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It's a Jungle out there. Underground Utility Detection & Inspection Services

Utility Locate Services in Washington State

Aerial Drone Imagery Services in Washington State

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CNI Locates has experienced licensed drone pilots that provide aerial drone imagery services for your work area as a supplementary service in all of Washington State from our nearest field office location in Everett, Washington, Renton, Washington, Seattle, Washington, or Tacoma, WA (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, Oregon location). Our drones allow us to take high-definition aerial images/videos showing our paint/markings on the ground and the site’s conditions at the time of flight. CNI Locates drones can fly in and record immediately after we finish our utility locates. We can use these aerial images/videos to overlay images onto google earth images for underground utility mapping, so our clients have an updated/modern photo of their work area (Orthomosaic Photogrammetry). Aerial site imagery helps eliminate the need to rely on obsolete maps or satellite imagery. CNI Locates offers three different types of aerial drone imagery services.

Aerial Drone Imagery– Captures still images and videos by a remotely operated drone. This service helps provide real-time aerial pictures/videos of the work area so clients can see the site conditions upon completing the utility locating service of the project.

Orthomosaic Photogrammetry- Overlaps photos from a drone and stitches them together with distortions removed to create a complete image representation or map of a section of the earth. This service helps display site conditions at the time of flight, utility locations, depth assessments, and limitations on high-quality aerial images overlayed onto a map of the earth, so you will have a high quality, up-to-date site map instead of an antiquated low-quality google satellite map.

3D Photogrammetry- Obtains data from real-world objects by creating 3D models from photographs. 2D and 3D data are extracted from an image, and with the use of overlapping photos of the building, object, terrain, etc., the images are converted into a 3D digital model. This service is useful if you want a real-time 3D model of your site if your site does not have a 3D image available on google earth, etc.

Concrete and Structural Scanning Services in Washington State

CNI Locates field offices in Everett, WA, Renton, WA, Seattle, WA, and Tacoma, WA, that help provide concrete scanning services for the entire state of Washington (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, Oregon location). Our concrete/structural imaging and scanning technicians utilize nondestructive high-frequency ground penetrating radar antennas with a range of 1500 MHz to 2600 MHz to perform services. These GPR antennas are usually used to locate conduits, metallic objects, non-metallic objects, post-tension, rebar, voids, etc., in and under concrete. CNI Locates also performs concrete imaging, concrete slab scanning, condition assessments, and structural inspections with these GPR antennas for apartments & condominiums, builders, bridges, commercial companies, contractors, factories, high-rise buildings, homeowners, medical buildings, military facilities, municipal buildings, new construction projects, ports, renovations, restaurants, retail stores, roads & highways, warehouses, etc. Before somebody anchors, core drills, cuts, drills, excavates, jackhammers, saw cuts, etc., it is highly recommended to have those areas scanned with high-frequency GPR concrete scanning antennas or low-frequency GPR pushcart antennas, so they can protect the integrity of a structure or work area by avoiding any important features or utilities in or under the concrete while performing subsurface work. CNI Locates has ground penetrating radar antennas that don’t produce harmful radiation or by-products, making GPR safe for technicians and individuals surrounding the work area.

Electrical Ground Fault Locating Services in Washington State

A ground fault occurs when electricity has an unforeseen path to the ground. The path to the ground is resistance free and unrestricted and consequently assists the flow of charge to increase extraordinarily and rapidly.

If you have direct buried cables or wires (not in conduit), the possibility of a ground fault happening is more likely. But what should be your first step when you have an underground cable or wire that has a fault? You can contact CNI Locates to provide a fault-finding service and help identify the location of your ground fault within 24 hours’ notice, Monday through Friday. We have field offices in Tacoma, WA, Seattle, WA, Renton, WA, and Everett, WA, that service all of Washington State (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, Oregon location).

CNI Locates technicians can save you time and money by detecting where your wire is damaged or has failed underground. Furthermore, we are known for offering the most trusted and reliable ground fault-locating services in all of Washington State. Our skilled technicians use A-frame fault finders, electromagnetic transmitters, and electromagnetic receivers to identify the location(s) that need to be repaired. CNI Locates technicians are capable of locating cable-to-ground faults caused by damaged cable sheaths and can also locate damage to insulation on pipelines. This technique, known as Fault-Finding, uses specific fault-find signals (8K FF) transmitted through the cable, pipeline, or wire in question.

