Sonar drain tracing is a precise, non-invasive method used to detect blockages and pipe routes underground.
It’s well known that sonar equipment, which detects and interprets sound waves, is widely used on submarines, fishing boats and other vessels to find and identify objects underwater that would either be difficult or impossible to see with a camera. But did you know that this type of highly sensitive acoustic technology is also widely used in the UK drainage industry and has the potential to benefit your home and business?
Drainage experts such as the Mega-Rod team often carry out sonar drain tracing alongside CCTV drain inspections because it complements camera-led surveys. In fact, a sonar system can be worth its weight in gold when you want more information about what’s happening underground than a camera alone can provide. Sonar drain tracing enables us to locate (or ‘trace’) drains and drain issues, as well as measure the pipework, with pinpoint accuracy. Plus, this is all achieved without excavation work.
If you need a clear, accurate plan of your drainage system or want to say goodbye to drain problems such as horrible smells and backups, Mega-Rod has the skills, expertise and equipment to help you. Why not get in touch with us now to book your Bristol or Bath drain tracing appointment?
The term sonar stands for sound navigation and ranging. It was coined during World War II, when sonar systems were first used extensively by the military and became increasingly sophisticated.
There are two main forms of sonar technology: passive and active. Passive sonar systems pick up and identify sound waves from vessels. They play a major role in anti-submarine warfare, for instance. By contrast, active sonar systems such as drain tracing devices emit and receive their own sound wave signals. By analysing how these signals behave, they provide crucial information about objects in marine or subterranean environments.
One of the most important pieces of sonar drain tracing equipment is the compact, capsule-shaped signal transmitter called a drain sonde. (Indeed, drain tracing is also known as sonding or a sonde and trace survey.) The sonde is mounted on wheels at the end of a long, flexible cable. It may also be attached to or integrated with a CCTV drain survey camera so that a drain inspection can be performed at the same time as drain tracing.
A drain engineer feeds the sonde into the drainage system and controls it remotely from above ground, sending it through the pipework. Sondes can typically function at depths of up to 3-5m, so they can be used to successfully trace a wide range of domestic and commercial drains.
The signals the sonde produces when it’s inside a drain are detected by a hand-held receiver. By following the signals, the drain engineer can trace the route taken by the underground pipe. But drain tracing doesn’t stop there – this type of survey provides a great deal of helpful information. The receiver measures signal strength and the time taken for signals to travel from the drain to the surface, and this data enables the drain engineer to determine the drain’s precise depth, size and angle. These details can be used to create a detailed drainage system plan and also make any drain repairs easier.
Sonar drain tracing – or a combination of this type of acoustic survey and a CCTV drain camera inspection – is ideal when you want to:
Our sonar drain tracing service can give you invaluable, up-to-date information about your drainage system and help you look after it.
All of our drain tracing work is carried out by our friendly, experienced drainage specialists, who cover Bath, Bristol and the surrounding area.
For sonar drain tracing from a Which? Trusted Trader, call Mega-Rod today on 01225 422980.
