Easy Method for Locating a Sewer Line Under a Concrete Slab

There are a few different methods that can be used to locate a sewer line under a finished slab. One method that may be effective is to use a pipe locator device, which can help to determine the general location of the sewer line. To use this method, you will need to have access to a pipe locator device, which can be rented or purchased from a plumbing supply store.
Paulk Workbench Plans: thesmartwoodsh...

[@possabilitiesunited648]

I had no idea that Robert Redford was such a handyman, as well as film producer. Fantastic tips too! :D

[@christosvolikakis1523]

I can’t tell you how much of a headache you saved me as i’ve been asking around to a bunch of contractors and subcontractors how to locate underground MD schedule 80 utility Pape that was laid underneath concrete for a project before we closed up a ditch. My general contractor never marked the end points on our final drawings Are now a decade or more later when I want to run additional utilities, it’s been frustrating to have to figure out how to do this by searching KZbin😂

[@HBSuccess]

Ron - trick I learned from 'Mike Guertin - once you locate the pipe ( or anything) laser UP w your PL and mark with tape on the ceiling. Easier to relocate than from the walls and always there for reference. Great vid - I look forward to your stuff.

[@possabilitiesunited648]

That's a great tip Tioga if you are simply only using it for a cut reference, where as Mr. Redford may have been using the information to add or modify existing floor plans, for records purposes, in which case measurements from the walls would be the appropriate solution.

[@martylts]

Great tip Ron! Thank you from one contractor to another for all your great tips and videos.

[@ttfweb1]

I had never heard of this technology before. Thanks.

[@johnhamilton1429]

Great video Ron! ....a method I could have used many times....Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@NateCougill]

Always a treat benefiting from your knowledge and experience, Ron. Thanks for this job-saver.

[@curmudgeonrose1780]

Ron, you are a legend.

[@michaelh5532]

I'm going to need to do this for a client's new basement kitchen and bathroom this winter. Was going to hire my plumber. Thanks for the tip!!

[@bobd.]

Make sure you disinfect your fish tape BEFORE you retrieve it into t he reel. Else you will have contaminated the whole thing. I would not use a fish tape. If you plan to do this more than once get a cheap fish that you can dedicate to this work, and you'll still want to clean it with disinfectant. Are you planning to do all the plumbing work yourself? If you're going to hire a plumber then let him do the locating and save the cost of the rental as he most likely already has all the equipment needed and knows how to use it. Zero learning curve = zero mistakes. Yes, it's not rocket science but Ron wants to minimize damage to the property. One way to do that is let those that know how to do something do it and stick to your crown molding and cabinet work. And I mean that politely not disrespectfully.

[@michaelh5532]

@@bobd. Lol. This was five years ago.

[@pradeeppallan2232]

Informative video, and I have a question. Does this tool work for cast iron pipes (sewer), and copper pipes? Does it also indicate the depth? Which tool rental did you get Pipehorn from? My nearby HD don’t have this tool or similar (Ridgid). Thanks

[@deezynar]

I hadn't heard of this device before. Thanks. It is possible to make an educated guess about their locations by finding out where the public sewer is, locate the grade clean outs, all the plumbing fixtures, and the sewer vents above the roof. If you understand that plumbers try to use the least amount of pipe, you can get pretty close to where the line is. A machine like this is obviously much better, but if you don't have one, you can come close.

[@brucekeys7972]

P

[@possabilitiesunited648]

True, but be aware that even educated guessing could lead to a wild goose hunt and many repairs, as pipes will often bend in 90 degree directions for various reasons known usually only to the builders at the time of building.

[@LightGesture]

This is genius. Thanks for this! This is going to seriously help me out!!

[@Retroweld]

Nice job Ron. Great video.

[@237Prometheus]

Great video. Learned lots. Thanks for making my upcoming project easier.

[@kenlangdon505]

Will this work for old cast-iron pipe buried in the yard

[@johnmca5643]

Thanks....that was a great explanation.

[@bburnsga]

Way cool! I'd never heard of this technology!

[@MrMoronification]

Yeah, I've had plumbers locate lines with similar equipment. Thanks for the video!

[@bibiisinnewyork]

Really Helpful! Thanks Ron!

[@ysomany]

Great video Just a note typically when you plug the transmitter it will not matter if you are above the sewer line as it works in direct connection mode (alligator clips) once you unplug it goes into induction mode where the transmitter induces a current from the box. Also you want to ground at 90 degrees to the suspected path of the line. Last you will want to ground as far away from the rebar in your concrete as possible as a signal can distort, bleed or couple with rebar. I have never traced a sewer line thanks it was informative.

[@pradeeppallan2232]

Thanks for the video. Does the pipehorn help to trace cast iron sewer lines? Can the tool also trace copper water lines? Thanks

[@joecox9958]

the key is the detector, but you didn't give link or brand but give a woodworking plan, why?

