Do light switches go bad?

If they light with a jumper and if there is power going into the switch then the switch is bad. If they DON'T light with the jumper then its the wiring. Start checking the wiring on the ground side. A bad connection in the wiring is just as likely as a bad switch until you verify the problem. read more

Twist them together with pliers and screw on a wire connector. Turn on the breaker. If the light goes on, the switch is probably faulty. Replace it with a new one. If the light flickers or doesn't go on when you bypass the switch, however, the problem isn't with the switch but with a loose connection elsewhere in the circuit. read more