That Tuesday in March when a simple magnet trick saved me from a huge repair bill.

I found a cracked flue tile in a 1950s house by running a strong magnet over the outside of the chimney, which stuck right where the liner was broken, a trick my mentor in Boise taught me that saved the homeowner about $2,000 in hidden damage.

4 comments

4 Comments

avery_shah22d ago

That magnet trick is pure gold. Used the same method on a brick wall last fall to find the old steel nailing strips behind the plaster before drilling. Saved myself from hitting a pipe for sure. My old boss called it "seeing through walls for five bucks." Those little field tricks from mentors are the best.

mark_green22d ago

Guess that makes a stud finder the five hundred dollar way to be wrong sometimes.

pat_murray5322d ago

Yeah that trick saved my drywall last week... was hanging a shelf and the magnet stuck hard about two inches left of where I was about to drill. Found a stud finder doesn't always pick up on those old metal lathe strips. My dad showed me that one years ago, just a cheap fridge magnet. Those simple fixes are always the best.

lewis.gray22d ago

Honestly, I've seen that magnet trick fail more than it helps, pat_murray53. You really need a proper stud sensor for reliable work.