Hey everyone! I'm working on putting up some shelves in my garage and I want to screw brackets into the studs on one side of the wall. However, there's an electrical panel on the outside of that wall. I'm wondering, is it safe to proceed with this installation? Should I be concerned about hitting any wires? Let me know if you need more info!
3 Answers
Thanks for the advice! I'm definitely not the most knowledgeable about this, and my house is pretty old (built in '64). I was actually thinking of flipping the switches off, so I appreciate the suggestion! Still feeling a bit nervous about it.
From what I know, it generally shouldn't be a problem unless there are electrical cables running through those studs. Just make sure you're hitting the studs when you screw in the brackets.
Safety can be a bit tricky here. It's really all about whether the previous installation was done correctly and your own understanding of the setup. Typically, the electrical panel will be in a stud cavity, and most wires should run vertically. If you hit an actual stud, you should be fine, but I'd steer clear of wall anchors near the panel to avoid nicking any live wires. If you're really worried, just flip off the breakers while you install!