[@danielmills4455]

Ok, but unfortunately not one of the 13 tool rental companies I called carries the pipe horn, nor the RIDGID version. I couldn’t find one anywhere in my state. Price to purchase one exceeds $1,000. My plumber doesn’t have one and in fact has never heard of it. Soooooo, how ELSE can I locate my sewer line under my slab?

[@cal-monnejoei2219]

Call this number( 205)956-3710 and talk to Bryan Lumpkins he will help you regarding pipehorn locators.

[@AwesomeWoodThings]

Great technique! Thanks for sharing Ron!

[@wilsonjr5713]

Just call 811 to request a locate for your property When the locator arrives offer him a few bucks and he will locate anything for you.. I’ve been a utility locator for 23 years and have done it many times for homeowners and plumbers. Definitely cheaper than renting or purchasing

[@acvg11]

Does 811 work for any US state? Thanks!

[@andrewtimothy8571]

Great advice! I have provided lunch and beers for more than one helpful "utility" locator subcontractor"

[@andrewtimothy8571]

You can run it down the vent on the roof

[@wilsonjr5713]

Augusto Getirana Yes 811 is nation wide

[@acihawaii]

Have equipment similar to yours and also the one with a sonde 512mh signal

[@steven.woodward]

Can you tell how far the pipe is below the concrete? I have a half basement crawl space and my concern is that the pipe may be 6 feet below the concrete. I would like to know that before breaking the concrete

[@redhen689]

I’d look at your clean out. To check the depth.

[@denafreedman223]

Hi Ron, your video popped up in my search, but it is actually unrelated to one i am going through. I was hoping maybe you can steer me in the right direction. So yesterday i noticed a bad smell in my home office, i flipped the area rug over and it is wet! Also the laminate flooring in a small section seems to be slightly elevated. So i am perplexed because i have so many bills and a mortgage and it is hard to find an honest plumber in my neck of the woods! So the area of the carpet that was wet is very close to the wall outside that i connect my water hose to, i dont know if that is where it is coming from. I read if pipes are ran through house then i don't need to worry about slab leaks, i am quite confused. I think it may be isolated to this one pipe but then i dont know if it is a slab leak, i don't even know if piped in my house are ran through wall our under slab! so perplexed and overwhelmed. Can you give me some advice on this? I did see a video where i can check my meter so i will do that tomorrow. Thank you so much for this video. Ignore the mean comments about how long your video is, it is nice for you to post stuff to help others :) Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

[@usol123]

Hello, how to buy the that tool in canada, what is name ? I need to detect the drain hole in bassement. Thanks.

[@SteveandDawn]

Just curious, why not do this after the carpet is lifted thus saving the need for measuring from walls? Thank you, I always learn something from your channel.

[@martylts]

+SteveFWIW There are two good reasons for knowing were the existing plumbing is located at this stage. One, it can affect the cost of the job. The more concrete he has to break up to attach the plumbing, the higher the cost. Two, it can change the overall design. I have seen many a time were a wall, outlet, door, etc got moved a little just because of another item.

[@possabilitiesunited648]

Steve, old question but still a good one, and since the OP hasn't yet responded, I might suggest it all had to do with timing, as their is obviously much work yet to do before the carpet can come up. And so it may have been more convenient for him to rent the equipment while he was at the correct store, rather than having to make a trip back to the rental store after the carpet is up. Possibly he would also mark the walls in order to later transfer those measurements to proper building prints, etc. And finally it could be to just make sure that if he forgets what the measurements were, they will be there for his or other's future reference. Hope that helps ;)

[@possabilitiesunited648]

Martlylts, I didn't see your reply before responding, but I absolutely agree that finding this stuff out sooner than later is the best decision he could have made. As you say, it is possible that he may have found the pipes to be in locations that would be more costly to access, and therefore it's better to have that critical information upfront, and to convey that info to all interested parties before prematurely making destructive decisions. Really the best video I've seen on the subject.

[@TheBcraytor]

@@possabilitiesunited648 also may have saved pulling up ALL the carpet. They only needed to pull up that which was indicated by the plumbing placement.

[@rosemariemoore3831]

Where did you rent the plumbers horn

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

It has been a while, but I think it was Home Depot😎🤙

[@binnsh]

How deep can this thing find the signal?

[@tcer4848]

Will this work for cast iron pipe

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Yes

[@tcer4848]

Ok thank you .where did you rent it

[@GULF-BANK]

Who cleans the copper wiring after being put in the sewer Ron? I've been doing this technique for a while, but I ain't putting my copper wire in the sewer. It's got to go back in the truck

[@bishnupoudel4435]

Thanks for a video can you please tell me how much it will cost to get a connection to sewer if I want to built a new toilet this new toilet is in backward!!!!

