I was drilling into my drywall to install a shelf and hit something hard, which felt almost like metal. It happened close to an outlet, but everything is functioning normally and there are no leaks. I have no idea what I hit, but since the outlet is working fine and I didn't penetrate anything, should I worry about it or is it safe to leave it alone? I know there's a stud in the area from when I anchored a dresser above this spot, so I'm thinking it might be some kind of metal plate used to protect wiring. I tried pushing on it a bit, but it wouldn't budge. After reading a lot online, I'm feeling a bit anxious. Any advice?
3 Answers
It sounds like you probably hit a metal plate that’s attached to the stud to protect any wiring running through it. These safety plates are pretty common in areas where wires are likely to be! If you want to verify, look up stud safety plates online for more info about them.
If you're drilling at outlet height and you hit something hard, it’s likely just a nail or a protective barrier. Since it wasn’t at an odd height and it’s near a stud, you’re probably fine. You could try moving up a little bit to keep drilling, but just be careful!
It’s likely a metal plate designed to prevent any drilling into the electrical lines. Those plates are great for keeping wires safe from screws or nails. If you’re not penetrating anything, you should be good to go! Just be sure to double-check your positions before drilling again.
Yeah, I drilled a few inches above and to the right of the outlet. I thought it might have been a nail too. I've already made a couple of holes above for a dresser anchor, but I didn’t hit anything significant. I also have a leak detector that hasn't picked up anything, so I’m hoping it's not a big deal. Will definitely be cautious with the next holes!