I'd hire an electrician and have the whole mess fixed. Sounds to me like this guy had just enough knowledge of what he was doing to be dangerous. There could be a real mess behind those switches and it could be a fire waiting to happen. For safety sake I'd get a pro in and have the whole mess dealt with properly.

I would......especially in the case of your sump pump. I'm trying to come up with a reason as to why he put the switch in your BR?!

We have a grouping of switches on an inside corner and I still have trouble finding the right switch for a certain light.....and that's after living here 9 years! Sometimes I end up turning on/off 3 other light systems before I find the one I need. I always say I'm going to label them but I keep forgetting to do it!

I'd be tempted. At a minimum, I might consider those switch covers for the switches that I don't want to accidental turn on or off. Alternatively, you could just disconnect the odd switches like the sump pump. Any future owner could reconnect them if they wanted to.

Okay, I think I'll go ahead and do it. I don't think there's anything dangerous - the guy built 8 other houses in our neighborhood - but with his own house, he ended up adding on about 6 different times while he lived here. The house started at about 3000 sq ft and is now over 5400. The light thing is maddening when other people come in and don't know how to turn on the light. Forhgtv, maybe I could put a solid/blank plate over those certain switches.

Thanks for your help!

Do you mean like this?

This is my first attempt to upload from the iPad. If it doesn't work I'll repost later.

Helene

Here is a link that might be useful: My kitchen switchplate

I think Mustangs labeled hers. She used some fancy looking labels.

I found these

Here is a link that might be useful: Switch Plate IDs

A less pricey option

Here is a link that might be useful: Kyle Designs

I haven't read the replies, but since the switches you're talking about can't be seen from the public areas, I'd go ahead and label them.

Unless you want to pay big bucks for an electrician. When you have someone staying in the guest room, just point out the labeled switches. No problem and doesn't cost a thing!

We have 11 switches in the LR, and it's been two years and I'm just now getting them memorized. LOL. Thankfully they're all for the front room, porch, and back yard security light.

I would be working that label maker. I can see all sorts of reasons why strange switches are in places which seem strange to you. I have often wished I had a switch for the front door light in my bedroom and a switch for the backyard flood some where upstairs as well.
Clear label...stuck on....who cares? And it can be un stuck easily.
BTW mine are not labeled, you have to live here for a while to know that the bottom half of the wall plug by the door is controlled b y the 3rd switch on the wall and that unless lamp on the counter is on you can't plug the vacuum into that plug.
I have also put a piece of magic Scotch tape over switches that should not be messed with when trying to turn on the lamp.Can hardly notice.....

Ha, ha, Linda, that's exactly how our switches are .... when the neighbors housesit, I have to remember to flip the kitchen switch in the rec room, or else the "right" switch in the kitchen does not work.

We actually DO have many of these in public areaa - I'm thinking a combination of the nicer brass tags in the entry way, and I'll pull out the clear labelmaker for the plates in our bedroom, etc.

Thanks so much everyone!

I have NEVER heard of a switch for a sump. For a sump to be any good it has to run when it is full..and usually that is in the middle of the night or when no one is home! Also if you are so particular about how your switches are pointed, I am going to say the labels are going to bug you. I can't help but think the re-sale/staging gal would have fit if she saw labeled switches.

I think blubird's look perfectly fine--totally unobtrusive and helpful if needed. It's the brass ones that look like overkill to me. Go for it!

I finally checked to see what my iPad posted picture looked like from another computer....can't explain why it displays upside down, but the slight glare you see on the label in the picture is much less visible in person. It really is very helpful to 'outsiders' to have labels on switches. BTW, I also have a switch in the master bedroom dressing area for the outside lights. It's actually part of a 3-way switch - the other location is downstairs in the family room.

Helene

blubird, where did you purchase the labels? Did you print them yourself?

Vestirse,

The labels are done on the p-touch label maker using the clear tape. One of the options is to have a border print around the word or phrase.

Helene

My sister did hers in the bathroom:

Nighlight
Vent
Heat
Vanity
Overhead
There's something else because there's 6!