📞 What 811 marks
- Utility gas mains and service lines up to the meter
- City or district water mains and service up to the meter
- Public sewer mains
- Electric, phone, cable, and fiber owned by utilities
★ 4.8 Stars · 8,500+ Google Reviews · Calls answered 24/7
Gas, Water & Sewer Line Locating in Northern California
Putting in a fence, a patio, an ADU, or a new trench? 811 marks the utility's lines, not yours. Earl's Plumbing finds and marks your private gas, water, and sewer lines so you know exactly where not to dig.
Call or text (530) 343-0330 — a real person answers, day or night.
Earl's Plumbing locates and marks private gas, water, and sewer lines throughout Northern California, from Shasta County to Placer County, family-owned since 1998.
We find the customer-owned lines 811 doesn't mark, including gas lines to shops and pool heaters, water service lines, sewer laterals, and septic and well lines, using sewer cameras and electronic locators, with no service call fee.
Call or text (530) 343-0330.
The lines 811 won't mark
$0 service call fee
Gas, water & sewer
Camera & sonde locating
Same-day when available
CSLB #772565
Web-only offer
$25 OFF
Line Locating
Mention this page when you call or text, or add "$25 web offer" when you book online.
📞 Claim by Phone 📅 Claim OnlineOffer ends this month. One per household.
⛏️ Digging? Call 811 at least 2 working days first. It's free.
811 marks the utility lines. Then call us for the private lines they don't mark. Smell gas? Leave and call 911.
811 Marks Their Lines. Not Yours.
USA North 811 is clear about it: private lines "will not be marked since they are not owned by a utility." That's the gap most people don't know about until a shovel finds it.
🏠 What 811 usually doesn't
- Gas lines from the meter to a shop, barbecue, pool heater, or generator
- Water lines from the meter to the house, shop, or barn
- Your sewer lateral from the house to the street or septic tank
- Well lines, septic lines, and lines between outbuildings
Source: USA North 811. Exactly what's marked depends on each utility.
Lines We Locate
Plumbing lines are what we know best, so they're what we locate: gas, water, sewer, and the rural systems in between.
Private gas lines
Yard lines to shops, barbecues, pool heaters, and outbuildings. Gas line service.
Water service lines
From the meter or well to the house, before repairs or trenching. Water line repair.
Sewer laterals
Traced with a camera and sonde from the cleanout. Camera inspection.
Septic lines
House to tank, and tank toward the leach field. Septic repair.
Well lines
Water lines from the well to the pressure tank and house. Well pumps.
Outbuilding lines
Shops, barns, guest houses, and ADUs fed from the main house.
Drain lines
Under slabs and yards before remodels or repairs.
Lost or unknown routes
Old repairs, missing plans, and "nobody knows where it goes."
How We Find Lines You Can't See
The right method depends on the pipe. We'll use whatever gets a reliable signal on your line, then mark it on the ground.
- Camera with sonde. For sewer and drain lines, a transmitter in the camera head lets us trace the path from above.
- Electronic line locator. For metal pipe and tracer wire, we put a signal on the line and follow it.
- Access points. Meters, risers, cleanouts, and shutoffs help confirm where lines start and end.
- Marked on the ground. Path and estimated depth, in paint or flags, so your crew can work around it.
What the Paint in Your Yard Means
Locators use the American Public Works Association color code. Here's the cheat sheet.
RedElectric
YellowGas & oil
OrangeCommunications
BlueDrinking water
PurpleReclaimed water & irrigation
GreenSewer & drains
WhiteProposed dig area
PinkSurvey marks
In California, the 24 inches on either side of a marked line is the tolerance zone. Dig by hand inside it.
When to Have Your Lines Located
Any time something sharp, heavy, or motorized is about to go into the ground.
Fences & decks
Post holes are the most common way private lines get hit.
Additions & ADUs
Footings and new utility trenches near existing lines.
Pools, patios & landscaping
Excavators and trenchers don't feel a gas line.
Repairs
Find the exact spot before digging for a sewer, water, or gas repair.
Buying rural property
Know where the well, septic, and shop lines run.
Planting trees
Keep roots away from sewer and water lines from day one.
New gas appliances
Planning a route for a shop heater, generator, or outdoor kitchen.
Contractors
Private locates before your crew digs on a residential job.
How a Locate Works
Simple, and done before the digging starts.
Call 811 first
Get the utility lines marked, and white-line your dig area.
