What To Do When a Light Switch Does Nothing | Billy.com

Everyone can relate to having a light switch in your home that appears meaningless. However, you can figure out the solution by performing some tests, some more extensive than others. Here’s what to do when a light switch does nothing in your home—just be safe!

Perform an Appliance Test

You can perform a simple test, without having any electrical experience, on a defective light switch by plugging an appliance into each outlet and turning on the switch. You might be able to locate what the switch turns on by going through the house, repeating this task until you reach a verdict. While it’s a meticulous process, you might learn some things about your home that previously had you in the dark.

Test Electricity

Another tool for testing a dud switch is a voltage tester. This small instrument won’t cost you a lot of money but can be dangerous if you’re using it incorrectly. You’ll want to turn off the power and test for the voltage of the wires behind the plate.

Check & Trace Wiring

If you are a DIY type person, you can investigate the wiring in your home. To prevent a serious accident, it’s crucial to recognize any red flags before you pop open the control box. You might notice that some wires will test positive for voltage without being properly capped or connected to anything. If so, you must handle it with care to prevent any injury.

After checking the wiring, the next step may be a frustrating task to complete. You’ll have to trace the wiring by going through your entire home, which might lead you into spaces of your house you’ve never seen. In the unfortunate event that this doesn’t work, you can purchase a circuit tracer to locate the wire through the wall by listening for where it ends.

Now that you know what to do when a light switch does nothing, you might be able to crack the code and finally get some answers to your problems. Hopefully, you can utilize the newly found circuit with an outdoor light or an extra lamp.