[Julie312]

New here with a quick question. I tried searching this question but only find people who have this problem after replacing switches/outlets which is not the case. Here goes...DH and I purchased a new home in early December, inspection passed good, no problems brought up with electrical. In the living room there is a light switch panel with 3 switches and the middle one controlled an outlet. I learned this one well because I plugged the Christmas tree into that outlet and used the switch to turn the lights on and off. Suddenly that switch no longer works for that outlet, it is just always on and the other two switches still control what they are supposed to. In the kitchen there is a similar setup, a panel with 3 switches and suddenly one of the switches doesn't control the outlet it is supposed to and is just always on. We have done zero electrical work. No replacing switches, outlets, or even covers. No other issues in the entire house. Whats up? Can I fix this? Mostly worried this is an early signal of an electrical problem that wasn't picked up in the home inspection.


TLDR: switches no longer control outlets. Zero electrical work or replacements of any kind done.



Thanks!

 

[Oldmaster]

It's probably wired wrong. Check if they are single pole switches and how they are fed. They may be fed wrong and if the adjoining switches change positions it may I influence them.

 

[joed]

If it used to work and does not work now without doing any work my first choice would be a bad switch.

 

[Nealtw]

The outlet is only half switched the other half is always on just move the plug up or down.

 

[DerfIV]

The outlet is only half switched the other half is always on just move the plug up or down.

I've only seen that once in my life but yes that can be an issue. But if "it worked before and now it doesn't" with no other changes I'd bet on a bad light switch. Cheap and easy to fix if that's it though.

 

[Nealtw]

I've only seen that once in my life but yes that can be an issue. But if "it worked before and now it doesn't" with no other changes I'd bet on a bad light switch. Cheap and easy to fix if that's it though.

They have 2 switches with the same problem.

 

[dmxtothemax]

Sounds like the switch itself is faulty (both of them).
Switch mechanisms can weld themselves together from arcing.
which is probably the case in your situation,
because you say they are stuck in the on position
either way just replace the switchs with new ones
and don't forget to take a photo of the wiring before you remove anything
it's a great fall back when things go pear shape !

 

[FrodoOne]

They have 2 switches with the same problem.

Hence, if over-current or arcing caused two switches to "weld" the contacts concerned, was the same device plugged into both of these socket outlets (at different times) ?

 

[Nealtw]

Or we check all the simple answers before we get excited.