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9 Misconceptions About Underground Utility Locating

Underground utilities, also known as subsurface utilities, are infrastructures found underground to provide services to people. They are most commonly built by public utility companies but are also installed as private utilities by property owners. Such public utilities come in the form of pipes and cables that transport lots of things, from water to your internet connection.

Depending on the location, utility locating could also be done on a private utility. Things such as self-installed home filtration systems, sewer lines, garden sprinkler systems, are all examples of such infrastructure.

What Are Utility Location Services For?

Because these infrastructures are below the ground, anyone who plans to excavate either for public or private purposes will need to plot where these utilities are before they do any digging. Utility location refers to the entire process of plotting such infrastructure, from identifying where utility lines are to labeling each line properly.

Explaining What 10 Myths on Underground Locating Really Mean

1. All utility mark outs are accurate.

Utility mark outs are often inaccurate. Whenever you’re doing some excavation work, always proceed with caution.

You never know whether mark outs are inaccurate or incomplete. Don’t trust mark outs, since they may be based solely on records. Even ones done using the most advanced locating technologies are not very reliable because all locating technologies have limitations and instrument readings can change depending on the operators’ interpretations.

The best way to approach mark outs is to stir as far away from them as possible. Ideally, set your drilling location five to 10 feet away from marked lines. After all, a marked line could be one pipe or cable or it can be a group of pipes and cables together.

2. I can dig in a spot without the need to hire utility locators.

A lack of utility marks could mean the area has never been located before, not that there are no utilities present. Never dig on lots without going through proper procedures. Rarely are there no utilities where there are no marks; more often than not, you’d find unlocated utilities in such areas. You should ask around about utilities and facilities in the area.

You can also inspect the area yourself for signs of underground activities such as repaired pavement, disturbed soil, utility boxes, or wires, cables, and pipes coming from the ground. Better yet, hire Trusted Utility Locating Services to do the work for you. 

3. Depths of utilities can be assumed or estimated.

You cannot assume or estimate the location or depth of utilities without exposing them first. Lines can shift or settle, changing their depths over time; and any mark usually only indicates horizontal locations. So never make assumptions.

4. Utility strikes will not happen to me.

The biggest myth is the idea that you’re exempt from utility strikes. Just because something has never happened to you before does not mean it cannot happen. In fact, in 2019 there was an estimated 532,000 excavation-related damages to underground facilities across the country.

5. I only have to do utility mapping once.

Underground utility locating should be conducted every time before you dig up a piece of land. The depth of pipelines, cables, and so on changes over time and new utilities are always being added to the mix. So never skip utility locating prior to any project.

6. I can use an old map.

Mapping underground utilities is a long and continuous process, so you can’t always rely on old maps to guide you. If it’s been more than 5 years, the map is no longer up to date. Always get a location survey before you start any and all utility services projects. 

7. A ground-penetrating radar (GPR) can see all underground utilities.

A GPR can detect some utilities via geophysical radar pulses, but they only work as extensions of human senses.

Simply put, any GPR is limited by penetration depth and data interpretation when detecting such infrastructure. So though they are helpful, do not rely on them too heavily and always remain on the safe side when excavating.

8. I don’t need to worry about abandoned lines. 

Never make assumptions in these situations. Seemingly abandoned lines are possible conduits for new utilities, and they can be plugged at one end but be connected on the other. Abandoned lines can still pose a danger to you and everyone else so exercise utmost caution. 

9. 811 is liable for accidents.

Just because you called 811 does not mean you have done all you should when it comes to underground utility locating. The team on the other line can help coordinate with locating service providers to have a utility map of the area, but that’s as much as they can do.

It is important to remember that you are still responsible as an excavator to verify the marks provided to you. After all, when there’s a utility strike, it will be your cost to bear. There’s no harm in double-checking just to be extra sure.

Best Practices to Avoid Accidents

It pays to be extra cautious when it comes to excavations. Do everything you can to minimize the risks that come with digging.

Call 811

811 is the federally assigned hotline to call before you do any digging.

