Finding the rising main

[Col25]

Sounds straight forward or so I thought until I went looking. I want to cut off my lead rising main which goes under my hall and kitchen floor as I am having a new wood kitchen floor laid and I don't want to risk a burst and having to dig it all up.

I have a solid downstairs floor and I started digging where I thought it probably came into the house but I can't find it so fat. It is very difficult as the sub-floor is very compacted rubble and I don't want to put a chisel through it in the wrong place so I am going carefully and my back is also complaining!

Is there any way of locating it and telling approximately how deep it is. Any hep / suggestions appreciated.

Thanks. Col

 

[bab]

its a needle in a haystack. the only clue is to find outside stoptap where it enters the boundry & estimate which route it would take to get too where u know where it is. the correct depth is 30" but in the days of lead regs wernt followed that much Iv come across lead at 40" deep to 6" so its pot luck. Happy diggin.

 

[Nige F]

Hire a cable scan.....CAT from a hire shop. or dowse it

 

[Col25]

Hi Nige,
Really like your dowsing idea but how do you do it or are you having a laugh?
Col

 

[kevplumb]

me thinks somebody is tweaking your wire

 

[Nige F]

Hi Nige,
Really like your dowsing idea but how do you do it or are you having a laugh?
Col

OK I know I`m a joker on this forum.but I am serious on this one.....Get a wire coathanger and make 2 lengths of the wire about 12 inches long..then bend 3 inches at 90 degrees..............like 2 L shapes.........cut 2 pieces of copper tube about 6 inches long....15mm tube...........hold one tube in each hand with the wires in each tube...long bits sticking out paralell to the ground.......walk slowly keeping the wires still.they will cross over ...when they are over a buried electric cable and should do over a water pipe....I did`nt believe it myself when first showed it..

 

[2scoops0406]

Yep, it does work, don't know how. Gives no indication of depth though. Alternatively as mentioned you could use a Digicat.

 

[Col25]

Thank you for your interest and answers. Have decided to leave it for now and hope for the best.
Thanks, Col

 

[andy]

Hi Nige,
Really like your dowsing idea but how do you do it or are you having a laugh?
Col

OK I know I`m a joker on this forum.but I am serious on this one.....Get a wire coathanger and make 2 lengths of the wire about 12 inches long..then bend 3 inches at 90 degrees..............like 2 L shapes.........cut 2 pieces of copper tube about 6 inches long....15mm tube...........hold one tube in each hand with the wires in each tube...long bits sticking out paralell to the ground.......walk slowly keeping the wires still.they will cross over ...when they are over a buried electric cable and should do over a water pipe....I did`nt believe it myself when first showed it..

isnt that a ghost detector?!

 

[Nige F]

does that too