So, my 3-year-old decided to put on a fun little light show in the bathroom by toggling the light switch for the sink lights on and off. Now the lights won't turn back on at all. The fan/heater switch nearby still works, and the outlet is fine too, which makes me think it's not a breaker issue. I even swapped the light bulbs but that didn't help. How much trouble could this have caused?
3 Answers
It sounds like it’s probably just the switch that’s malfunctioning. Those light switches can wear out or get stuck pretty easily, especially after a little kid has had their fun with it.
Honestly, you might just be looking at a cheap and quick fix. A new switch is usually just a few bucks and swapping it out should only take about 15 minutes if you’re comfortable doing it yourself.
I don't think your kid caused any significant damage. It might actually be tied to a GFCI outlet not working correctly. Check for a GFCI outlet nearby, especially in the bathroom, and hit the reset button. If you only have one outlet and it’s a GFCI that’s been reset but still isn't functioning, then it’s a good idea to inspect the switch directly.
I checked, and sadly I only have the one outlet in the bathroom, and it’s a GFCI that’s already reset. Still, it powers other things plugged into it, so that’s a head-scratcher.