I'm having some trouble with the light switches in my bedrooms. None of them seem to work for the ceiling lights and fans we have installed. There are also some switches which I think are meant to control outlets, but those aren't functioning either. I've checked the outlets associated with the switches, but still no luck. What are some things I should look at to troubleshoot and hopefully fix this issue?
3 Answers
Make sure to check both outlets in each box! Sometimes, a switch will only control one outlet instead of both. If you find that one outlet works but the other doesn’t, that might be your issue.
You might want to start by checking if the switches are actually broken or if the wiring to them is faulty. There are usually two main reasons why a switch won’t work: either the switch itself is damaged, or the wires connected to it are not functioning correctly. If you've confirmed the switches work, the wiring might be your next point to check out.
If you're able to use pull chains to turn the fan and lights on and off, then those fixtures aren't likely the problem. Consider getting a tester plug to check the outlets and switches. This can help determine if everything is wired correctly and if there's any power coming through. If there’s no voltage, it could mean that the outlets themselves aren't connected to the main power supply.