- Leveling & Settlement Determinations on Buildings
- Heightening for construction of roads, railways, pipelines and more.
- Area Leveling
Level to buy or hire?
Deciding you want or need a level is the first step, next you will need to decide whether buying or hiring is best for you. It all depends on what you’ll be using the level for and how often you will be using it.
Buying a level outright can be ideal for those customers who know they will be using it regularly, especially as some levels can be relatively inexpensive.
If you will only be using it on a limited basis for jobs it may be wise to consider hiring!
Factors to consider when choosing the right level
There are many different levels available for use and so there is a lot to consider when trying to choose the right one for you. Here are some things to consider:
- Accuracy: Levels are more accurate than other tools but some more so than others. If you require ultimate accuracy you should consider a Precise Level. A precise level makes use of a parallel plate micrometer which is placed in front of the lens allowing small alterations to the image of the bar-coded staff. This allows for extremely high levels of accuracy.
- Manual vs Auto: Some levels will ‘auto-level’, meaning it will do all the hard work for you! Others require you to do it manually. If you would prefer an automatic level you should consider a Dumpy Level.
- Price: Levels can be expensive but there are plenty of options for those on a budget.
Types of Levels
There are a variety of levels available, all with different qualities suited to specific needs and applications.
Types of levels include:
Dumpy Levels
Dumpy levels, also known as automatic levels are an optical instrument used to set horizontal levels and are a tried and trusted member of any construction team.
The operator must look through the optical eyepiece to measure against a staff or tape measure placed at the point being measured. This site leveling technique is particularly useful to surveyors during site surveys as well as a whole host of other uses within the construction industry.
When operating a dumpy level, you must ensure that the level is securely placed, preferably on a tripod, and that the bubble is level. This can be adjusted using the leveling screws. Next you must sight the instrument by looking through the eyepiece and focusing on the staff or tape measure at your chosen point of measurement.
A decent dumpy level should auto-level to a certain degree although it is worth checking the instrument to see that this is working as expected.
Precise Levels
A precise level makes use of a parallel plate micrometer which is placed in front of the lens allowing small alterations to the image of the bar-coded staff. This allows for extremely high levels of accuracy.
Precise levels can perform a huge number of surveying jobs including: -
- Leveling of all types
- Heightening for construction of roads, railways, pipelines, tunnels, etc.
- Setting out work
- Area leveling to high accuracy
- Deformation measurement and monitoring of bridges
Digital Levels
A digital level is an instrument that can be used to perform advanced leveling work, automatic height calculations and basic construction work.
It uses gravity as its reference point and reads bar-code scales from a bar-coded staff to capture incredibly accurate readings.
Measurements from the bar-coded staff are automatically displayed and/or stored for future reference.
Level Accessories
- Tripod – These are useful tools to have in the leveling world. It can help to provide a stable and level flooring, making results more accurate.
- Leveling Staff – Ranging from E-type, bar coded, standard invar & industrial invar, there are many leveling staffs to choose from to assist you with leveling.
- Leveling Plates: These plates can enhance the accuracy of a level
- Eye Piece: Level eye pieces can improve magnification on levels without having to pay more for a newer tool!