In the interest of “covering all bases” a few general trouble shooting tips to make sure the stud finder is functioning correctly—

1. have you tried changing the batteries to ensure a fresh set?
2. have you tried it against a known empty area to ensure it reads empty as it should?
3. did you hold it against your chest and press the button eliciting the “stud found” beep and say “yep, it’s working” in front of your significant other (or pet if no significant other available)