Locate Pipe Underground

[Wamsutta]

What's the best way to locate a clay pipe 5 feet under the ground? Is there a way to do it without paying a plumber several hundred dollars to use his sonar thing? The last time the plumber did that, he didn't even know exactly where the pipe was; he just gave me a general idea. I know it's 5 feet underground because if I stick my tape measure into the clean-out T, the tape measure says 5 feet when it hits the bottom of the T. Right now is the perfect time of year to be digging. The soil is nice a soft from all the rain and moisture.

 

[bigfunwmu]

Know a couple kids who are getting shovels for Christmas?


Having been one of those kids, it seems to get the job done...

 

[djbmw]

What's the best way to locate a clay pipe 5 feet under the ground? Is there a way to do it without paying a plumber several hundred dollars to use his sonar thing? The last time the plumber did that, he didn't even know exactly where the pipe was; he just gave me a general idea. I know it's 5 feet underground because if I stick my tape measure into the clean-out T, the tape measure says 5 feet when it hits the bottom of the T. Right now is the perfect time of year to be digging. The soil is nice a soft from all the rain and moisture.

Really the only non-destrictive way is with a locator. There are many types of locators with varying accuracy, depth capabilities, and cost.
Personally, i would use a Radio Detection Locator and send a becon into the pipe for the locator to pick up on. My locator has extremely good accuracy and, at 5' of depth, I can tell you EXACTLY where the tile is, to a 1/8".

There are consumer grade detectors that you can buy on amazon and vevor... but i cant vouch for them.

 

[Ing3018]

You can purchase a locator kit with a sensor and transmitter. You fish the transmitter down the pipe and trace the pipe's location on the ground above. Here's an example, though I know nothing about this specific unit: Pipe Locator

 

[Death Row Dave]

Google Pipe Horn Locator , I wish I lived near you , I have one and would help you

 

[Firebrick43]

Pipe Horn Locator , I wish I lived near you , I have one and would help you

Since the pipe is clay, its only going to work if you can somehow stick a metal wire of some type down it. Not a very likely possibility for an old clay tile.

 

[Death Row Dave]

Fish tape is your friend .

 

[Jim greengo]

2 pieces of bent coat hanger can get you pretty close.

 

[PCustoms]

You know the clean out location?

Which end are you trying to find?

 

[Toold_up]

2 pieces of bent coat hanger can get you pretty close.

I have used dowsing rods (bent romex) and have been more accurate than the city blueprints...

Also found an abandoned septic tank that our excavator would have found otherwise!

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I've been able to probe pipes that deep. Having an idea where it is helps.

I've been able to probe some that were pretty deep. Example probe

 

[Wamsutta]

You know the clean out location?

Which end are you trying to find?

I'm trying to find both ends. The clean out location is about part way between the house and the street. The plumber has to go both directions with the cable auger when he comes to clean out the pipe; one direction towards the house, and the other direction towards the street. Getting that cable auger to make the bend and the bottom of the T is a skill all to itself.

 

[PCustoms]

I'm trying to find both ends. The clean out location is about part way between the house and the street. The plumber has to go both directions with the cable auger when he comes to clean out the pipe; one direction towards the house, and the other direction towards the street. Getting that cable auger to make the bend and the bottom of the T is a skill all to itself.

Wouldn't one end be inside the house, and the other end in the sewer?

I'd think the plumber would only be able to access the "start" of the pipe in the house, and then again at the clean out.

 

[Toold_up]

Wouldn't one end be inside the house, and the other end in the sewer?

I'd think the plumber would only be able to access the "start" of the pipe in the house, and then again at the clean out.

Sometimes the pipes have bends between point A and point B

 

[Jim greengo]

Take out the single,and install a double clean out.
We normally install them about 4' outside of footing.

 

[PCustoms]

Sometimes the pipes have bends between point A and point B

He said he's trying to find the ends, who cares about bends?

 

[nadogail]

I used Cable Pipe and Leak detection with their Ground Penetrating Radar.

A good Metal Detector will find a buried Fish Tape.

 

[no704]

Pretty sure you can rent the camera snakes that have a hand held locator. I paid a plumber $250 to run one down my main sewer.

 

[Jim greengo]

I used Cable Pipe and Leak detection with their Ground Penetrating Radar.

A good Metal Detector will find a buried Fish Tape.

Do you really want to shove your fishtape down a sewer? Hahaha

 

[Toold_up]

Why are you trying to locate the line? Are you replacing the terracotta with PVC?

What's the holdup? Mini excavator time!

 

[Wamsutta]

Wouldn't one end be inside the house, and the other end in the sewer?

I'd think the plumber would only be able to access the "start" of the pipe in the house, and then again at the clean out.

One end of the pipe starts between the two bathrooms I'm assuming. The bathrooms are on the street side of the house. The other end of the clay pipe is under the city sidewalk next to the street somewhere. The clean out was originally by the front of the house I would imagine. A section of the clay pipe was cut out where the tree destroyed it. A section of 4 inch ABS was installed using those rubber sleeves with the giant worm clamps. The clean out was moved to that ABS section in the form of a 4 inch Tee. I sure wish I had a plumbing blueprint from when the house was built.

 

[ER70S-2]

Hire a utility locate company and have them use GPR.

 

[bluedog225]

I suspect at some point you’re going to want to replace the whole deal with PVC. Get a fresh start.

