How to find mains gas etc before digging footings
- Thread starter Johnboy54
- Start date
the only two people i know are pot and luck.
i have had to physically dig the route of a steel gas main in order to show transco where the pipe actually is!
you have absolutely no hope of any of the 'main three' showing up to date records, or any records for that matter, of accurate domestic supplies.
historically though, the water main may follow the sewer drain trench as may the electric.
the gas is usually a direct route to the meter or as near as dammit. this would apply to an early steel main where fitting bends would be time consuming and hard work.
i have had to physically dig the route of a steel gas main in order to show transco where the pipe actually is!
you have absolutely no hope of any of the 'main three' showing up to date records, or any records for that matter, of accurate domestic supplies.
historically though, the water main may follow the sewer drain trench as may the electric.
the gas is usually a direct route to the meter or as near as dammit. this would apply to an early steel main where fitting bends would be time consuming and hard work.
Thanks for the reply, noseall.
Speaking to someone tonight, they reckon that as the house is fairly new - 13 years old - there will be yellow tape about 1 foot above each service. If the digger hits the tape, he'll know where it is!
Allegedly.
I realised the suppliers are exactly that - just the suppliers.
That's why I wondered if anyone knew which local Authourity department kept records.
From what you say, they are related to that other set of twins - suckit and see.
I foolishly thought someone would build a house and draw where the pipes/cables were as a matter of course.
These would be kept with the deeds.
For a small fee the owner of the house could look at them.
Did I mention I still believe in Santa?
The mains drainage isn't a problem, as it's about 8 feet down.
Thank you for your help.
John.
Speaking to someone tonight, they reckon that as the house is fairly new - 13 years old - there will be yellow tape about 1 foot above each service. If the digger hits the tape, he'll know where it is!
Allegedly.
I realised the suppliers are exactly that - just the suppliers.
That's why I wondered if anyone knew which local Authourity department kept records.
From what you say, they are related to that other set of twins - suckit and see.
I foolishly thought someone would build a house and draw where the pipes/cables were as a matter of course.
These would be kept with the deeds.
For a small fee the owner of the house could look at them.
Did I mention I still believe in Santa?
The mains drainage isn't a problem, as it's about 8 feet down.
Thank you for your help.
John.
I work for a company that digs the road up for telecomms companies when they want more cables installed.
Services to houses ARE NOT normally shown on Utility prints - i.e. no one knows.
Hand dig with care (read HS Guidance note 47 "Avoiding Danger from Underground Services" your local library should have a copy.
Or hire a CAT and hand dig with care.
ONLY when you know where the services are (i.e. you have hand dug a holes to identify its route) should you use an excavator.
The electricity supply from the sub-station is not fused at a level that gives any degree of safety.
Water is not difficult - there will be a stop valbve in the pavement and one in the house, PROBABLY a straight line between.
Gas and electricity will PROBABLY run from boundary with road to meters.
All should be a reasonable depth and some should be marked with tape BUT DON'T rely on it.
[/b][/u]
Services to houses ARE NOT normally shown on Utility prints - i.e. no one knows.
Hand dig with care (read HS Guidance note 47 "Avoiding Danger from Underground Services" your local library should have a copy.
Or hire a CAT and hand dig with care.
ONLY when you know where the services are (i.e. you have hand dug a holes to identify its route) should you use an excavator.
The electricity supply from the sub-station is not fused at a level that gives any degree of safety.
Water is not difficult - there will be a stop valbve in the pavement and one in the house, PROBABLY a straight line between.
Gas and electricity will PROBABLY run from boundary with road to meters.
All should be a reasonable depth and some should be marked with tape BUT DON'T rely on it.
[/b][/u]
Just when I thought it was safe to go back into the water!
Hand dig?
With my back?
Looks like asking the lad doing the footings to scrape the top tarmac and concrete off, then hand dig down.
My dad's pockets are getting shallower with every post!
Thank you.
I think.
John
Hand dig?
With my back?
Looks like asking the lad doing the footings to scrape the top tarmac and concrete off, then hand dig down.
My dad's pockets are getting shallower with every post!
Thank you.
I think.
John
Depends whether you want to risk hitting what is almost an un-fused 240 volt supply . . . . .
or the wrath of the woman of the house when she loses her power (and hence TV, telephone and hot water)!
You only need to identify where they are by hand digging, then you can do the rest with the machine.
or the wrath of the woman of the house when she loses her power (and hence TV, telephone and hot water)!
You only need to identify where they are by hand digging, then you can do the rest with the machine.
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how skilled is the digger driver?
i have come across services in the past, some i have broken some not.
you can hire digging buckets without picks, which helps.
rather than plunge the bucket in just tease layers off at a time.
i have come across services in the past, some i have broken some not.
you can hire digging buckets without picks, which helps.
rather than plunge the bucket in just tease layers off at a time.
When he's sober he's not bad.
Seriously, I don't know.
It's a lad I've known for 20 years that's always been a brickie.
I know he's done a few jobs like this at least.
I'll be there, so I'll make sure he goes steady.
Thanks.
John
Seriously, I don't know.
It's a lad I've known for 20 years that's always been a brickie.
I know he's done a few jobs like this at least.
I'll be there, so I'll make sure he goes steady.
Thanks.
John
Even if you were lucky enough to find plans, they would not be reliable. they are almost certain to be "as-planned" routes and not "as-dug"
The workman only has to find an unexpected lump of concrete in the ground, or an old drain, and he will divert.
Also if he is distracted by ogling the girlies as he works, or unable to read a map, or trying to keep out of the wind or rain.
If a cable is excessively long, they sometimes bury the spare loop in the ground rather than cut and pull it straight.
I formerly worked in an organisation that for certain purposes used a SatNav device to record the actual as-dug routes of things after they had beeen placed in the ground, but this is very unusual.
The workman only has to find an unexpected lump of concrete in the ground, or an old drain, and he will divert.
Also if he is distracted by ogling the girlies as he works, or unable to read a map, or trying to keep out of the wind or rain.
If a cable is excessively long, they sometimes bury the spare loop in the ground rather than cut and pull it straight.
I formerly worked in an organisation that for certain purposes used a SatNav device to record the actual as-dug routes of things after they had beeen placed in the ground, but this is very unusual.
oh, by the way, whatever you do, DO NOT dig through a fibre optic cable.
it will cost ££££££££££!
you the householder are responsible for supplying as much information as is required by the digger operator, in order to carry out a safe trouble free dig.
it will cost ££££££££££!
you the householder are responsible for supplying as much information as is required by the digger operator, in order to carry out a safe trouble free dig.
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