As the price for GPR equipment comes down, more and more companies and individuals are starting to buy it in order to avoid paying a GPR scanning service. For example, a concrete contracting company that regularly drills into existing concrete slabs may purchase GPR equipment capable of scanning concrete to help them locate and avoid rebar and post tension cables when drilling.
But owning GPR scanning equipment and knowing how to use it properly are two very different things.
Think about it this way: You can go out and buy a Formula 1 racecar, but it doesn’t mean you will automatically be able to win, or even compete in, a Formula 1 race. Yes, you have the most important piece of equipment for a race, but if you don’t know how to handle it properly, it won’t do you much good. To be a competitive Formula 1 racer, you need extensive training and experience (among other things). It’s more than just knowing what switches and buttons do what.
The same is true with GPR scanning equipment. You might know the basics of how it works and how to operate it, but if you don’t know how to properly interpret the data it produces, you will have spent a lot of money for nothing. Yes, you will have saved some money by doing your own scanning, but at what cost? The data won’t be very useful to you.
If you’re going to invest in GPR equipment, the following should apply to you or the person who will be operating the equipment:
- You know how GPR is affected by various subsurface conditions, and how to account for them
- You can identify different types of materials, such as plastic or metal, based on a scan
If you can’t do the above, and aren’t willing to invest the time to learn, hiring a GPR scanning service is probably a better choice for you, as opposed to purchasing your own scanner.
When looking to hire a GPR scanning service, don’t just look for the company or person with the latest and greatest technology. You want to find a company that knows how to use it. Experienced GPR scanning services will give you the information you are looking for, whether it’s the location of underground pipes or utility lines, or the location of rebar in a concrete slab. A company like Enhanced Scanning in Southern California has all of the equipment and expertise needed for whatever your scanning project entails.