If you have a damaged cable, pipeline, or wire, do not dig until you know the exact location where it is damaged. It can cause expensive, frustrating, and hazardous problems if you do not locate the fault and utilities around the fault first.

Ground Penetrating Radar Services in Washington State

CNI Locates has field offices in Everett, WA, Renton, WA, Seattle, WA, and Tacoma, WA, that service all of Washington State (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, OR location). Our technicians perform ground-penetrating radar services for apartments & condominiums, archaeologists, builders, bridges, commercial companies, contractors, engineers, environmental companies, factories, high-rise buildings, homeowners, medical buildings, military facilities, municipal buildings, new construction projects, ports, renovations, restaurants, retail stores, roads & highways, surveyors, warehouses, etc., whenever subsurface work is going to be performed. CNI Locates technicians utilize nondestructive low-frequency and high-frequency ground-penetrating radar antennas with a range of 250 MHz to 2600 MHz to perform ground-penetrating radar services. These GPR antennas are typically used to locate conduits, depths of utilities, features and objects, graves, metallic objects, non-metallic objects, post-tension, rebar, septic systems, underground storage tanks (UST’s), utilities, voids, etc., in concrete and under the subsurface. Before performing subsurface work, it is highly recommended to have that area scanned by our lower frequency ground penetrating radar push carts for deeper visuals and with our high-frequency ground penetrating radar antennas (concrete scanning service) for shallower applications, so you can protect the integrity of the work area by avoiding any important features or utilities while performing subsurface work.

CNI Locates ground penetrating radar antennas offer a non-invasive method for locating hidden features, objects, or utilities, both metallic and non-metallic. It works best when there is a high contrast in the dielectric properties between the ground and the surveyed features, objects, or utilities. For this reason, metal makes the ideal target, such as rebar in the concrete or metallic utilities in the soil. However, this does not limit the potential of GPR; it can still detect a wide variety of materials below the surface. CNI Locates uses ground penetrating radar antennas that don’t produce any harmful radiation or by-products, which makes GPR safe to use for technicians and individuals surrounding the work area.

Leak Detection Services in Washington State

CNI Locates provides leak detection services for all of Washington State from our nearest field office location in Everett, Washington, Renton, Washington, Seattle, Washington, or Tacoma, Washington (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, OR location). Our technicians use amplified acoustical listening devices and tracer gas to help identify the location of leaks.

Typically, any house or building built before 1969 will have a galvanized water service that is electromagnetically locatable. If all of the underground water pipes are locatable, we will have a 99 percent success rate of finding the leak since we will be able to mark the exact location and approximate depth of the service.

Typically, any house or building built after 1969 will have a plastic water service that is not electromagnetically locatable. If you have a leak on a plastic water pipe, a plastic water locator is important for finding the location of the leak. When the pipe is not locatable with our plastic pipe detection and ground penetrating radar, the water line must be inserted with a new “steel” fish tape (to avoid putting bacteria into the line). Once the steel fish tape has been inserted into the waterpipe, we can guarantee the location that the fish tape has been inserted into the water pipe by using our electromagnetic transmitters to send a signal through the steel fish tape that we can locate with our electromagnetic receivers.

CNI Locates cannot guarantee the ability to find all leaks due to all the limitations that can occur on a site (e.g., ability to drill test holes, access to the utility, backflow preventers, frost-free hose bibs, landscape matting, noise in the work area, obstacles, path of least resistance, pipe depth, pipe length (pipes over 300′ in length may need valves installed), pipe size, plastic pipes (undetectable pipes), property owner not being on-site to let us test for the leak inside or to hook up our equipment, the size of the leak, slopes, soil the pipe is buried in, surface type, unknown pipes that branch out from the main line, vapor barriers, etc.). If we run into any of the limitations mentioned above, we will notify the client so they can make the executive decision on how they would like to proceed. After the limitations have been addressed, we may need to make a return visit to provide leak detection services.

Magnetic Detection Services in Washington State

Magnetic Detection is the identification of ferrous metals. Ferrous metals contain iron in them, which carries magnetic properties. Magnetic detectors are tremendously useful when you are trying to locate buried cast-iron pipes, catch basins, fire hydrants, handhole covers, manhole covers, oil tanks, PK nails, road culverts, septic tank handles, steel drums, survey markers, valve & curb boxes, well casings, etc. CNI Locates provides expert magnetic detection and metal detection services in all of Washington State, from our nearest field office located in Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Everett, WA, or Renton, WA (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, OR location).

