Who We Are
About Us
Utilo, LLC is a local Colorado company that was established to provide contractors, utility owners, municipalities, surveyors, builders, engineers, home and business owners in Colorado a dependable and accurate utility location service they can count on. Along with traditional contract utility location services, Utilo, LLC provides engineering and private utility location services designating underground utilities for map and data collection purposes and marking privately owned facilities during excavation. We also provide 3rd party verification services. Utilo, LLC’s current staff has over 15 years of experience in the damage prevention industry and have demonstrated dependability, speed and accuracy in that time.
What We Do
Contract Damage Prevention Services
Utilo, LLC provides top of the line service when it comes to damage prevention. We utilize industry leading ticket management software and our technicians have a combined ZERO at fault damages across their careers. If you want your infrastructure protected the right way, get in touch with Utilo, LLC.
Private Locates
Are you ready to start your project after calling in your One Call locates and notice a parking lot full of privately owned street lights remains unmarked? Are you planning on planting trees at your home but you’re not sure where your propane service line runs? Whether it’s an electric or gas service beyond the public meter in a rural area, an apartment complex packed with irrigation lines, a business park with it’s own private communication network or just a domestic water service line, Utilo, LLC will help ensure that you are digging safely by clearly and accurately locating any and all traceable private utilities in your residential, commercial or industrial project site.
Engineering Locates/Utility Designation
If you have a design project or are in need of utility information for mapping purposes, Utilo, LLC provides in depth utility designation services. We will clearly and accurately designate all tracable utilities in your project area for collection and provide you with a detailed locate sketch with field notes upon completion.
After Hours/Weekend Availability
Have a locating need that just can’t wait? Utilo, LLC provides after hours and weekend emergency service.
Extended Service Area
We are proud to serve the great state of Colorado, but we are also happy to accommodate clients in other areas as well. No project is too far, just give us a call!
Experience and Quality
At Utilo, LLC we bring over 15 combined years of experience going the extra mile in the damage prevention industry to the table. We have worked on high profile projects in many recognizable places across Colorado and pride ourselves on bringing an unmatched quality of service and eye for detail to every project we set foot on.
How We Do It
Our Methods
Utilo, LLC utilizes EMLL (Electromagnetic Line Location) to trace underground utilities. This method is used to trace the electromagnetic field generated from alternating electric currents traveling through a conductive line.
A signal can be created with currents applied directly to the line with electromagnetic equipment. These are referred to as "active signals". Active signals can be applied to conductive lines by directly connecting an electromagnetic transmitter to the line at an accessible location and completing the circuit by grounding the transmitter out on the other end. This generally causes the signal to travel along that utility line. The signal will be traceable with a receiver over a distance depending on the size and type of the line and the surrounding ground conditions. This is referred to as EMC (electromagnetic conduction).
Alternately, an induction clamp can be placed around specific conductive lines or conduits at accessible points to attempt to transmit a signal through the line. Additionally, a signal can be introduced through transmitting a high frequency electromagnetic signal through the ground by placing the transmitter on the surface above the conductive utility. These methods are referred to as EMI (electromagnetic induction).
These signals can also exist in currents that are already running through the line. These are referred to as "passive signals". Passive signals are most commonly generated by live power lines, long wave radio transmissions flowing through conductive materials such as metal pipes or cable sheaths and other convenient paths of lower resistance found in conductive utility lines.
Is It Traceable?
Being able to accurately trace underground utility lines depends on the material, age, size, depth, condition and installation method of the utility attempting to be traced. Utility lines that can be traced using standard EMLL techniques include most conductive cables, pipes, wires and non-conductive lines installed with tracer wires. These include electric, natural gas, telephone, cable TV, fiber optic, water and other various utility lines. If there are no currents detected when conducting a passive sweep, these utilities must then be exposed or accessible in vaults, pedestals or other service points in order to place an active signal on them.
Utilities that are not traceable using standard EMLL techniques include lines composed of non-conductive materials such as PVC, fiberglass, concrete and clay. Seemingly conductive metal pipes with insulated joints also at times are not traceable.
Non-conductive pipes or conduits can often be traced by inserting a steel fish tape into the line from an access point and then using the transmitter to apply an active signal to it. The steel fish tape can then be used as a temporary tracer wire to locate the non-conductive line.
What We Use
Our Tools
The electromagnetic equipment utilized by Utilo, LLC to trace underground utilities specializes in the detection of utility lines using both EMC and EMI techniques. It also provides a wide range of frequencies which generally enables us to adjust to any unforeseen ground conditions as well as any utility line conditions that can be encountered unexpectedly on a project.