What to Know Before Drilling into a Wall
New decor or shelving adds a fresh look and more storage to a home. Swapping out old photos or paintings with new pops of color or special meaning are great ways to make your space feel homey and unique to your style.
Most lightweight frames are easy to secure to the wall with a level and a nail, but the heavier or more intricate shelving project sometimes requires drilling screws into the wall. While power drills make it easy to get screws into the wall, it’s what lies behind the wall that we suggest taking caution before any drilling project. Continue reading to see how to know when and where to drill into the walls of a home.
Avoid drilling near light sockets or outlets
One of the main reasons drilling into the wall can be dangerous is that you risk hitting electrical wires or gas and water pipes. Wires in the wall often connect vertically and horizontally behind outlets and sockets and can lead to electrocution. Hitting a pipe in the wall can cause flooding. A simple rule of thumb is to avoid drilling anywhere near where there may be electrical hookups or piping.
Take extra care in bathrooms and kitchens
Piping throughout a home is most often connected to the kitchen or the bathroom. If you plan to drill in either of these rooms, be wary of hitting a pipe. Fortunately, you’ll know if you hit a pipe as the drill bit will likely deflect off the hard surface. Don’t continue drilling if you believe there is a pipe in that area, as you risk leakage and damage to your home. In homes with attics, you can usually trace where some of the piping starts to know some areas to avoid drilling. Because this is not fool-proof, never drill into a wall where you suspect a pipe to be.
Invest in a stud finder
Studs are the vertical beams that support and frame the house. Drilling into a stud allows for objects to anchor better into the wall than just drywall. Because studs are not often apparent from outside of the wall, purchasing a stud finder tool will help find the studs faster and help you know where to drill. We recommend buying one that is electronic or battery-powered, not magnetic, as most homes don’t use metal studs.
Contact a professional to be sure
Every year we get calls from DIYs gone wrong needing help after a drilling or at-home project mishap. When it comes to electrical wiring and piping, knowing the time to take on the project alone or with the help of a professional can go a long way.
Though fun and exciting to add new items to a living space, their installation should always come with caution and proper preparation. Electrical wiring and piping are behind the drywall in most homes and not often seen by the naked eye. Hitting either of these can cause severe damage to the person drilling like electric shock or flooding of your home. Taking these necessary precautions aids in a safer and seamless project, and contacting a professional at the right time can save lots of costly mishaps later on.
Clover Valley Home Service offers reliable service in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, baseboard and crown molding, sprinkler repair, fence repair or replacement, yard work and cleanup, and fire defense space preparation services. We do most home service jobs. Our work is guaranteed. Call (916) 742-3141 today!