Call the hotline at least a few days before you do any digging to help make sure you’re educating yourself on the underground utilities present in your excavation area before you begin any project. This can go a long way in preventing any breaches or accidents when it comes to disturbing an existing underground utility line.

Hire Professional Utility Locating Services

When in doubt, it always pays to hire a professional. They have the necessary equipment and the best technology to carry out the safest excavations with the least surface disruption via hydro excavation.

Contact a reliable utility locating service to make sure you know where underground utilities are and how deep they are in the ground.

We at Util-Locate pride ourselves on being South California’s leading private utility locating company. Our team is one call away, so contact us today to make sure your utility location project goes smoothly!

The post 9 Misconceptions About Underground Utility Locating first appeared on Util Locate.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/9-misconceptions-about-underground-utility-locating/

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Why You Should Still Call a Utility Locator When Revisiting a Project

Underground utility locating is an extremely important and necessary step for any construction project. Excavations that do not safely locate utilities run the risk of a utility strike, which can result in serious damage and disruption to the local area. Indeed, professional utility locating services can mean the difference between a safe construction site, or a dangerous one. 

When revisiting a project, it may seem unnecessary to hire a utility locating team — but having sub-surface level utilities expertly located near any new excavation is crucial. To learn more about why you should still call a utility locator when revisiting a project and the benefits that come with hydro vacuum excavation, keep reading.

Safety is Assured

The first priority on any construction site is the safety of the crew and the public. This is why all necessary precautions should be taken to create a safe working environment with a crew that is regularly educated about on-site safety measures.

Excavating a construction site can be a dangerous process if it is not carried out with care and modern techniques, such as hydro vacuum excavation. With our underground utility locating services, your construction site will remain a safe and secure place with a minimized risk of accident or injury.

When you’re revisiting a construction project, it’s important to be certain of the locations of the utility lines and other sub-surface level structures that may be under your site. While you may have verified the locations previously, markers left behind could have been affected over time and may no longer have the same accuracy. 

Instead of risking an expensive and dangerous utility strike, you should have a professional team of vacuum excavators return to the site to carry out further excavation. This will provide you with visual verification of the utility line locations and give peace of mind before moving forward to work on the site.

Hiring a professional utility locator also prevents dangerous gas lines from being struck, which have been known to cause explosions and fires. These are incredibly dangerous for anyone in the nearby vicinity, including members of the public, and can cause serious delays to your project. 

On the other hand, while electricity lines are less dangerous when struck, they can still cause major implications for the surrounding community. For instance, if the power at a local hospital is cut, it can cause debilitating problems for doctors and patients. This can, in turn, result in large fines and even community ire while the line is repaired.

Lower Overall Costs

Another reason to locate utilities at a site you are revisiting is to reduce costs. While this may seem counterintuitive given professional fees or already having located utility lines in the past, choosing to call utility locator to the site is bound to save you on money and time, and can serve as a good way to give you peace of mind. 

As mentioned above, a utility strike is a very costly accident that can simply be avoided. While in recent years repairing damaged utility lines have become less expensive, fines imposed by local government councils have risen steeply. Not to mention, if a utility strike affects the local community, you may also have to deal with time-consuming civil lawsuit actions. 

To avoid these unnecessary costs, use utility locating services that will safely and efficiently identify the exact locations of all utility lines or underground structures, such as pipes or other objects that are often not found on utility maps.

It is also much easier to budget for excavation services than for unforeseen and high fines or repair costs. By preparing your budget ahead of time to include hydro vacuum excavation, your project will be able to proceed smoothly and on time without any delay.

Benefits of Choosing Hydro Vacuum Excavation

When it comes to choosing the right utility locating services, it’s important to choose a method that is safe, cost-efficient, and friendly for the environment. Hydro vacuum excavation utilizes low flow and high water pressure to accomplish the dislodging, and is an ideal method for areas with slippery or slick surfaces, or places suffering from soil erosion or instability. 

