My bathroom tile job went sideways when I hit a water line

I was installing a new shower niche in my Denver home and my rotary hammer drill bit punched right through a 1/2 inch PEX line I didn't know was there. Water sprayed everywhere for a solid minute before I could get to the main shutoff. I had to cut out a bigger section of the wall to install a coupling, which set me back a full day and about $50 in parts. Has anyone else had a close call with hidden plumbing, and what's your go-to method for checking before you cut or drill?

2 comments

2 Comments

davis.diana6d ago

My old house in Austin had so many weird plumbing runs. I used to just guess where pipes were, until I drilled into a copper line feeding the kitchen sink. That was a $200 plumber call. Now I use a cheap stud finder with a wire and pipe detection mode. It's not perfect, but it gives you a better idea. I still get nervous every time I put a bit to the wall though.

emma726d ago

Feel your pain on that one. I hit a water line hanging a shelf in my bathroom once (talk about a bad day). Even with a detector, I still tap the wall like I'm checking for a secret door before drilling anything.