Utility Depth Measurement & Cable Fault Location Across BC
Measure buried-service depth and pinpoint cable sheath faults without exploratory excavation
About This Service
Beyond tracing a line's route, electromagnetic equipment measures how deep a service runs and pinpoints where a buried cable's insulation has failed. Depth measurement supports safe excavation planning and grade verification; cable fault location uses sheath-fault and signal-loss techniques to find the exact point where a power or signal cable is leaking to ground — saving hours of exploratory digging on a long buried run. These advanced EM techniques are essential for utilities, electrical contractors and engineers working with BC's ageing buried infrastructure.
How It Works
- 1
For depth: the receiver calculates target depth from the geometry of the electromagnetic field at the surface.
- 2
Depth is taken at multiple points and cross-checked to flag field distortion from nearby utilities.
- 3
For faults: an A-frame fault locator detects the voltage gradient where current leaks from a damaged sheath to ground.
- 4
The technician walks the route; the fault point shows as a null then reversal in the A-frame reading.
- 5
The fault position and depth are marked precisely for a targeted single-pit excavation.
When It's Used
What You Receive
- Depth measurements at specified points along the route
- Marked fault position with depth for targeted excavation
- Notes on field distortion and confidence at each reading
- Combined locate + fault plan
- Advisory for excavation or repair crew
Depth & Fault Location — BC Locations
Available across all of British Columbia.
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Frequently asked questions
How does a cable fault locator save excavation cost?
Instead of digging up an entire buried cable run to find where it has failed, the A-frame technique pinpoints the fault to within a fraction of a metre — so a single small pit exposes the exact failure point for repair.
Can you measure depth where many utilities run together?
We can, but congested corridors distort the electromagnetic field and reduce depth accuracy. We take multiple readings, flag the distortion, and recommend potholing to confirm critical depths.
What types of cable faults can you find?
Sheath faults — where the cable's outer insulation is damaged and current leaks to ground — are located with the A-frame method. Open-circuit and some short-circuit faults require complementary techniques we select based on the cable and fault type.
Depth & Fault Location Across British Columbia
LeakInspections.ca is a division of Anyleak.ca and part of the Leak.ca family — BC's subsurface locating and leak detection specialists since 1999.