Aside from this, however, the hydro vacuum excavation method also presents a number of other benefits, such as: 

Minimal Surface Disruption: For any project, excavation can be a time-consuming and disruptive activity to other work taking place on the construction site. Hydro vacuum excavation is the least invasive method and will only minimally affect your construction site. This is especially helpful for anyone who is on a tight deadline or wants to carry out other work on the site while the excavation work is being carried out.

Modern Technology: Alongside our vacuum excavation equipment, our team can utilize RADAR technology, which will make for a more efficient excavation process. Using both utility line maps and Ground Penetrating RADAR, our team can get a better idea of the location of utility lines, how many holes need to be dug, and how deep those holes will be. This information will also provide your project with an accurate price estimation before the actual excavation project begins.

Visual Verification: Perhaps the best advantage of choosing hydro vacuum excavation is how incredibly accurate it is. By visually identifying the locations of all utility lines and other sub-surface level structures, you can rest assured that utility lines will not be struck, and your site will remain a safe environment.

Overall, it is important to use a utility locating service even when you are revisiting a construction project to ensure that locations of lines, pipes, and other underground structures are accurately identified and recorded. The right method is also just as crucial, and the hydro vacuum excavation will help you save time and money while maintaining the highest of safety standards. 

Get Utility Locating Services with Util-Locate

Util-Locate is the #1 utility locating service and underground locator of choice for industry professionals in Southern California. With our professional underground utilities locator, you can be sure that we’ll use state-of-the-art technology that’s the best in the industry. 

If you decide you want to acquire underground utility locating services for your recent project, call Util-Locate at (885) 885-6228 today.

The post Why You Should Still Call a Utility Locator When Revisiting a Project first appeared on Util Locate.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/why-you-should-still-call-a-utility-locator-when-revisiting-a-project/

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Why Utility Potholing is the ONLY Non-Invasive Excavation Method

  When you are at the helm of a construction project, there is a lot of pressure to keep to time constraints and strict budgets. One part of many construction projects that results in unforeseen delays and costs is work dealing with utility lines. Things can go wrong quickly when utilities are not excavated in a safe and efficient way. Utility strikes and excessive surface damage result in delays, repairs, and new budgetary demands that are difficult to keep up with.

That is why utility potholing is the most recommended way to excavate a construction site. There is a reason why vacuum excavation is now the most popular construction method used for locating utilities: not only does it offer reliable visual confirmation of utilities, but it also greatly reduces the risk of a utility strike. Utility potholing is hands down the ONLY truly non-invasive excavation method currently available.

How Other Methods Measure Up

More traditional methods of utility locating include backhoes and manual labor with shovels and trowels. While these methods can work, they come with a lot of downsides that should be borne in mind. 

Manual Excavation

Those on a tight budget often turn toward manual excavation due to the extremely cheap upfront costs. However, you will quickly learn just how slow and strenuous this method is, leaving you with exhausted workers and probable delays. Costs quickly add up in these situations and a lot of surface damage is caused in the process.

Backhoes

While a backhoe is much more efficient than excavating by hand, this comes with its own set of risks. For example, a backhoe lacks the precision of vacuum excavation, which means the risk of a utility strike is quite high. When a utility line is struck, it can affect the energy or water supply of the local community and your construction project will be hit with hefty fines to compensate those affected. Repairing utility lines can also be an expensive and time-consuming task that will drain your resources that should be focused elsewhere.

Both of these alternative methods also stir up a lot of earth, which makes them very invasive processes. Even if you manage to avoid damaging utility lines, you will end up spending a lot more time and money replacing the earth that was removed in order to begin working on the construction site again. 

Hydro Vacuum Excavation

You can avoid this problem by choosing hydro vacuum excavation instead. This method relies on vacuum excavator equipment which only removes a small patch of earth to reveal the utility lines below. You will find that this results in only the most minimal surface disruption, which can easily and quickly be returned to its original state.

You also will be avoiding utility strikes altogether, which means you won’t have to further excavate for emergency repairs. 

Adequate and Thorough Planning

When you choose to use vacuum excavation to locate your utilities, there are additional planning measures you can take to ensure your excavation work is as non-invasive as possible. 

