Well & Septic Locating Services
Randolph County & Central NC — Serving Homeowners, Plumbers & Contractors Since 2010
Finding a buried well line or septic system is one of the most common calls Piedmont Locating Services gets — and one of the most technically demanding jobs in the trade. Jay Hubbard has been doing it for over 30 years, for homeowners, landscapers, plumbers, electricians, and builders across the Triad and central North Carolina.
If you’ve got something buried and you need to find it before you dig, you’re in the right place.
📞 Call or Text: (336) 391-5542 | [Request A Quote →]
Locating Water Wells
Modern residential water wells have a plastic pipe and an electrical wire buried together, running from the wellhead to the house. Under normal conditions, that’s a straightforward locate — Jay can trace the wire and follow it right to the source.
The complications start when something’s been changed. A replaced pump, a second water line running to an outbuilding, or a pipe that was installed without an electrical cable buried alongside it — any of those situations means the wire trace won’t tell the full story.
When a plastic pipe has no electrical cable to trace, Jay switches to ground penetrating radar (GPR) — the only technology that can find non-conductive utilities buried underground. It takes more time and more expertise, but it gets the job done when nothing else will.
Locating Septic Systems
Septic systems are the most challenging locate Jay does — and he’ll tell you that straight. Every system is different. Every yard is different. Soil type, tank depth, system age, and surface obstacles all affect how difficult the job will be.
Things that can complicate a septic locate:
- Trees and shrubs with deep root systems
- Rocks below the surface that mimic pipes on the GPR screen
- Stone-lined paths or ornamental features over the drain field
- Playground equipment or outbuildings over part of the system
- Wet or heavily compacted soil
The first question Jay usually asks: Do you have a copy of your septic permit map from the county inspections office?
Those maps might look like a kindergarten art project, but they’re worth their weight in gold. Even a rough sketch of the system layout saves time and takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process. If records exist, Jay will help track them down. If they don’t, he’ll work the site until he has enough of the picture to keep you out of trouble.
One honest word: Jay can’t promise to find every piece of every system every time. Thirty-plus years in the field has taught him that some things only a shovel will find. But if Jay can’t locate it, you’ll know that going in — not after the bill’s already been paid.
What Affects GPR Performance
Ground penetrating radar is the primary tool for well and septic locating — but it’s not magic. A few things that affect how well it works:
Soil conditions: Moist, compacted clay is harder for GPR to read. Dry, sandy soil is ideal. Most of Randolph County falls somewhere in between, depending on the season.
Surface obstacles: Trees, shrubs, stone paths, and landscaping features can limit where Jay can run the equipment and how clearly he can see what’s underneath.
System complexity: A single-tank system on an open lot is a very different job than a multi-component system on a wooded property with no records.
Jay carries both electromagnetic locating (EM) and GPR equipment to every job. The combination of the two gives the best odds of building a complete picture — especially on complicated sites.
Who Calls for Well & Septic Locating
This service gets used more than most people expect. Common reasons people call Jay:
- Homeowners planning a fence, addition, or landscaping project who need to know where the system is before digging starts
- Plumbers who need to find and access a tank or line for repair or replacement
- Real estate buyers and sellers who want to know what they’re dealing with before closing
- Contractors doing site work who need to verify system locations before grading or excavation
- Property owners who simply don’t know where anything is — especially on older rural properties
Serving Central North Carolina
Piedmont Locating Services is based in Ramseur and serves well and septic locating customers across the region, including:
Ramseur · Asheboro · Greensboro · Siler City · Archdale · Trinity · Randleman · Liberty · Franklinville · Sophia · Seagrove · Star · Staley · Climax · Gibsonville
— and surrounding communities in Randolph, Guilford, Chatham, and Alamance Counties.