Water Damage Prevention

Be sure you know what is hiding behind those walls; Hanging pictures, mirrors or other heavy objects may require drilling into a wall, It’s important to connect with framing and know where to avoid pipes, drains, and electrical wiring hiding behind the wall.

Basic Tips

Depending on the year built, most wall framing is covered with 1/2 or 5/8 inch thick drywall, wood studs are typically 16 inches apart and span from corner to corner. While lighter objects can mount directly on drywall using a hanging nail or plastic screw anchor. Heavier objects may require the additional support of framing studs. We recommend locating studs with an electronic stud finder, available at most hardware stores, newer models can detect both electrical wiring and wood framing studs. If you don’t have an electronic stud finder, there’s always the old “knock method”….and while we don’t recommend this method, it can certainly be utilized under the right circumstances. Start from the corner and work your way across the wall knocking every 13-16 inches, you may notice parts of the wall sound solid while other parts sound hollow. The solid sound is a good indication of a stud, while the hollow sound is the open space between each frame. Once you locate a stud, mark with a pencil and measure 16 inches, but don’t forget to double check with the knock method before mounting.

Take away:

• Avoid drilling into bathroom walls
• Always use an electronic stud finder
• Never drill above or below light switches or electrical outlets
• Be careful when drilling into a shared wall with a kitchen or bathroom on the other side
• When in doubt, reach out to a contractor or friend that has the proper knowledge to hang heavier objects