Consider using one or more of the following tools or techniques:

Look at Utility Maps: Util-locate has an extensive collection of utility maps showing the locations of many subsurface level structures including: 

utility lines such as power and gas lines

pipes or underground cables

other objects that other maps or blueprints might not include. 

Using these maps is a great way to decide where to excavate your construction site. You will also be able to estimate how deep your excavation team will need to dig each pothole to attain visual verification of utility locations. 

GPR Technology: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) uses RADAR technology to obtain images of subsurface level structures. While this should be used in conjunction with vacuum excavation, it is useful to gather as much data as possible before excavating. GPR is a non-invasive tool that might minimize the amount of excavating required later on. 

Hire an Experienced Team: one of the most important things to do is hire a professional team of vacuum excavators. Not only will they understand how to use the excavation equipment properly and safely, but they will also do everything possible to minimize surface damage. While a professional team will require some upfront costs, it is the best option to ensure that utility lines are accurately located and the surface of your construction site remains undisturbed and undamaged. 

When used alongside vacuum excavation, these are the best ways to minimize all types of surface damage so that you can leave behind a small footprint on your construction site. This will keep your construction project moving forward rather than wasting time and money trying to remedy damage to the earth.

Safety on Your Construction Site

We know that safety should be the first priority on any construction site. As with all construction work, excavation can pose certain health and safety risks, especially when sewer and gas lines are involved. The team at Util-locate will always provide the safest utility potholing experience to keep your crew, site, and members of the public safe. 

It is also recommended that you provide your crew with regular safety training throughout the length of the construction project, not just before work begins. This will keep the site very safe and ensure that your crew is aware of new risks that might emerge later on. 

Our team has years of experience utility potholing, which means all of our equipment is used properly, efficiently, and safely. This ensures that utility lines are found efficiently and in a cost-effective, secure way. We will also make sure that the ground of your construction site is disturbed only where necessary so that you don’t have to worry about unexpected costs or delays.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/why-utility-potholing-is-the-only-non-invasive-excavation-method/

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Lessen the Surface Damage during Your Excavation Project—Here’s How!

When you are managing or working on a construction project, there are a lot of important factors to keep track of, such as budget, time constraints, and crew management. Modern construction sites have the advantage of using new equipment and methods that make work more efficient and less strenuous on your workers.

One common concern on many construction sites is the question of how to minimize surface damage when carrying out necessary work like utility excavation. Other methods of excavation involve imprecise equipment that has to tear through the ground to reach the utilities. This is why vacuum excavation is so important for any modern construction project. 

Our expert team has years of experience with utility potholing and ensures that only the most minimal surface disruption occurs. This creates a more seamless process from potholing to post-excavation work. You will not have to worry about restoring the ground to its original state, which will save you both time and money—precious resources on any construction site!

Keep reading to find out the various ways you can limit the surface damage while excavating your construction site.

Plan Ahead

The way you prepare for excavating your construction site can be the difference between disaster and success. To make sure you collect all the necessary information about your construction site and the terrain, you should do the following:

  Check the maps: before you break ground on your construction site, you should consult approved utility maps, which Util-locate can provide to you alongside our other excavation services. These maps will show the location of subsurface objects such as pipes and cables as well as sewers, gas, and electrical lines, which you will need to avoid striking. 

Referring to utility maps will get your project off on the right foot because you will be better informed and more aware of where to excavate for visual confirmation. Utility maps are a simple way to reduce the amount of earth that needs to be disturbed so there is less surface damage overall.

  Look at the surrounding area: the area around your construction site will inform you about how to proceed and will affect your budget. For instance, you will need to know where the nearest water supply and dumpsite is. A reliable water source is needed for the efficiency of hydro vacuum excavation and the proximity of a dumpsite will reduce the time spent driving unwanted soil away from your construction site.

  Consider using RADAR first: as with utility maps, RADAR technology is an important part of pre-excavation preparation. Ground Penetrating RADAR (GPR) provides onsite data that is capable of 3D imaging. 

Why is this useful? Because it records subsurface data, which can inform our specialists about how deep your excavation holes will need to be. GPR is completely non-destructive, which means it will not cause any surface damage. 

