Sometimes the old-school way just works better, even if it’s not flashy.
Totally get that. I tried using a stud finder to track a water line once—thought I was being clever. Ended up drilling right into it. Next time I just traced the pipes by hand and it actually worked out way better. Guess some shortcuts just aren’t worth it.
I hear you—tech isn’t always the answer. I’ve had mixed luck with those fancy wall scanners too. Sometimes they pick up everything but what you actually need. Ever tried using a magnet to find pipe locations behind drywall? It’s old-school, but it’s saved me from a few headaches. Curious if anyone’s found a shortcut that actually beats just opening up an access panel and taking a look...
I get the appeal of magnets, but honestly, I’ve had more luck with a cheap stethoscope. Sounds weird, but if you turn the water on just a crack, you can usually hear exactly where the pipes are running. Less guesswork than hoping a magnet finds something metal—especially if you’ve got plastic PEX lines hiding in there. Opening up a panel always feels like defeat to me, unless there's just no other way.
Stethoscope trick is underrated, honestly. I’ve used it a bunch—beats the old “knock and guess” routine. Magnets are only good if you’re hunting for lost screws in the wall, not pipes. PEX is basically invisible to everything except your ears.
PEX is basically invisible to everything except your ears.
Yeah, PEX is a pain to trace. I’ve had plumbers swear by infrared cameras, but honestly, nothing beats a cheap stethoscope for finding those lines behind drywall. Magnets are pointless unless you’re after old copper or steel—PEX just laughs at that.