do smart meters cause house fires?

The honest answer is “almost never, and rarely because it is a smart meter.” An electric meter — analog or digital — sits in a socket where heavy current passes through metal contacts. If those contacts are loose, corroded, or damaged, they can heat up, and in the worst case that heat can start a fire at the meter base. This can happen with any meter. The question worth asking is not “are smart meters magic fire-starters” but “did the switch to smart meters introduce a new, widespread hazard?” The evidence says it did not.

What the record actually shows

A handful of real cases are behind the smart-meter fire fears, and they are specific rather than sweeping. In one widely cited example, the Canadian utility SaskPower removed roughly 105,000 smart meters from service in 2014 after a small number of fires and overheating incidents tied to one manufacturer’s meters. Around the same period in the U.S., the Philadelphia utility PECO paused installations of a particular meter model in 2012 after a cluster of units overheated, and utilities in Oregon and Florida likewise replaced batches of the same manufacturer’s meters after isolated incidents.

Two things stand out about these cases. First, they clustered around specific meter models and manufacturers, not smart meters in general — which is why the fix was a targeted recall or replacement, not abandoning the technology. Second, the utilities and their regulators investigated openly and acted, swapping out the suspect units. Against a national backdrop of tens of millions of meters operating without incident, these episodes are the exception that got attention precisely because they are unusual.

Put simply, the sweeping claim that smart meters cause house fires is not supported by the national safety record — the real pattern is a handful of model-specific defects, not a category-wide hazard.

How common are smart-meter fires, really?

Perspective matters. Utilities have installed well over one hundred million smart meters across the United States, part of a broader rollout of advanced metering that now covers most homes. Against that enormous base, documented fire or overheating incidents number in the dozens to low hundreds — and most trace back to a few specific meter models or to a compromised socket rather than to a random failure of the meter itself. No technology is perfectly risk-free, but the data does not support treating a smart meter as a fire hazard sitting on the side of your house. In short, the data does not support the fear that smart meters cause house fires as a routine risk.

A far more common household fire risk comes from things like extension cords, space heaters, and unattended cooking. The practical takeaway is reassurance with a small dose of awareness: you do not need to fear the meter, but you should treat any sign of heat, scorching, or a burning smell at the meter box as an electrical emergency worth a call to your utility.

Why a meter can overheat — the socket, not the software

Understanding the mechanism cuts through most of the fear. The part of a meter that can get dangerously hot is the connection between the meter’s blades and the jaws of the socket mounted on your house. Over years of weather, corrosion, and thermal cycling, that connection can loosen or degrade. A loose connection carrying household current builds resistance, resistance builds heat, and heat can scorch or ignite the surrounding materials. Note that none of this is about whether the meter reports your usage wirelessly — it is old-fashioned electrical physics at the point where the meter plugs in.

Poor installation or an aging meter box can raise the risk with any meter type.

This is also why installation quality and the age of your meter box matter more than the label on the meter. When a utility swaps an old analog meter for a smart one, a technician briefly disconnects and reconnects at that socket; if the socket was already worn or the reconnection is not seated properly, the pre-existing weakness — not the smart electronics — is what can lead to heat. Reputable utilities train for this, which is part of why widespread problems did not follow the national rollout.

Are smart meters more dangerous than old analog meters?

There is no solid evidence that smart meters are inherently more fire-prone than the analog meters they replaced. Both share the same vulnerable socket connection. Smart meters do add electronic components and a small radio, which is why quality control on specific models matters — the recalls above were about manufacturing and materials in certain units. But the sweeping claim that “smart meters cause house fires” as a class is not supported by regulators or by the real-world safety record of the tens of millions of meters in service today.

It is also telling how regulators responded. Rather than banning smart meters, public-utility commissions and product-safety authorities investigated the specific incidents, required the affected utilities to replace suspect units, and let the broader rollout continue. That is the pattern you would expect for a targeted manufacturing issue — not for a technology that is fundamentally unsafe.

Recent events, lawsuits, and the “Spokane” question

Smart-meter fire worries tend to resurface whenever a local incident goes viral or a lawsuit makes the news. A few threads worth knowing, kept in perspective:

PG&E lawsuits (California). Over the past decade, homeowners filed suits alleging that certain PG&E smart meters overheated and started fires. Those cases centered on specific meter hardware and installation, and they are part of why utilities and regulators tightened scrutiny of particular models.
Saskatchewan, Canada (2014). After a cluster of fires — commonly reported as nine — SaskPower removed its entire fleet of roughly 105,000 smart meters from one manufacturer as a precaution.
Portland, Oregon. Portland General Electric replaced about 70,000 meters after incidents linked to a faulty component in a specific model.
The “Spokane, Washington” chatter. Online searches tying a recent Spokane house fire to a smart meter have circulated, but as of this writing the City of Spokane Fire Department has not publicly confirmed that any recent local fire was caused by a smart meter. Treat unverified social-media claims with caution and rely on the official fire-department finding.

