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neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse

Member

underground line cut, what to do?

hey guys, don't know what to do about this...

had the "one call" serivce come out to mark all the lines to my house... because we are replacing drain lines... everything was marked, electic, sewage, water, verizon's lines, comcast marked out the lines too... was digging about 10 ft from where they marked the comcast line and of all darn places went right through a RG-11 line going straight to my house it's only the drop to my house... and the darn line was't marked in the right place... who is responsible? thankfully I have RG-11 watertight compression connections and I was able to make a temp patch, but this needs fixed now, and it looks like comcast marked the original line to the house, there was an RG-6 line that was repalced with RG-11 when the previous owners had the house..

how do I get them out to fix this also? already went through one CS person that wanted me to cycle my boxes to check *hits head on desk* not sure why "I accidently cut my line" doesn't get a different set of scripts....

and how long does it usually take to get this fixed? I know they have to run a temp line before it can get burried

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

jack b

MVM

Call the one-call call center back, and tell them you hit and damaged a mis-marked buried cable line. Have them contact Comcast.

As long as you were digging outside of a two-foot boundary on either side of the markout, you're in the clear as far as being respon$ible for the damage.

OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH
Apple AirPort Extreme (2013)

OSUGoose

Member

Yea though Im not surprised they missed it, as when watching the way one call marks stuff, its basically wherever the strongest signal is, and yet there off. Personally I feel abandoned lines should be pulled back up to prevent mis-marking in the future like what happened here.
Central PA
join:2003-07-09
Aspers, PA

Central PA to neufuse

Member

to neufuse
Yes, recontact PA One Call.

You may wish to review Section 5 at the following:

»tinyurl.com/6vkxsvu
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse to jack b

Member

to jack b
well it was inside the white boundry I marked out on the ground... did some more investigating in this and comcast instead of burrying the line ran the line inside the corrugated HDPE pipe that our storm run off drain uses... from going further down the line it looks like they where the cause of our drainage problems! they cut into the pipe and fished the line down it to the house.... *explicitive* grrr we've been having water problems because when it rains water was not getting to the town storm water management system, and it was just looping back to the house and seeping in through the foundation (the town did a dye test to prove this) and now it looks like comcast caused it! this happened a year before we bought the house apparently (3yrs ago now)...

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

jack b

MVM

It would seem the next step is you need to have a conversation with a Comcast construction supervisor to remedy their service drop using your drain pipe is causing a water problem.
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse

Member

is there a real reason to why they used RG11 instead of Underground sealed RG6? The house is about 150 ft of line from the Pedastool

The Dv8or
Just call me Dong Suck Oh, M.D.
Premium Member
join:2001-08-09
Denver, CO
ARRIS TG862
Cisco 2811
TP-Link Archer AX10

The Dv8or to OSUGoose

Premium Member

to OSUGoose
said by OSUGoose:

Yea though Im not surprised they missed it, as when watching the way one call marks stuff, its basically wherever the strongest signal is, and yet there off. Personally I feel abandoned lines should be pulled back up to prevent mis-marking in the future like what happened here.

Yeah, Im sure the providers can't wait to pay for that labor.

OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH

OSUGoose

Member

what labor, the contractor is already there buying the old line, either place the new line within 6 inches of the old one, or as you rip up the old one place the new one in its place, as either way the ground is getting torn up for a new line.
AVonGauss
Premium Member
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL

AVonGauss

Premium Member

I agree with the sentiment, but have you pulled up the old line out of your yard yet? Its a bit more effort than I think you're acknowledging in your post.

OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH

OSUGoose

Member

yep, and no it wasn't as neither the CATV o Telco drops get buried that deep.

SeaSeaTee5
join:2010-05-06
Maryland

SeaSeaTee5 to neufuse

Member

to neufuse
said by neufuse:

is there a real reason to why they used RG11 instead of Underground sealed RG6? The house is about 150 ft of line from the Pedastool

They do make underground RG-11. If a tech had made a service call and found the signal to be a bit low, he may have put the job in as RG-11 to get a bit more signal to the house. The cost difference between RG-11 and RG-6 is negligible.

I doubt an underground crew would have dug and exposed the pipe and gone through all the trouble to cut it open to feed the cable in to it. Is it possible they hit it by mistake? They usually trench the drop by machine, which may cut into the pipe. If that is the case, it is the homeowner's responsibility to mark such things all drainage, irrigation and dog fences. It seem's like it would be a lot more work for the drop crew to dig it up than to just keep trenching.

Ken
MVM
join:2003-06-16
Markle, IN

Ken

MVM

It's possible that the previous homeowner wasn't happy with the comcast supplied RG-6 run, and decided to run their own RG-11 line. But since they didn't want to go to all that work of digging, they found a shortcut by running the cable through a drain line.
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse to SeaSeaTee5

Member

to SeaSeaTee5
I'm going to say they probably didn't want to go under the driveway somehow so they ran it through the drain and just kept going... there is 3 coax lines! from adelphia and 1 from comcast when this was done... the adephia ones are all dirt burried and thats what comcast marked out... and I have no idea how we'd know where to mark them out as we didn't ge ta map when we bought the house, we're just following the line as its dug up to find where it goes...
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

Some times construction does what the owner wants. If the old owner says run it threw the drain. Thats what gets done. Dont call paone, Just call comcast and have them come out and replace the line. Try to get them out while the trench is open that way they can put the line in it. Marking old lines is tricky and not always accurate. .
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse

Member

I assume calling comcast directly to get this fixed is going to cost me money? If so how much does replacing a UG line usually run?

