Light Switch Question

[Speed4Life]

Assuming a light switch has not been removed and intentionally turned upside down, is there a way for it to fail and start working in reverse? I’ve owned my house for 7 years and this switch has never been removed. For as long as it’s been there down is the off position, and up controls an outlet on either side of my bed. Now all of a sudden, down is on and up is off.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Is it a single pole switch marked on/off,or is there possibly another 3 way switch you dont know about?

 

[ljhhontx]

Is there another switch across the room that you might have reversed the position on, this sounds like a switched circuit with 2 switches, usually one at each entrance to the room.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Sounds like 3-way light switches...

 

[The Cobbler]

Yup, I'd be looking for another 3 way switch somewhere

 

[Shiftless]

To clarify zmax’s post...You can easily recognize and positively identify a 3way switch because it doesn’t have on or off imprinted on the toggle like the more common switches do.
Like others have already said, that must be the case.

Edit: 4 way switches also lack on-off markings.

 

[hichamaziz]

thank you

 

[Speed4Life]

Okay, I'm an idiot. It is 3 way. I never use the switches at the other end, as they are on my wife's side of the bed, and she never really uses them either. She hit the 3 way for the light yesterday, but must have hit the other one first and not switched it back. I was thinking to myself last night when I noticed the issue that the other end must have been switched, but then I was thinking I remembered the two switches at the other end controlled the fan and light and not the outlet so I didn't even check them. Now that I get to thinking about it after some sleep, the switches at the other end control the light and outlet. Haven't used them in so long I forgot what they control. Thank you for correcting my temporary insanity. Common sense told me at the time that it was a 3 way set up, but I just "knew" in my head that the outlet was controlled by only 1 switch.