I want to install a ground rod to connect to my breaker panel but am scared
to drive this rod into the ground for fear of hitting something. I have
underground utilities and realize I can have them marked by the utility
companies but I also have a sprinkler system which of course is PVC. How
would I make sure I'm not going to hit something? Any ideas? Thanks, Joe
in Texas...
Doesn't your sprinkler system have a bonded 'wire' on it to locate the
underground runs? We had that on our sprinkler system as well as on
our nonmetallic gas lines in our previous home! You can check your
yellow pages for the free service that the utilities in your state
support to do this - here you are subject to massive fines and
penalties if you hit anything and didn't have the area you were
working in marked before you started - this goes even for things like
digging to plant shrubs! If you got it marked first the utility eats
the cost of repairs or damage!
JW wrote, wondering if this is really what he meant?
Dig down and locate the utilities first. Your sprinkler should be no deeper
than 18" your cable and phone 36" and power 48-52" nothing past that. I
believe a ground rod needs to be at least 8 foot to do any good. We have a
service out here called Underground Alert Service and it's free as long as
you give them 48 hours advance notice. Believe me the last thing you want
to do is hit a power line. One of my employees did it and it burnt a
housedown. Lucky the power was mismarked and the service had to pay for the
damage.
Rich
--
You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK.
HomeOwnersHub.com is a website for homeowners and building and maintenance pros. It is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.