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

said by neufuse:

I assume calling comcast directly to get this fixed is going to cost me money? If so how much does replacing a UG line usually run?

Well, wouldn't that be the "drop line" to your house? I thought the demarcation point is the ground block.

If you're thinking that it will cost you because it was damaged by the work you were having done, I'd say you did your "due diligence" as you "had the "one call" service come out to mark all the lines to my house...comcast marked out the lines too."
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse

Member

well obviously I don't know how this all works out, having never to deal with this issue before. I always assumed I was responsible for the drop, but if its from the demark up then that is good for me I guess
neufuse

neufuse

Member

just went out and measured the disance from the line to where they marked the line... its 17ft... I'd say they where way off and where they marked it is going a different angle direction then the line that was in use...
flashcore
join:2007-01-23
united state

flashcore to neufuse

Member

to neufuse
What you need to do is call "one call" to get your service back up fast and when the Comcast guy shows up demand to speed to a supervisor regarding the cable being run through an active drain pipe. I am not positive but there is probably some law or regulation that they violated in doing that and if it has been causing damage to your home then they should at the very least split the repair costs with you.

Bamafan2277
Premium Member
join:2008-09-20
Jeffersonville, IN

Bamafan2277 to neufuse

Premium Member

to neufuse
With most cable companies they are responsible up to the demark point of your house.

Since you did the right thing and called before you dig and they marked the wrong ones in the first place you should be in the clear of any charges.
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse

Member

well they are coming out to have a look at it...
Robyn5
join:2012-03-09

Robyn5 to neufuse

Member

to neufuse
I live in Florida - not in Pennsylvania. But here - whenever someone cuts our cable line (it happens maybe once every 3-4 years - sometimes it's a landscape person - sometimes it's an irrigation person - etc.) - Comcast comes out and puts in a new cable for us. No charge. Reckon we must have at least 3-4 cable lines down there now. FWIW - it doesn't make much sense to me to dig up the old lines. We'd have to pull up Augustine grass - and then put down new sod.

And I am kind of confused about the pipe in the drain. A corrugated drain pipe would probably be a minimum of 4". A cable TV line is much smaller. How could the cable TV line clog up the drain pipe? Robyn
wdsnls
join:2003-06-19
Palm City, FL

wdsnls

Member

said by Robyn5:

...I live in Florida - not in Pennsylvania. But here - whenever someone cuts our cable line (it happens maybe once every 3-4 years - sometimes it's a landscape person - sometimes it's an irrigation person - etc.) - Comcast comes out and puts in a new cable for us. No charge. Reckon we must have at least 3-4 cable lines down there now. FWIW - it doesn't make much sense to me to dig up the old lines. We'd have to pull up Augustine grass - and then put down new sod...

I could not agree more based on my same experience for over 20 years in Florida.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad to Robyn5

MVM

to Robyn5
said by Robyn5:

And I am kind of confused about the pipe in the drain. A corrugated drain pipe would probably be a minimum of 4". A cable TV line is much smaller. How could the cable TV line clog up the drain pipe? Robyn

It's probably like the (leaf-resistant) covered gutters on my house.

I never had a problem with the front one getting clogged, until I decided to run a thin heating cable inside it to prevent it from freezing up and having it form large icicles hanging down from it.

It seems even that thin cable disturbs the flow enough to cause the small pieces of debris that do get into them to collect and not flush out of the downspouts.

After a while I notice the rain water starting to wash over it and have to flush it out with the hose.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

2 edits

rody_44 to neufuse

Premium Member

to neufuse
I live in pennsylvania and i do underground construction for a living. Call comcast not paone (paone will only tell you to call comcast anyway) They come out and replace it for free. And no a rg11 isnt going to clog a 4 inch pipe. Not to mention why would comcast be responsible when the former owner probably wanted it that way. Just call comcast and have them come out and replace it at NO COST AT ALL. The official way is the contractor that called paone can call paone and inform them of a hit line. Comcast and every other utility will be notified. But i recommend you call and inform them. If you have phone service someone should show up same day if not probably next day. Im guessing maybe the sealed area of the 4 inch became not sealed and dirt ran into the pipe. Something i tell homeowners that can happen when they insist on having it done that way. FWIW, i dont work for comcast, I work for service electric cable which is the oldest cable system in the world and yes when a customer wants it that way thats what they get.

iknow
@optonline.net

iknow to Robyn5

Anon

to Robyn5
said by Robyn5:

Reckon we must have at least 3-4 cable lines down there now. FWIW - it doesn't make much sense to me to dig up the old lines. We'd have to pull up Augustine grass - and then put down new sod.

no need for new sod, you could rent a "sod cutter" that's the machine that sod farms use to make those sod pieces, not much to rent one. if need be.. and that sod will grow roots right back and fill in very quickly in florida.. just make sure the sod stays watered, it'll live..
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

1 edit

rody_44

Premium Member

Nobody and i mean nobody digs to pull old lines out. the old line being in the trench isnt why the guy miss marked it. House are bonded and when you hook to them you light up all lines. Old lines not included as they are unconnected. The guy just screwed up and it happens all the time. Its not like anyone has radar vision and can see 12 inches into the dirt. Basically you hook to the line and guess which one it is by depth. Phone and cable are mixed up every day.

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er

Member

ive dug up old trunk cables 3' deep cause my locator bled off onto the old piece.....very common thing....even direct attached it happened...sucks that happens, but it does.....
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

It also can bleed off onto water lines, downspout drains, sewer lines you name it. The answer sure isnt digging out old lines. I can grab a locator and mark it to within three inches. I know they bleed off but this isnt a thread for that.