# Utility vault

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Utility_vault
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Utility_vault.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_vault
> Source revision: 1331867544
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Area for public utility access}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2018}}
thumb|An open utility vault. "ELEC" on cover indicates electrical equipment/wires.
A '''utility vault''' is an underground room providing access to subterranean [public utility](/source/public_utility) equipment, such as [valve](/source/valve)s for water or natural gas pipes, or switchgear for [electrical](/source/electrical) or [telecommunication](/source/telecommunication)s equipment. A vault is often accessible directly from a street, sidewalk or other outdoor space, thereby distinct from a [basement](/source/basement) of a building.<ref>City of Sacramento, California. ''Sacramento City Code.'' [http://www.qcode.us/codes/sacramento/view.php?topic=12-12_12-i-12_12_010 "12.12.010 Definitions."] "'Utility vault' means any underground room providing access to subterranean utility equipment." Accessed 2018-04-09.</ref><ref>City of New York, New York. ''2014 Construction Codes.'' Building Code, Chapter 32. [http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/apps/pdf_viewer/viewer.html?file=2014CC_BC_Chapter_32_Encroachments_into_the_Pulic_Right_of_Way.pdf&section=conscode_2014 "Section 3201.8. Definitions."] "Vault: Any space below the surface of a street, that is covered over, except those openings that are used exclusively as places for descending, by means of steps, to the cellar or basement of any building." Accessed 2018-04-09.</ref>

Utility vaults are commonly constructed out of [reinforced concrete box](/source/reinforced_concrete_box)es, poured concrete or brick. Small ones are usually entered through a [manhole](/source/manhole) or [grate](/source/grating) on the topside and closed up by a [manhole cover](/source/manhole_cover). Such vaults are considered [confined space](/source/confined_space)s and can be hazardous to enter. Large utility vaults are similar to [mechanical](/source/mechanical_room) or [electrical room](/source/electrical_room)s in design and content.

==See also==
*[Dartford Cable Tunnel](/source/Dartford_Cable_Tunnel)
*[Telecommunications pedestal](/source/Telecommunications_pedestal)
*[Utility cut](/source/Utility_cut)
*[Utility tunnel](/source/Utility_tunnel)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://precast.org/precast-product/underground-utility-vaults/ Underground Utility Vaults] - National Precast Concrete Association

{{Man-made and man-related Subterranea}}

Category:Building engineering
Category:Rooms
Category:Subterranea (geography)

{{room-stub}}

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Utility vault](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_vault) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_vault?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.