Metallic Pipe Detection Services in Washington State

CNI Locates technicians provide metallic line detection services in all of Washington from our nearest field office in Renton, WA, Seattle, WA, Everett, WA, or Tacoma, WA (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, OR location). Metallic line detection (electromagnetic detection) is the process of identifying conductible metallic utilities (e.g., power, phone, tv, gas, water, lighting, irrigation control wires, etc.) with electromagnetic transmitters and receivers.

CNI locates uses three different active methods to identify metallic/conductible utilities.

  1. Clipping Directly to the Utility (Direct Connection): Clipping directly to the pipe will typically give you the best signal on a utility. To get the most accurate signal and to reduce bleed-offs on other utilities, we recommend that our technicians remove any bonds that are attached to the utility if it shares a common ground with other utilities.
  2. Clamping the Utility (Signal Clamp): If our technicians do not have direct access to clip onto a utility, we will clamp the utility from an accessible location. Clamping also provides great signals and is extremely useful for locating accessible cables, conduits, communication drops, power risers, wires, etc.
  3. Inducing the Utility (Induction): If our technicians do not have access to directly clip or clamp the utility, we will try to induce the utility as a last resort. Inducing sends an electromagnetic signal into the ground beneath our electromagnetic transmitters. Inducing is the least accurate method of active locating, but sometimes it is the only option to locate a utility. Inducing is also extremely important when providing a sweep for unknown utilities in a work area.

CNI Locates also uses multiple passive methods to identify conductible/metallic utilities.

CPS: Detects most cathodic protection signals that are used to control corrosion on pipes.

CATV: Detects cable tv signals on most buried television conductors.

Power: Detects 50Hz – 60Hz signals present on most buried electrical conductors.

Radio: Detects re-radiated radio signals present on most buried communication conductors.

Non-Metallic Pipe Detection Services in Washington State

CNI Locates provides non-metallic line detection services from our field office locations in Everett, Washington, Renton, Washington, Seattle, Washington, and Tacoma, Washington, and services all of Washington State from the nearest field office location (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, Oregon location). Non-metallic line detection is the detection of any utilities that are non-metallic (e.g., empty conduits, drainage, fiber optics, plastic water, sewer, etc.) or have breaks in continuity with the use of a locatable flexrod, flexitrace, fish tape, tracer wire, or sonde combined with the use of an electromagnetic transmitter and electromagnetic receiver. Non-metallic line detection is important because electromagnetic transmitters and receivers are not able to send/receive a signal on a utility that is not metal/conductible unless those utilities are inserted with something that is metallic/conductible (e.g., flexrod, flexitrace, fish tape, tracer wire, sonde, etc.). CNI Locates performs non-metallic line detection along with an array of other services in all of Washington State.

Private and Public Utility Locate Services in Washington State

CNI Locates provides public and private utility locates in all of Washington State, from our nearest field office location in Tacoma, Washington, Renton, Washington, Seattle, Washington, or Everett, Washington (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, Oregon location). Our services include Aerial Drone Imagery, Design Survey Locating, Electrical Fault Detection, Ground Penetrating Radar, Leak Detection, Magnetic Detection, Metallic Line Detection, Non Metallic Line Detection, Plastic Water Pipe Detection, Sewer Crawler Inspections, Underground Utility Mapping, Sophisticated Reports, Structural & Concrete Scanning, Video Push Camera Inspections (VPIs), and much more in all of Washington State.

Private utilities are utilities that are customer-owned. Typically, these utilities are past the meter base, but sometimes, the utilities can be designated private if they are on your property (e.g., water from the water meter to a house, electrical, gas, tv, phone, water, sewer, or drainage lines to detached structures, filtration systems for pools, irrigation (sprinkler) systems, yard lighting, well water and electrical, septic systems, satellite dish lines, propane lines, electric dog fences, gas lines for fire pits and barbecue grills, roof drainage systems, sewer/drainage services, etc.). These utilities need to be located by a professional underground utility detection and inspection service like CNI Locates.