Book Earl's
Tell us what you're building and where. Mention the $25 offer.
We locate & mark
Private gas, water, and sewer lines traced and marked on the ground.
Dig with confidence
Hand dig near the marks. If a line needs repair, we quote it on the spot.
Why Call a Plumber to Locate Plumbing Lines
We install and repair these lines every day, so we know how they're usually run, and what to do if one needs work.
We know how they're run
Where gas risers, cleanouts, and service lines usually go, and where they don't.
Camera & locator on the truck
Sewer cameras with sondes and electronic locators, ready to go.
Repairs, same company
If the locate finds a problem, we can fix it. No second contractor.
No service call fee
Free quote before we start. You decide, no pressure.
Honest about limits
If a plastic line won't take a signal, we'll tell you, not guess.
Local for 28 years
Three Northern California offices. Calls answered 24/7.
The Most Expensive Fence Post You'll Ever Dig
I've lost count of the calls that start with "I was just putting in a fence post." Usually the homeowner did the right thing and called 811. What nobody told them is that 811 doesn't mark the gas line running out to the shop, or the water line to the barn, because those belong to you.
A locate takes a lot less time than a gas leak or a flooded yard, and costs a whole lot less too. Call 811, then call us, and dig knowing what's down there.
— Clinton EarlOwner, Earl's Plumbing · Your Friend in the Business
28
Years serving Northern CA
8,500+
Google reviews
$0
Service call fee
24/7
Calls answered
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Call or Text Your Nearest Earl's Office
Three local offices covering eight Northern California counties. Every line takes calls and texts.
Redding
Redding · Anderson · Cottonwood · Shasta Lake · Palo Cedro · Red Bluff · Corning
(530) 244-3275
Schedule Line Locating Online — Free Quote
Book in about a minute, right here on the page. Mention "$25 web offer" in your notes and we'll apply it.
1Pick your service
2Choose a time that works
3Get a confirmation — done
Rather talk to a person? Call or text (530) 343-0330 — we answer 24/7.
Digging soon? Call 811 first, then book us or call (530) 343-0330.
Line Locating Questions, Answered
811, private lines, accuracy, and what the paint means. Straight answers here.
Does 811 locate private gas and water lines?
No. 811 notifies utility companies, and they mark only the lines they own. USA North 811 says private lines, like landscape irrigation or a gas line to a barbecue, will not be marked. Lines you own, such as gas to a shop or pool heater, water lines past the meter, and sewer laterals, need a private locator.
Do I still need to call 811 before digging?
Yes. In California, call 811 or submit a ticket online at least two working days before you dig, so utilities can mark their lines. It is free. Mark your planned dig area in white paint first. Earl's Plumbing locates the private lines 811 does not cover, so the best approach is to do both.
How do you locate a sewer line?
We run a sewer camera with a built-in transmitter, called a sonde, through the line from a cleanout. A receiver above ground picks up the signal, so we can mark the path on the surface and estimate the depth at points along the way. The camera also shows the condition of the pipe while we locate it.
Can you locate plastic water or gas lines?
Often, yes. Plastic pipe does not carry a signal by itself, so we look for tracer wire installed with the line, connect to metal risers or fittings, or trace from known access points. Some plastic lines without tracer wire are harder to find, and when that is the case, we will tell you what we can and cannot confirm.
How accurate is line locating?
Locating gives a reliable path and an estimated depth, but it is not exact. Soil, nearby metal, and other lines can affect readings. California treats 24 inches on either side of a marked line as the tolerance zone, and digging inside it should be done by hand. Markings are guidance for careful digging, not permission to dig fast.
When should I have private lines located?
Before fence or deck posts, additions and ADUs, pools and patios, trenching for new lines, landscaping with heavy equipment, and any sewer, water, or gas repair where the route is unknown. It is also useful when buying a rural property with a well, septic system, or outbuildings, where nobody is sure how the lines run.
What do the colored paint marks in my yard mean?
Utilities use the American Public Works Association color code. Red is electric, yellow is gas or oil, orange is communications, blue is drinking water, purple is reclaimed water and irrigation, and green is sewer and drain lines. White marks the area where someone plans to dig, and pink is temporary survey marking.
How much does line locating cost?
It depends on what we're locating, how long the run is, and how we can get a signal on the line. We don't charge a service call fee, and you'll get a free quote before we start. A locate costs a lot less than a broken gas or water line, and online customers get $25 off.