GPR can be used on all types of surface because it can penetrate through soil, concrete, water, and many other types of terrain. It also detects more than just metallic objects like pipes, it can pick up on the location of other things like fiber-optic cables which are just as important to avoid during excavation.

  Choose a reliable excavation method: the most important thing to do to minimize surface damage is to choose the least invasive excavation method. Most construction sites now opt for hydro vacuum excavation when utility potholing because it is not only the most reliable method, but it is also the safest and most accurate. 

Taken altogether, these features make vacuum excavation the best choice for anyone who wants less surface damage as well as efficient and precise utility locating. 

  Hire a professional team: a team that is highly trained and experienced with vacuum excavation is the only way to make sure the excavation is carried out properly. A professional excavation team will create only the necessary surface disruption, which means you will spend far less time and money resurfacing the construction site after the excavation.

Choose the Least Invasive Methods

As briefly mentioned above, when it comes to utility potholing, the method you choose will affect how much the surface is damaged.

In the past, it was common to excavate by hand or with a backhoe, but both of these methods come with major downsides. Excavating with trowels and shovels is extremely time consuming and labor-intensive. While the initial cost may be cheap, its inefficiency and the number of workers needed to carry out the excavation means that the cost will add up exponentially over time. Backhoes are much more efficient, but the machines used for it are not accurate and utility strikes are much more likely to occur.

Remember: when you strike a utility line, the damage will always need to be repaired. This means even more excavation will be required, in addition to what are usually hefty fines and long delays.

To avoid these issues and unwanted costs, it is always recommended to use hydro vacuum excavation. Not only will you receive visual verification of utility line locations, but it can also be done quickly and safely. When the work is complete, only the small excavation holes will need to be covered over. 

  Stay Safe

Overall, the safety of your crew is the most important thing. Safety measures and training should always be implemented to ensure that everyone on the construction site can stay safe and injury-free.

Utility strikes can result in the loss of water or energy resources within the local community, which is especially dangerous for buildings such as hospitals. This is why it is so important to choose a method that will keep everyone, including members of the public safe.

When carried out by a professional team, vacuum excavation is proven to be time and cost-efficient, as well as incredibly safe. What is an added bonus is its ability to lessen the surface damage incurred by the excavation process.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/lessen-the-surface-damage-during-your-excavation-project-heres-how/

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8 Most Common Construction Blunders

Every construction project requires meticulous planning, safety precautions, and a highly-trained crew. From holding regular safety briefings, to choosing modern construction methods like utility potholing and vacuum excavation, there are a lot of ways you can ensure your construction site is well-managed, safe, and blunder-free. But when these methods are overlooked, construction mistakes and blunders are inevitable and can lead to huge consequences. 

To keep your crew safe and your construction project progressing smoothly, we’ve compiled a list of 8 of the most common construction blunders. In the spirit of ‘forewarned is forearmed’, this list will help you stay prepared for anything while managing your construction site. 

1. You Don’t Plan Enough

Of course, every construction project will require planning permission, permits, and an understanding of the layout of the construction site. However, this is only scratching the surface of everything that needs to be planned both before beginning the work, and while the work is being carried out. 

You should have a solid execution plan that will explain the project strategy and timeline for everyone involved – including subcontracted teams. If you don’t have this type of plan, things will get complicated, confusing, and can lead to delays, mistakes, and miscommunication. 

To avoid this blunder, make sure that your management team creates a clear execution plan and strategy. This should include practically everything: from construction resources and deadlines, to the budget and safety training days. This plan will ensure that everyone involved in the construction project is informed and prepared.

  2. No Visual Verification

One of the most important actions you need to take when beginning a construction project is locating any subsurface level utility lines that might be running under the worksite. A huge blunder you can make is to rely only on old maps of the site. 

While these maps indicate the general area of utility lines, they are not always 100% accurate and might not include all of the utilities. Not knowing exactly where the lines are located can lead to striking the utility lines. Fixing this is a costly and time-consuming process.