Public utilities are owned by utility companies. Utilities are typically public up to a meter base or the edge of private property lines. These utilities are typically marked by 811. It is the law to call 811 before performing any subsurface work (RCW 19.122.), but 50 percent of utilities in most work areas are private utilities that require assistance from a private utility locator like CNI Locates. Public utility locators are extremely useful for avoiding public utilities while performing subsurface work; however, the 811 service does not include locating private utilities. In the United States, there is an underground utility strike every one to two minutes, so don’t forget to call 811 and CNI Locates to locate your underground utilities before you dig or perform subsurface work.

Plastic Water Locate Services in Washington State

CNI Locates provides plastic pipe detection services in all of Washington, from our nearest field office location in Everett, Washington, Renton, Washington, Seattle, Washington, and Tacoma, Washington (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, Oregon location). Generally, any house or building built after 1969 will have a plastic water service due to code changes. Plastic water pipes (ABS, CPVC, PEX, PE-RT, Polypropylene, Polybutylene, PVC, etc.) cannot be located electromagnetically (unless inserted with something metal or detected with GPR). CNI Locates uses electronic pulse transmitters (EPTs) to send a gentle (safe) water pulse through your pipe that we can acoustically listen for with our amplified listening devices.

CNI Locates uses two different types of plastic pipe detectors. Small Electronic Pulse Transmitters (EPTs) and Large Electronic Pulse Transmitters, also known as knockers, transondes, tappers, thumpers, and plastic pipe locators. Our small EPTs generate a pulse or a noise in the water pipe, which can be heard with the use of an acoustical listening device. This sound can be heard at depths in excess of 4 feet and for more than 300 feet in length depending on the size of the pipe, depth of pipe, soil condition, amount of t’s, elbows, angles, etc. Our small EPTs are suitable for domestic pipes up to 2 inches in diameter, although they can be used on larger pipes with some success. The water flow through the device is minimal but enough to generate a very loud thump. Our large EPTs generate a pulse or a noise in the water pipe, which can be heard with the use of an acoustical listening device. This pulse or thump can be heard at depths over 4 feet and traced up to 1000 feet in length depending on the pipe size, pipe depth, soil condition, amount of t’s, elbows, angles, etc. In some scenarios, the noise has been heard up to 30′ deep and traced on a 6-inch main for over 1000 feet. Our Large EPTs are suitable for water mains over 2 inches in diameter. The water flow through this device is significantly more than the small electronic pulse transmitters.

Underground Utility Mapping Services in Washington State

CNI Locates provides underground utility mapping services in all of Washington State from our nearest field office location in Tacoma, WA, Seattle, WA, Renton, WA, or Everett, WA (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, OR location). Our underground utility mapping technicians help reduce accidents, budget overruns, costly rerouting, damaged reputations, injuries, project downtime, and project durations. Before someone performs subsurface work, it is extraordinarily valuable to have updated information about the subsurface utilities and features so you can avoid them and protect the integrity of the property the work is being performed at and the surrounding properties. Utility mapping is the process of identifying and documenting where underground utilities and features are located with sophisticated GPS, GNSS, or RTK receivers and putting that up-to-date information on a site map to reference during construction, engineering, environmental work, future utility locating services, subsurface work, surveying, etc.

Video Camera Pipe Inspection Services in Washington State

CNI Locates offers pipe camera services using our push video pipe inspection cameras to inspect pipes, provide pipe locating services, mark the location of problems, and provide depth assessments in all of Washington State, from our nearest field office location in Everett, WA, Renton, WA, Seattle, WA, or Tacoma, WA (we also service the southern portion of Washington State from our Portland, Oregon location). Below are some of the common reasons for a video pipe inspection (VPI).

  1. Blockages from foreign objects inside the pipe.
  2. Breaks in the pipe.
  3. Corrosion inside the pipe.
  4. Damage to pipes.
  5. Frozen Pipes.
  6. Misalignments in the pipe.
  7. Leak detection inside the pipe.
  8. Root intrusion inside the pipe.
  9. To identify the vertical and horizontal location of the pipe.
  10. To identify if there are any pipes connected to the pipe.
  11. And more.

CNI Locates Washington State Field Offices and Contact Information

For general inquiries, please contact (253)826-1177, email [email protected], or schedule a work request/estimate through our website. All we need is 24 hours’ notice, Monday through Friday, to schedule an appointment for the next business day.

Everett, Washington Field Office (425)407-9400

Renton, Washington Field Office (425)407-9399

Seattle, Washington Field Office (206)681-0034

Tacoma, Washington Field Office (253)831-6350

Portland, Oregon Field Office (971)312-6745 (for southern Washington services)