Light switch in bathroom not working? A faulty switch, light fitting or wiring could be the culprit. As a bathroom is an area prone to moisture or water splashes, extra care needs to be taken with anything electrical. Switches in bathrooms can wear down faster compared to other areas due to higher usage. This post will share a few different reasons why the light switch in the bathroom is not working and what you can do about it.
Electrical In Wet Areas RCD Protection
As you can imagine, bathrooms are wet areas which means that extra care is needed with electrical installations. This means that sockets and lights need to be protected by residual current devices (RCDs). As water conducts electricity, it has the risk of giving someone a potentially fatal electric shock if they touch a wet surface in contact with an electrical part.
An RCD works by shutting off a circuit within a set time frame to protect anyone from getting a fatal shock. To read more about how this works check out our post on circuit breakers and ground faults which an RCD is designed to work on.
Other electrical measures in wet areas include having physical barriers around where electrical circuits are contained (also known as IP rating) and using extra low voltage (12V) instead of standard mains voltage.
Light Switch In Bathroom Not Working? – Reason #1
Faulty Light Switch
As bathrooms are a highly used part of the house, things like light switches tend to wear out and fail relatively quickly. Light switches can fail in multiple ways. Firstly, they can fail because the mechanical action on them has broken or worn out. A switch often contains springs and plastic parts that can easily break over time.
Secondly, the light switch might have developed an electrical fault and burnt out. Here is some more information on short circuits and overloads.
In both cases, the light switch will need to be replaced by a new one.
Light Switch In Bathroom Not Working? – Reason #2
Dimmer Has Failed
Is there a dimmer on the light switch? Is the light flickering? Dimmers tend to have a limited life span before eventually failing. If the dimmer isn’t working, the light switch won’t either. The solution to this would be to either replace the dimmer or override it so that the light switch will work without it. If the dimmer has failed, it may give off a smell similar to ammonia or fish.
Light Switch In Bathroom Not Working? – Reason #3
Faulty Light Bulb
Sometimes a blown light bulb might be the cause of the problem. Although obvious, it is a good idea to make sure to try a new light bulb before calling the electrician.
Light Switch In Bathroom Not Working? – Reason #4
Faulty Light Fitting
A faulty light fitting is another reason. As mentioned earlier, light fittings in wet areas can develop faults which can burn them out. This would require replacement of the faulty light fitting.
Light Switch In Bathroom Not Working? – Reason #5
Damaged Cable
Although rare in this instance, a damaged cable could be causing the problem. Cables can become damaged for many reasons. We often see rodents and other pests wreak havoc on electrical cables found in the ceiling cavity, especially in older houses. Investing in pest management might not be a bad idea in this case.
Conclusion
Light switch in bathroom not working? First check if the light bulb, or light fitting is blown. You don’t want to call the electrician over a blown bulb!. Next if you have a dimmer, it may be causing the problem. The most likely cause is simply a faulty light switch which will just need replacement.
We Fix Faults is a blog passionate about finding household electrical faults. If this interests you please consider subscribing to our blog by completing the form below.