They couple who built this house and have lived in it since Day 1 – they’re so nice and they really did everything right. They guy . . he’s so picky about everything. His wife had told me that when they had the electrical done, on the places that have more than one switch for a light, he made sure that the switches were done somehow so that every single switch is down when the light is off.
I was just sitting in the breakfast room, looked into the living room and said “Oops! I see something wrong!”
Vince thought I meant something was really wrong, and he said “What’s wrong?” I said “Someone turned off a light and one of the switches is in the wrong position!”
I don’t know if it’s normal for all the screws to be in the exact same position or not but when I get back to Texas I’m going to see. I’ve never noticed them all lined up like that til I looked at that picture but that may be normal or . . it may be more of “everything has to be perfect”.
I find myself looking at all switches as I pass by them to make sure they’re all in the down position if the lights are off.
When/if the power goes out, it will be easy to make sure everything is turned off. I always hate it when the power goes off, we go to bed and wake up with half the lights in the house on.
There are so many switches in this house and I’ve had to laugh thinking . . if a neighbor should be watching, we turn on a dozen lights trying to get the one on that we want. Flip one on, turn it off; flip another on, turn it off. We’ll figure it all out eventually.
Tee says
When we built out house, the builder’s young son was putting our switch plates on and I told him that my husband would be so impressed if all the screws faced the same way. His eyes got so big, like he had never heard of anything so bizarre, but he did it! I of course, told my husband to notice it and make a big deal out of it for the boy. I am sure he remembers it and has put them in this way every since.
Laura Haynes says
Funny! We (just now) agreed on wording and labelled the many switches in the new-to-us RV. Since we only use it one weekend a month, we still haven’t memorized which one does what. Eventually we won’t even notice the labels.
I’ve been reading articles about the number of people leaving CA. (My son and dil are looking at TN. I may want to join them.) Guess which state the most Californians have chosen — Texas!
patti says
i have a kind of cdo (ocd people NEED to have things alphabetical!) hubby and all of the screws in our receptacles and switches are the same orientation. not that it’s a big deal for me, but i do notice when someone else’s aren’t ;0)
karen says
Reminds me of my father who did woodwork as a hobby. His attention to detail was to put all the screws the same way. A sign of good workmanship.
Ruth says
If you want to label the switches, file folder labels are easy to use. You can cut them to size, draw on them, write on them, and remove them easily. Pretty cheap too. Labels help in the beginning, before you have the switches memorized. Later, they help guests know which switch is which.
Jane says
When I had my kitchen remodled, the electrician was obsessive about everything being perfect. All the screws looked like that!
Rebecca in SoCal says
I would sure like that attention to detail! From where I sit, I can see two different paired light switches; both are one up/one down when off. But the screws in the one right by me are aligned! I never noticed that.
Another (two) thing(s) about switches: we have four ceiling fans, three with lights. They all have two switches, though. I think the fan switch should be on top, as the fan is on top, but two of them are that way, and two of them are the wrong way. I have to stop and think, or use trial and error.
The other thing is the bathroom switches. I think the light should be the first switch you come to, with the fan farther in. These are, but the house I lived in for 17 years had it backwards in the master bath. Never did like that!
Joyce says
I just looked at a light plate that has 4 screws. Three of them look like “-“ and one looks like: “\” LOL. Good thing I’m not that OCD…
Judy Laquidara says
It’s going to be funny to get back to Texas and look at ours.
Linda in NE says
That’s how I felt when I stayed with the grandkids while their parents went on an anniversary trip last fall. I kept turning switches off and on trying to shut off the ceiling fans in the family room. Mostly I accomplished turning the outside deck light off and on several times, but finally figured that one out. The neighbors probably wondered if I was crazy or needed help. Then I wanted to turn on the loft ceiling fan lights but couldn’t. Finally throwing in the towel I called my son as to what the deal was. Well a switch in the front hall next to the kitchen doorway had to be turned on, then a switch in the upstairs hallway had to be on, and then I could turn on the fan lights by pulling the chain. Honestly I’m not sure if our DIL will ever figure out what some switches and plugins do now that he’s gone. Some they hadn’t figured out in over six years. Good luck to you on that front!
Nelle Coursey says
I like the way that man thinks! What a great way to do things!! Our stairway light is not that way but I wish it was! We have a switch upstairs and one downstairs! We try to make sure they are in sync, but sometimes they get off!!
Susan Nixon says
When I first bought this house, I thought the hall light didn’t work, because no matter what I tried, I couldn’t get it on. One day, the stars lined up and the switches were just right when I flipped one out of habit, and guess what? The hall light works! LOL Obviously, your electrician didn’t wire my switches!