[@MBScott10002]

Thanks for the info...

[@ctmoney99]

Ron question on your portable woodshop. Did you block off the side door or is it still accessible ? Thanks, I'm starting my own business and just purchased a trailer exactly like yours. Love your videos .Thanks again

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

+tom rowed Hi Tom, I did block off the side door on my trailer. I also screwed it shut around the frame inside. I purchased the trailer off a lot with the door already installed. Had I order a custom trailer, I would have saved the money and ordered without the door.

[@ctmoney99]

Thanks so much for responding so quickly. I plan on buying your plans for work bench and work station, and sharing your videos with fellow carpenter's. Thanks again.

[@mark1952able]

Very cool! Thank you!

[@niwty]

If people know anyone who works for a utility company then they may be able to borrow a similar device to this if they ask them nicely. All utility workers would or should have access to this equipment if they are digging where there is a possibility of underground electric cables.I use something like this at work here in the UK to find electric mains cables underground. The device I have is made by CAT and is essentially a cable locating device but has settings for Radio, which detects normal radio signals reflected off underground metal (keep it away from your steel toecap boots though! 😳) Power, which detects the EMF from live underground cables and Genny which detects the generated signal when connected to a faulted (dead) cable. The metal fish tape in this video is acting in a similar way to a dead faulty cable as you cannot detect plastic or ceramic/earthenware underground. Nice idea but note. It won't work with a plastic or nylon fish tape!.

[@possabilitiesunited648]

niwty, I think the fish tape was just to pull the wire which gave off the appropriate frequency, as I thought the video clearly demonstrated.

[@longpinkytoes]

the first method involved placing the yellow brick thing over something that could propagate signal. the second (better) method he describes involves attaching the fish tape as an electrical lead. the second method also required taking the extra precaution of grounding the device (he says all this) (@Poseable United)

[@mshinn13]

The CAT is made by Radio Detection and the passive radio mode is not affect by steel toe boots, neither is passive power mode. Not sure where you got your information....hope you’re not locating utilities for a living

[@rudycheese6762]

does this unit wks.on finding water pipes made out of pex ?

[@hemingchan6596]

What is the name of the device?

[@jeffreyswanson3798]

Good video brother but it's hard to hear you

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Sorry about that

[@Truth_Revealed786]

Bro you have time writing me an essay wtf 😂😂

[@idavis2046]

pffffttt rodo plumber ad toooo cute! best, inee marie Davis- Hopkins

[@JungleYT]

Plumbers usually run a snake looking thing down the line like a sewer camera, except it's a bulb on the end. Then they walk above ground looking for the bulb or probe signal. That's what they did for our sewer line... No Fish tape

[@TheBcraytor]

Just run a normal metal clog snake up the plumbing. No need for a fish tape, although fish tapes are more compact and easier to handle than the auger reel.

[@rusosure7]

Robert Culp apparently has NOT left the building.

[@kenkinnally6144]

No guest appearance by Bill Cosby though. Maybe that's a good thing?

[@samhoskins8706]

Demonstration was good, but cut the explanation by two thirds. Cut to the chase.

[@tchakeemn]

I got lost

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Sam, concision isn't my style.😎

[@phyxlor]

ive learned to watch most tutorials in 1.25-1.7 speed depending on how much talking there seems to be. then ill slow it down if/when it comes to important terms/words or instructions. ;)

[@johnmca5643]

I thought it was perfect. Good job.

[@MD-wq6on]

I got to 3:10 and then I was over all the bla bla bla.

[@ralphedelbach]

Would have been good to include the name and model of the particular device you used. Good video otherwise. THX

[@steviejoraemesser4232]

Did you figure out what it is

[@stanlosh]

Just run electricians tape or a plumbing snake down from the roof vent. It is a large straight pipe.

[@possabilitiesunited648]

Other than the fact that vent pipes often make 90 degree turns both inside and outside of the house, Could you better explain just how exactly running a tape or snake down the vent pipe would allow you pinpoint the location of sewer line in the middle of a floor?

[@konotreal7126]

Get a copy of the blue print is easier,

[@plumbcrazy375]

Inside a house is waste line not a sewer until 2 ft out of a house

[@jeffreylonigro1382]

You can rent a camera and locator from Home Depot.

[@jsand8301]

So the next time you build a new house plan for a kitchen and plumb in all your lines before you pour the slab.

[@leonardball5067]

Please keep the mic. the same distance from your mouth so the audio works.

[@johna2327]

If you are going to use a mice on your lapel, please don't keep turning your head back and forth. Drives us crazy with the volume getting loud and quiet. Thanks for the info. Great info, but I just couldn't stand the volume changing. Only watched 2 thirds of the video. I didn't want to wake up my room mate.

