Common question? Why demolished houses? I only found trash!

[scooper77515]

Everyone talks about searching old demolished homes, but I had the chance to do this and there was pretty much an unending TONE all over. Between old silverware, nails, and chunks of rebar, i didn't pick up anything of value. But I spent a LOT of time getting tones and digging junk up.

So, what is the deal?

Where should I be looking and for what?

I want to know because I also have another old home on family property I would like to scope out. I don't really want to dig up the entire place.

 

[WV62]

You didn't give us a lot of detail, but it sounds like you are hunting the actual old house seat area. If so I could see that you would be in a world of old build materials, if there is any area like old yard area you may want to try and work that area and just nibble around the edge of where the house was.

Not saying there isn't any good stuff in the seat area, just saying it will be hard to get out. The way I look at it when the house was standing the area under the house was sheltered from any activity, now if the house burnt then the items that were in the house may now be in the ground on the seat area.

Ron in WV

 

[Elton]

Cellar walls out to the street..Front and back yards... Along the sidewalk areas..Off old porch areas.. Now, ya know you gotta clean the easy junk targets out first right ??

Once you get the junk removed start again low and slow and maybe even in all metal.. If it's been graded and removed you might not find anything.. Define Old please 50 years, 100 years
What can you expect to find in the era home your detecting............. Detecting successfully isn't always easy................... Masking, Iron targets, General metal junk, it all has an effect on what your going to hit... Good luck.........and don't hit it once and stop............. keep trying....something is there..relic items, coins, what do you value as a keeper ??.

 

[scooper77515]

Oh, that makes sense. i was in fact hitting the area under where the slab was. I will go back and try the surrounding areas.

 

[TerraDigger]

If the ground has been heavily disturbed its usually a non-productive junk fest. At least in my experience. However, do follow Eltons advice (thats also how I search these sites) and by all means use a small coil. If using a larger coil, make sure its a concentric, not a DD. Both coils should be concentric if both large & small size concentric coils are available for your unit.

 

[JimmyCT]

Hi Scooper,

As previously mentioned detecting right where the home sat is usually a junk fest. As Elton mentioned, span out around the home. When I get to an old house lot, I look for big old trees, rock walls, possibly places where the family garden was, where the clothes line would be, where would of the kid(s) played? Old barn(s) on the property? Where would the horse and buggy of stopped for people to get off? (if we are going back that far in time) etc etc. Humans have always been attracted to water (wells, brooks, ponds etc) check near these areas as well. But check out around the home first. This past summer, I went to an old torn down home site and right where the home sat was total junk chaos.(I was using my 10" DD coil - what a waste of time lol ) As I moved away towards the side and front yard, things quieted down and was able to concentrate on signals. Right across the driveway I found my first large cent (1822) The area where I found the large cent looked to be like an old garden and possibly the area where the clothes line hung as well ( a little past the garden) Hopefully, early next Spring, I can get back and hit the woods right behind this area as it looks to have been cleared at one time. (very small trees) And Terradigger has a good point, using a concentric coil will lessen the amount of item(s) underneath the coil at one time. Away from the home you can obviously use a larger coil but right on the old home site, Something like a little 5" coil (if you can get one or have one for your detector) would be best. Best of luck - Jim

 

[scooper77515]

I don't have the liberty of swapping coils, since I only have the one that came with my machine. But it is only 6 or 8", and I assume concentric.

Since i originally asked this question, two things have happened...we have had a little rain to soften up the dirt, and it has cooled down so the copperheads should be less prevalent.

Can't wait to get back at it!