FAQ
Have Questions?
When it comes to our private undergroud utility locating services, we know you have questions, and we have answers!
It is a good idea to contact both 811 plus a private locator, because the 811 service will only mark those utilities that are owned by public utility companies, which many times means from the street and up to the meter only. Anything between the meter and the building is owned by the property owner, which is then considered private utilities that 811 will not mark.
Unlike most private locators, The Utility Detective uses state of the art equipment using both GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) and Electromagnetic Detection technologies. The analyst explains the utility markings to customers. Moreover, the analyst advises that parameters for cutting/trenching/digging should be no closer than 3’ on each side of the center of the utility marker. Although the analyst cant provide exact depths, he/she can discuss approximates with a 10-15% margin of error.
The technologies themselves cannot determine the type of utility that is being located. That said, our expert analysts can determine the type of utilities as long as there are visible marks such as meter box, stub up, drain, manhole or cover within the proximity of the line. Those lines that can be identified will be marked by the standardized color set by the APWA. The analyst would use hot pink to mark those lines that have no visible signs of what type of utility is it.
Yes. This all depends on the size of the pipe, depth, and soil type.
This can be true. Clay soil or soil with high water content can affect the GPR data and output. This is because water is conductive and once the radar picks up the moisture, it makes it tough to “read” beyond the water barrier. The best approach is to speak to the analyst that is local to the area of the project, to better discuss the conditions of the soil in that area, as well as other options we may have.
