My basement reno hit a pipe and flooded everything in 30 seconds

I was cutting into a wall in my 1950s Seattle house last Saturday, thinking I knew where the plumbing ran. Turns out the previous owners had moved a shower drain and I hit it square with my reciprocating saw. Water sprayed everywhere before I could even reach the main shutoff. I spent the next 4 hours shop-vaccing and running fans. Has anyone else dealt with an unexpected pipe hit during a simple wall demo?

3 comments

3 Comments

allen.ivan1mo ago

Is this really that big of a deal or did you just want an excuse to show off your shop-vac?

willow1142mo agoMost Upvoted

Guessing where pipes run is always a gamble (especially in old houses).

parkera222mo agoMost Upvoted

Steam pipes in my 1920s place still surprise me every time I hang something.