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Toni, the brand is Pipehorn www.pipehorn.com

[@rocket625]

the sound on this makes you angry

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

A lot easier to use a pair of dowsing rods. You can make them out of metal coat hangers. Just walk over and they will cross where the pipe is.

[@shoaibakhtar8419]

Confuse

[@andrewtimothy8571]

You can run your tape down the vent that terminates out the rooftop. To save your rental fee.. try the ancient method of "darning." Darning rods can easily be made from copper romex wires or a metal coat hanger.

[@cassidymichael7380]

That thing sounds like my girlfriend

[@Cherokee10g]

you are well appreciated, but it is a bit annoying as you speak you turn your head your voice goes up and down as we try to hear what you are saying, so every time you turn your head we miss parts of your message , I'm sure you will get better as you make more videos.

[@boardwalkbw7130]

Get on w it

[@anthonymaschi6911]

Way too much flapping of the gums!!

[@frognuts69]

you're losing viewers, you could wrap this up in 2 mins.......if you didn't want the ads to run

[@gotshirts2ink]

nice video but you need to learn more aboug your mic. evertime you turn your head your voice fades away

[@jacksonnra1856]

They are putting the carpet back with an island?? Do they have carpet in the bathroom too?? Haha ..Gross

[@dandixon4034]

Ttm ,get on

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Dan, I don't know what you are saying?

[@dandixon4034]

Too much Face Time and explanation need to get to the point

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

@@dandixon4034 Oh! it was a critique. Thanks.

[@martingriego6800]

It wud be pointless to fix a piece of pipe and breaking ur slab, other leaks will follow , not gud way

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

gud to know😎

[@vikings844]

If your going to make a video make sure you have a good mic! Highly annoying

[@doctorstrange1734]

Thats not simple.

[@bryanrobin2952]

Learn to talk and get to the point

[@Truth_Revealed786]

Nice video but you talk too much, that's the only problem

[@Pensacola-Handyman]

I didn't really find anything simple about this. Finding that tool is almost impossible. So simple is not running into your backyard and finding two hickory branches.

[@andrewpelletier1199]

😊 lol, I love how folks who create no videos to share their knowledge with others are so quick to critique those who do. Good, concise videos are tough to do. Look forward to your video on how you finally located your buried sewer. I sure hope it's short 😂

[@Truth_Revealed786]

⁠@@andrewpelletier1199when you do create videos, make sure it’s short and simple. You might have time to waste not me 😂😂😂

[@andrewpelletier1199]

@@Truth_Revealed786 You miss my point: you are the one criticizing another for not saving YOU time, therefore it's on you to create the short, sweet, to the point videos that save US time 😁. Show some gratitude while you seek to be served.... More importantly, many post videos where they do the best they can WHILE SOLVING THEIR problem and then post the efforts of videotaping that so WE MAY POSSIBLY benefit. They don't have to make the effort, but they do because they are thinking of others beyond themselves, you see? All of us wish we had more time. None of us have "too much", friend. And that's why at the end of the day ALL OF US appreciate a bit of courtesy and thanks given for the efforts another makes through how we CONVEY things. Your time is valuable, mine is and definitely the video poster's is as well. We each serve ourselves AND OTHERS if we're the sort of folks others appreciate being around and hearing from----- if you seek the knowledge of others to help you save your time, then pause and remember the time they took to film and just extend a more thoughtful response in giving feedback. That guy who saved us time by posting HIS video will thank you and perhaps even consider your well said critique.... Otherwise? We will each only come to the tit of KZbin with petulant needs alone while we suckle upon it's nectar hoping to be nourished & "knowledged" & forgetting to be thankful for it's generosity and assistance. Nobody asks you to pay for the milk but at least you can return some of it's honey 🍯

[@MisterRay11]

Get to the point

[@1pixman]

Why Not Look at the House Plans Surely the Building Will have a Plan Showing Exactly Where the Plumbing is Situated. Jeez Mate i Have Worked on Building Sites and Plumbers Electricians Have to Follow a Plan. they Do not Just put the Pipes and Cables any where they Feel Like . This is Done Before the Concrete is Pored. .Or if you Know Where the Outlet and Starting Point IE Toilet is a Straight Line from One to the other is Pretty Simple. no Need to Hire any Special Equipment Just use a Floor Plan or Commonsense .and yes the Lapel Mike only works if it is close to your Mouth not when you Turn away to look at Camera.

[@billthayer5239]

Where I live the city has a 2 year retention policy on plans.

[@tomvan22]

Sure, where are you gonna get a plan for a house built in 1974?

[@ipwee]

That is sound advice. Until you come across a house like my home in the country, built in 1913.

[@longpinkytoes]

there was a telephone guy walking down the hall with a transducer for phone wires that looks more like a DIAD / Powerpad, and sounded like a toy garbage truck backing up. not sure if he needed a separate transmitter or if it could tune in to phone transmission frequencies.