Hello all-
Once again, I ask for some help.
Would anyone happen to know the typical depth at which cable TV and telephone lines are run from there respective pedestals to the outside service boxes on the house?
Reason I ask is that I was doing some rough grading/raking around my electrical meter/CATV/phone service boxes at the rear of the house. Ill be dammed if I didnt nick the CATV line.
Now, I expect that line to be fairly shallow, however not the 1″ below the ground that was the case !
Anyone have any idea if this is typical? How about phone?
I have some planting to do in the area. Im wondering if I shouldnt go ahead and run these lines in conduit?
Thanks in advance for your help
Replies
I would let the CATV co. know about this and let them fix it,I would also cllthe Utility Locating service and let them find your utilities for you, the service is free
thanks, i think I will do just that. Yep, i know, as a contractor, I use the locate service all the time. I KNEW where the lines were, just didnt expect it to be so shallow. Thats what I get for assuming. Thanks for the reply.
better safe, than sorry no problem at all Jg"
Hey forget typical there are codes for that. But here I sit just a plumber & can only offer the depth of plumbing ,gas, & sewer pertaining to the frost line of my local.
For a while back in college I worked burying and locating CATV and can relate to your coax problem. Our local CATV company just runs the wires on top of the ground on new hookups and paid the company I worked for to bury them.
The city had depth requirements for passing through alleys of about 18"-2' if memory serves. Once across the alley we shot for 7" or 8", but there may not have been a city requirement. During the cold months frost would often make it unrealistic to bury to that depth so it was often much less or we would simply leave the wire on the surface. We would note the depth and the cable company could have us return during warmer months, but it was rare to ever return to rebury an existing wire deeper if it was already covered with dirt.
The surprising thing to me was the number of unlocated phone, power and other wires that exist very close to the surface. One house had power buried only 12" deep across the yard, and many times these are close to the surface 2-3' from the house. Once within 4' of a locate or foundation our complete attention was directed at our shovels since cutting into 220v is somewhat exciting according to some guys on the crew. :-)
220 would definately produce an ouch :)
Thanks for sharing. My CATV runs very close to the phone line, which I found while I was raking as well. Thankfully I didnt hit it. Im sure further away from the hookup the lines are deeper. But, as they approach the boxes the burial company must have gotten a bit lazy, time for lunch, needed a smoke, or it was Friday. Who knows! Anyways, thanks again. I think i will call the CATV company and see what they can do.
Cable TV and telephone should be 12" to 18" deep here in Arlington, VA. Also separated by 12" to electrical service.
Chris.