I damaged a light switch in my living room and when I press it the bulb won't turn on, even though I tried changing the bulb and it's still the same. Is this something I can fix myself or should I call an electrician?
If you've already tried changing the bulb and it's still not working, the switch is most likely burned out or the internal mechanism is damaged, so replacing the entire device is your best option. The important thing is that before you touch anything, turn off the breaker for that room from the electrical panel, disconnect the old switch (by removing the wires inside it), and connect a new one in the same spot, making sure each wire goes where it's supposed to. If you've never done it before you can find video tutorials that show you exactly how it goes, but if you have doubts or don't feel confident handling the wires, it's better to call an electrician so there's no risk.
The problem is most likely in the switch's internal mechanism, not the bulb. Before you touch anything, disconnect the circuit from the electrical panel or turn off the circuit breaker for that room. Once you're sure there's no power (test with a flashlight or your phone to verify), you can try opening the switch. Usually it comes apart by loosening the screws on the sides or top, depending on the model.
Once you have it open, look for anything obvious: a loose wire, a broken piece, oxidation, or accumulated dirt. Sometimes the internal contacts wear down and lose contact; if you see that, there's probably not much you can do yourself. But if it's just something dirty, a can of compressed air can help. If you identify a disconnected wire, you can reconnect it there, though it requires care.
If you don't see anything obvious or if it still doesn't work after you close it back up, better call an electrician. It's not expensive to fix and it's safer. The truth is that after checking, you'll probably discover the switch is simply worn out or damaged internally, so you'd have to replace it anyway. It's not worth risking an electrical short to save a few euros.
I've replaced switches several times around the house and most of the time it's pretty straightforward. First, cut power from the breaker like they mentioned above, but before you pull out the switch try this: tighten up the screws where the wires go into the switch (there are two or three, one on each side), sometimes they get loose and lose contact. If it still doesn't work after tightening, the internal mechanism is probably damaged and you need to replace it with a new one, which doesn't cost much and takes five minutes if you've got the breaker off. Calling an electrician is only worth it if you're not comfortable working with wires, but it's basically just disconnecting two wires and connecting two new ones to the replacement switch.
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