PSA: My old way of pulling cable through finished walls almost cost me a job

For years I would just drill a hole and hope for the best, maybe using a glow rod. About 8 months ago on a job in a big old house in Portland, I hit a hidden gas line. The homeowner saw the scratch and freaked out, saying 'You could have blown us up.' Now I ALWAYS use a stud finder with a deep scan mode and a flexible inspection camera, the kind that costs about $150, before I drill into any wall I can't see inside. It adds maybe 10 minutes per drop but it's saved my butt three times since. What other tools do you guys use to avoid hidden surprises?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade6391mo ago

My cheap borescope has paid for itself ten times over.

richardrodriguez1mo ago

That's a good call, and @jade639 is right about the borescope, but I'd never trust just a stud finder for a gas line.