 

[American Locomotive]

Check Google Maps satellite view or the Bing Maps "birds eye" view. You may be able to see a line in the vegetation that traces the path of the pipe, especially if you know where the cleanout is. Grass, weeds, etc.. will grow noticeably different above buried pipes, even decades later. Either due to heat, moisture, or the disturbed soil being a different composition than the surrounding soil.

Also, if you can see to the bottom of the cleanout, just look at what direction the ends of the tee are pointed. Generally sewer connections are made as straight as possible.

Another thing to keep in mind, you don't need to know "exactly" where the pipe is. The whole you dig is probably going to be a few feet wide anyways if you're going 5 feet down.

 

[Wamsutta]

Why are you trying to locate the line? Are you replacing the terracotta with PVC?

What's the holdup? Mini excavator time!

That terracota needs to come out. The tree has taken ownership of the terracotta sewer pipe. The tree has also taken owership of something underneath the city sidewalk. About a 15 foot section of city sidewalk is completely lifted off the ground. You can easily see the bottom of the sidewalk. Tree roots run the whole length under the sidewalk. Looks like anaconda snakes supporting the sidewalk.

A mini excavator would be perfect if the tree wasn't there. The tree has roots going everywhere that are about 20 inches in circumference. The trunk is 80 inches in circumference. Ginormous ash tree with a constant supply of city water coming from somewhere.

 

[Wamsutta]

I suspect at some point you’re going to want to replace the whole deal with PVC. Get a fresh start.

Yes. A whole new ABS sewer pipe and a whole new PVC Schedule 80 water line.

 

[PCustoms]

That terracota needs to come out. The tree has taken ownership of the terracotta sewer pipe. The tree has also taken owership of something underneath the city sidewalk. About a 15 foot section of city sidewalk is completely lifted off the ground. You can easily see the bottom of the sidewalk. Tree roots run the whole length under the sidewalk. Looks like anaconda snakes supporting the sidewalk.

A mini excavator would be perfect if the tree wasn't there. The tree has roots going everywhere that are about 20 inches in circumference. The trunk is 80 inches in circumference. Ginormous ash tree with a constant supply of city water coming from somewhere.

I don't get the need to locate if it's being replaced.

Start digging at a known point and go from there, laying PVC as you go

 

[Wamsutta]

I don't get the need to locate if it's being replaced.

Start digging at a known point and go from there, laying PVC as you go

What I'll probably have to do is intersect the clean out Tee with a trench coming in perpendicular to the clean out Tee. That's the only section of sewer pipe I have located. The water line already has a trench dug above it. I think the sewer pipe and the water line are in the same trench but with the sewer pipe way deeper than the water line.

 

[dscheidt]

That terracota needs to come out. The tree has taken ownership of the terracotta sewer pipe

There are people who specialize in replacing sewer pipes in place, using an expanding liner that bursts the exsiting clay pipe. Works pretty well, little or no digging involved (the ends sometimes require hands on work, so need a hole in the street, maybe.)

 

[nadogail]

Do you really want to shove your fishtape down a sewer? Hahaha

I can wipe my fish tape with a disinfectant, and follow up the sanitation by wiping with an oily rag.

 

[Semi-hole mechanic]

2 pieces of bent coat hanger can get you pretty close.

I was gonna say two pieces of no. 9 wire bent in an L. Dad would use no.9 wire to witch for broken clay field tile when he farmed. Just hold them loosely and they’ll cross when you are over the tile.

 

[Jim greengo]

I can wipe my fish tape with a disinfectant, and follow up the sanitation by wiping with an oily rag.

No thanks,I've dug up enough sewers over the years. Hahaha

 

[American Locomotive]

Am I missing something? If you're going to be tearing it up and replacing it all, why do you even need to locate anything? Just start at the clean out, no?

 

[Toold_up]

You are over thinking this.

You know the trench is 5' down. Dig 4' then very carefully remove a few inches checking for P stone or the water line that you do not want to destroy. Pipes should be bedded in small stone to protect them. Once you hit stone it's time to go slow.

As long as there are no electric or gas lines this is an easy job. Oh and don't go into a trench that is 5' deep without a trench box. If there is a cave in the pressure from the dirt will cause the blood to rush up your body and can pop you like a water balloon, or compress your diaphragm and suffocate you. OSHA standards and stuff...

 

[Toold_up]

There are people who specialize in replacing sewer pipes in place, using an expanding liner that bursts the exsiting clay pipe. Works pretty well, little or no digging involved (the ends sometimes require hands on work, so need a hole in the street, maybe.)

I've done burst jobs before, that is cool stuff. I love the sound as the cracker goes down the line. It looks like a giant broadhead that they pull through the pipe from one end to the other with a wire rope. The pipe is one continuous flexible line that is fusion welded to totally seal it. Expensive, but cheaper than cutting up a newly poured driveway or pool.

 

[PMD1966]

Hire a utility locate company and have them use GPR.

In my area, the utility companies have a service called MISS DIG. Call them and they will come out and identify any underground lines. They then mark them with different colored flags.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Are you replacing the line or hiring it out ? If you're hiring it out, let them earn their money.

 

[ER70S-2]

In my area, the utility companies have a service called MISS DIG. Call them and they will come out and identify any underground lines. They then mark them with different colored flags.

Same here, but they usually don't mark on private property or have fancy equipment like GPR.

 

[rharman]

I've been able to probe pipes that deep. Having an idea where it is helps.

I've been able to probe some that were pretty deep. Example probe

This part of the description of that probe cracked me up:

For example, this tool works well for locating underground items like caskets.........