Should you hire a gig worker to mount your TV?
Protect yourself, and your property by hiring a professional TV mounting service in Austin TX:
On-demand service apps like Task Rabbit (™) are a convenient way to mark things off of your to-do list, but are they safe? These services hire 1099 contractors who operate as their own “business”. These online platforms do not require proof of liability insurance, or competence, and there is no vetting, other than a criminal background check.
Price, not the only factor:
There is a reason these “Taskers” can charge so little for TV mounting service in Austin Texas. It’s common for Taskers to do this work part-time. They are not running an actual business with overhead like insurance. If a Tasker causes damage to you, your belongings, or your home, Task Rabbit will not cover the cost of the damage. Task Rabbit offers a “Happiness Pledge” but if you read the fine print, it clearly states the Happiness Pledge is not insurance.
Countless YouTube videos and Reddit threads are showing the kind of damage done by these untrained and uninsured Taskers. Mount It ATX works directly with many leasing offices and almost all of them have had negative experiences with these services, like accidentally hitting water or fire sprinkler lines. In these cases, the tenant was responsible for the cost of repairs. Tasks like TV mounting and curtain rod installation require more than just a drill and a quick YouTube training session. There are a lot of things to consider before getting started.
Additionally, when you hire someone off of these apps to mount your TV, you are paying them by the hour, not a fixed price. At Mount It ATX, we charge a flat rate for our TV mounting Service, so you know exactly what you’ll be paying in advance. There are no hidden fees or service charges when you book your TV mounting with us.
Safety Considerations:
There are some serious safety precautions that must be taken, before starting the work. The person mounting your TV must know what potential hazards could be hiding behind the wall. Although it’s always possible a pipe, electrical wire, or other hazard could be hidden anywhere in the walls, there are some instances where hazards are guaranteed to be present. The main hazards a TV mounting contractor should be aware of are water supply lines, sewage pipes, electrical wires, and gas lines. If the wall being drilled into is near a sink, shower, or other plumbing fixture, or even a fire sprinkler line, it is important to use extra caution. The same is true for gas lines connected to stoves, furnaces, or fireplaces. Pipes and electrical wires are supposed to be run in specific places, according to code, but remember that builders sometimes cut corners, so these hazards may not be where they are expected to be.
Minimizing Risk:
The best way to minimize accidents is to avoid where hazards are most likely to be located. Contractors should stay away from electrical outlets, faucets, and drains if possible. If drilling or driving screws into wood studs, they should avoid drilling or driving fasteners more than 1 1/4” into the stud. Wood studs are 3 1/2” deep, and the center 1” is used for running pipes and electrical wires. That leaves 1 1/4” of safe space on either side of the center 1” of the stud. Most drywall is 1/2” thick, but may be as thin as 1/4”.
In most situations like TV Mounting, fasteners like lag screws do not need to penetrate the wood stud more than 1” to be effective. If we only need 1” of penetration into the stud, and the thickest drywall is 1/2”, our maximum screw length should be 1 1/2” plus the thickness of whatever is being mounted to the wall. This will allow the screw to penetrate through the thickest drywall, plus 1” into the stud, without going too deep and potentially hitting a pipe or electrical wire.
Scope camera inserted into a wall, near a fire sprinkler head.
This photo was taken recently at a TV mounting job where the stud being used was near a fire sprinkler line. You can see the camera inserted into the wall and the pipe visible on the camera screen. The green laser line indicates where the stud being used was located. First, we did a visual inspection and saw the fire sprinkler above. Then we scanned the wall, using a Walabot, which indicated a pipe may be behind the wall. We confirmed the pipe’s location by using a camera, and were able to ensure the pipe was not hit in the process.
If the item must be mounted in an area close to potential hazards, using a wall scanner and/or camera, is the best way to ensure avoiding damage. A visual inspection and wall scanner, like the Walabot, are a good place to start. If the Walabot detects a pipe or other hazard, a scope camera can then be inserted into the wall. This requires drilling a small hole through the drywall, then inserting a camera which allows us to see exactly what is hiding inside the wall. It’s also a good idea to know where the circuit breaker and water main shut-off are just in case of an accident.
Other concerns:
Understanding how to properly find the center of a stud, and how to choose the right fastener are also important factors in doing the job correctly. Sometimes, despite taking all these precautions a contractor may still end up damaging a pipe or a wire that was improperly placed by the builder. If a contractor or Tasker hits one of these hazards, this is when you will need to file an insurance claim. If a Tasker doesn’t have liability insurance, you may end up paying for the damages. If you live in an apartment or condo, and damage your neighbor’s unit, you or your renters insurance will have to pay for the damages to the building, personal property, and your insurance may also have to pay for temporary housing for displaced neighbors, due to this accident. In many cases, the minimum required renters insurance may not be enough to cover these damages.
Even if a Tasker doesn’t hit a pipe, or wire, there is also a risk that they just don’t know how to properly Mount a TV, or install curtain rods, or any other task you’ve hired them for. If your Tasker or contractor is inexperienced and unprofessional, they might use the wrong fasteners, causing the item to fall off the wall. They may damage your TV, scratch your furniture, scuff your drywall and paint, track mud onto your carpet, or leave a pile of drywall dust and other messes. As a professional, Veteran-owned TV mounting service in Austin Texas, we take pride in our work, our professionalism, and our communication.
Cost:
Our services may be more expensive than apps like Task Rabbit, but we promise you will get what you pay for. We make the process safe, professional, clean, and easy. Our technicians are professionally trained and we carry a $1 million general liability policy in the unlikely event that an accident occurs. If you would like your items professionally mounted to your wall, please contact us and we will contact you to schedule an installation appointment.