The through-line is the same one that runs through the documented record: problems trace to specific meter models, components, or installations — investigated and addressed by utilities and regulators — rather than to smart meters as a category.

Does homeowners insurance cover a smart-meter fire?

After the headlines about smart meter fires, this is one of the most common questions homeowners ask, and the reassuring general answer is yes. A standard homeowners policy typically covers fire damage to your home and belongings regardless of what started the fire — including a fire traced to a smart meter. Fire is a covered peril on a standard policy, and insurers generally do not deny a claim simply because the ignition source was the meter. A few points to understand:

Dwelling coverage generally pays to repair or rebuild the structure, whether the cause was the meter, the wiring, or something else.
Personal property coverage generally reimburses belongings damaged in the fire, up to your policy limits.
Subrogation. If your insurer determines the meter was defective or improperly installed, it may pursue the manufacturer or utility to recover what it paid — a process called subrogation. That happens behind the scenes and does not reduce your own coverage.

Important caveats: coverage always depends on your specific policy, its limits, and any exclusions, so read your declarations page and talk to your agent. Because the utility owns the meter, investigators sometimes need access to it to determine cause — so document everything (photos, dates, any prior buzzing or scorching, and communications with your utility) and request an official fire-department or independent investigation. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice.

Can you opt out of a smart meter?

If you would rather not have a smart meter — for peace of mind about smart meter fires or any other reason — many states let you opt out and keep or request an analog meter, usually for a one-time fee plus a small monthly charge. Rules, fees, and availability vary widely by state and utility and they change over time, so always confirm the current terms directly with your utility.

States widely reported to offer formal opt-out programs include Arizona, California, Maine, Texas, Nevada, Oregon, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Florida (at some utilities), Hawaii, and Tennessee (Memphis). For example, Arizona’s APS has charged around $5 a month plus a one-time removal fee, and California’s major utilities have charged roughly a $75 setup fee plus about $10 a month (less for qualifying low-income customers).

Where opt-out is limited or unavailable: Pennsylvania’s law effectively requires smart meters (no analog opt-out), and Washington, D.C. requires them as well. Some individual utilities in other states also decline analog opt-outs. Typical opt-out fees across the country run from about $5 to $26 a month, plus one-time charges.

Two things to keep in mind: some programs apply only to existing smart meters while others cover new installations, and certain account types (such as solar customers) may be excluded. Your utility’s customer-service line or website is the authoritative source for what is available at your address.

How to tell if your meter has a problem

You do not need to worry about your meter day to day, but it is worth knowing the warning signs of a bad connection at the meter base. Contact your utility promptly — and do not try to remove or open the meter yourself — if you notice any of the following:

Scorch marks, discoloration, or melted plastic on or around the meter.
A persistent burning or hot-plastic smell near the meter box.
Buzzing, crackling, or sizzling sounds from the meter.
Lights that flicker or dim in a way tied to the meter, or the meter feeling hot to the touch.

These are signs of an electrical connection problem that any homeowner should have checked — regardless of whether the meter is smart or analog. Your utility owns the meter and will inspect or replace it.

Shopping for more than electricity?

Compare the other essentials for your address.

📶 Compare Internet 🛡 Home Security 🏡 Home Warranty

Frequently asked questions

Have smart meters ever been recalled for fires?

Yes — specific models. Utilities including SaskPower and PECO pulled or paused certain meter models after overheating incidents. These were targeted actions on particular manufacturers’ units, not a finding against smart meters overall.

What usually causes a meter to catch fire?

A loose, corroded, or damaged connection at the meter socket. Most smart meter fires start right there, where heat builds at that contact point — an issue that can affect analog and smart meters alike.

Should I have my smart meter removed?

For safety reasons, no — there is no broad evidence smart meters are unsafe. If you see warning signs like scorching or a burning smell, report it to your utility, which owns and services the meter.

Can I install or replace a meter myself?

No. The meter belongs to the utility, and the socket carries dangerous current. Always call your utility for inspection, replacement, or any concern.

If a smart meter causes a fire, will my insurance cover it?

Generally yes. Even in the rare event of smart meter fires, a standard homeowners policy covers fire damage to your home and belongings regardless of the ignition source, and insurers typically do not deny a claim just because a smart meter was involved. Coverage still depends on your specific policy and limits, so check your declarations page. If a defect is found, your insurer may separately pursue the manufacturer or utility (subrogation).

Can I get rid of my smart meter?

In many states, yes — you can opt out and request or keep an analog meter, usually for a one-time fee plus a small monthly charge. Availability and cost vary by state and utility (and a few places, like Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., do not allow it), so confirm the current terms with your utility.