Don’t let a buried pipe or cable keep you from performing your job. If you need to bury your own cable or dig a foundation, a pipe locator can help improve the safety of your project.
A pipe and cable locator is used when one or more accessories related to a heating oil tank are visible, but the location of the tank itself is not known. A pipe and cable locator consist of two parts. One part is a battery powered signal emitter that is clipped to the visually accessible accessory. The other is a wand that is programmed to seek out the signal being emitted. Limitations to this method include, but are not limited to areas where no accessories are visually/physically observed or accessible.
The basic premise behind an underground utility locator is that it works by producing and transmitting a signal onto a utility that is metallic that the receiver can detect. A signal (measured in kHz or Hz) can be produced by a transmitter and is sent through the utility by either conductive or inductive means.
“Conductive” means a direct connect connection such as alligator clips. “Inductive” means the signal is “induced” onto the metallic utility line with an induction clamp which is secured or clamped around the utility line but does not connect metal to metal as the conductive alligator clip does. Inductive is great when you don’t have access or ability to do a direct connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you can see old fill or vent pipes but don’t know where the tank itself is located. Tracing the connected lines often leads to the tank.
A signal is placed on a metallic pipe or cable, and a receiver follows that signal to map its path underground.
Visible accessories are a common clue that a tank may still be present. Locating the full system reduces uncertainty before purchase.
It only works on metallic lines that are accessible for connection or induction. Non-metallic or completely buried systems without access points cannot be traced this way.
Rarely. It is most effective when combined with ground-penetrating radar and magnetic locating.
No. The process is non-invasive.
It helps confirm or rule out the presence of a connected underground tank so financial and liability surprises are minimized.
We document the path of the traced lines and how they relate to other findings on the property.
Home buyers, real estate professionals, and owners dealing with older properties that once used oil heat.
We use pipe and cable locating as part of a practical search strategy and explain how the results fit into the bigger picture of the property.
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