If you are still having trouble or suspect you have a leak, we’ll be happy to help. Call us: 206-686-9300Request Appointment

Underground Water Line Locator – Better Safe Than Sorry

Are you planning any kind of digging project? Accidentally puncturing a water line takes an instant, but will be many days and dollars worth of repair, and could endanger the safety of anyone nearby. It’s easier and wiser to call an expert who can identify the location of your lines.

There are a lot of projects people don’t even think twice about, but could potentially damage utility lines, like the installation of:

Decks
Swimming Pools
Swing Sets
Trees
Terracing
Fences
Basketball Hoops

What about 8-1-1?

Homeowners or builders are encouraged to “Call Before You Dig” before beginning any kind of excavation project. When you call 811, you’ll be connected to the nearest of 62 US offices which can help you identify the location of any nearby underground utility lines. An incredibly helpful service, very few Americans are aware of it—in 2010, a government survey showed that fewer than 5 percent of Americans knew what happened if you dialed 811.

What’s worse is that the people that do know about 811 assume it’s an all-stop-shop for water line location. It’s not! 811 can tell you where all publicly-installed water, sewer, and power lines are, but there are often generations of privately-installed lines on properties of various ages and material. It is very common for us to discover lines that neither property owner nor the city government knows about. Even if you’re certain where your water main is located, there could be other hidden threats like septic tanks, power lines, or old sprinkler systems beneath the yard.

Water Service Line Locating is Best Left to the Experts

We have specialized equipment that will locate your lines before your backhoe does. Many people think that they’re able to locate a line on their own with a metal detector, but a metal detector won’t pick up PVC or PEX pipe. We will find every kind of pipe in your yard, and mark your property with painted lines so you’ll be able to stake, map, or mark them for future reference.

Other Location Services

It’s also important to note that you can accidentally puncture a pipe that’ s indoors, too. It’s common to hear stories of a carpet installer putting a nail through a radiant heating pipe in the floor, or a cabinet installer accidentally drilling through the PVC pipe in the wall. This is a nightmare, especially because this means removing a large section of your wall or floor to fix the small hole, and the immediate result is often that everything near the hole gets soaked. This can ruin rugs or furniture, or even worse damaging the wooden frame of your home. Don’t risk this! If you aren’t sure where the plumbing lines in your house are, give us a call and we’ll identify them for you so you can drill with an easy mind.

Resources

How to Find a Leak in Your Water Service Line

Many homeowners don’t think about water line locations until a leak problem requires a reason to inspect and locate the water line.

Best Leak Detection Methods For the Home

Different areas of a home or commercial building will require alternative methods of leak detection. This is determined by size, location and conditions of the building. Educate yourself on construction and where your water is coming from.