Utility potholing is the best way to ensure you do not strike a utility line because it enables you to visually verify the location of the lines. The most efficient and risk-free method of utility potholing is professional vacuum excavation. Hydro vacuum excavation involves the use of water pressure to dig holes throughout the construction site to reveal the exact location of the utilities. Once the locations are verified, construction work can continue without the risk of damaging important utility lines.

3. You Use the Wrong Method or Equipment

The equipment and techniques used on construction sites are always evolving, so it can be very tricky to keep up with the newest and best developments. However, it’s important to move with the times and utilize these new techniques. Many are designed to be safer, more efficient, and more affordable than older methods.

For instance, when excavating for utilities, construction sites used to rely on manual labor or clunky backhoes, which were prone to striking utility lines. Now, most construction projects opt for hydro vacuum excavation because it is the safest, quickest, and most cost-effective method. By neglecting to use newer methods, you are going to find that work takes longer and more accidents and injuries occur.

4. Ignoring Safety Measures

The first priority on any construction site is safety. Your crew and members of the public should always be kept safe. Don’t just rely on one training session before the work begins. Instead, the manager of a construction project should schedule regular safety training sessions to ensure that the crew remains aware of how to stay safe while on the job. 

  5. Budget Failures

Construction projects of any size – large or small – need to stick to a tight budget. Unexpected costs can seriously harm the success of the project and even grind it to a halt. Utility strikes can cause widespread power or energy outages to surrounding communities, and you will be fined for the damage. 

Repairing the utility lines is also very expensive and will cause delays to your project. Don’t fail to factor mistakes and blunders into your budget; or even better, use safer methods like utility potholing to avoid the mistake in the first place.

  6. You Don’t Hire Professionals

Some work, like vacuum excavation, needs to be subcontracted to professional teams that have expertise in specific areas. Renting specialized equipment won’t be useful if it is in the hands of an untrained crew. You will end up wasting time and money, and also risk damaging both the site and the equipment in the process.

Professional crews are more costly upfront, but they get the work done much quicker and will know how to operate the machinery safely.

  7. You Didn’t Check the Surrounding Areas

You should always know about the area surrounding your construction site –  including water sources, population density, and where the nearest dumping sites are. This information will affect how deep you can excavate without causing flooding as well as safety measures that need to be in place to protect members of the public.

The proximity of dumping sites or your resource distributors will also affect your deadlines and budget. The closer these are, the less time your crew will have to spend driving to and from the site, which can end up saving you a lot of time and money.

8. You Lack Defined Project Deadlines

Your execution strategy should include a detailed list of deadlines. With clearly set out goals and deadlines, your team will always understand what is expected, making it easier for them to deliver what is needed. While it’s inevitable that some deadlines will be missed or pushed back, working toward a goal will keep the momentum up and the project moving forward.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/8-most-common-construction-blunders/

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How to Decide Between Hydro and Air Excavation

When it comes to locating underground utility lines, there is no doubt that vacuum excavation is the best method available. Not only is it efficient, it is also safer and cost-effective – making it an all-around great choice for any construction project. 

There are two forms of vacuum excavation: hydro and air excavation. These forms rely on water and air pressure respectively to clear earth and reveal subsurface utilities.

At first glance, these forms of utility potholing may seem like they produce the same results. Upon closer examination though, it is clear that hydro vacuum excavation will provide you with the best experience. This is because hydro excavation is faster, can be used on more difficult terrains, and can handle larger construction sites.

Still unsure of which type of vacuum excavation to choose? Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of both forms and why hydro excavation is likely the right choice for you.

The Difference Between Hydro and Air Excavation

The most obvious difference between these methods is that one relies on high-water pressure to push through the earth and the other uses air pressure. With this distinction comes a few other differences that are important to keep in mind while you decide which option to use. For example, air excavation allows you to reuse the ‘spoil material’ that was taken to refill the hole. 

There is one small caveat: air excavation also takes longer and may be ineffective against harder or denser soils. 

Both forms of utility potholing use large trailer-mounted storage units to hold the displaced soil. This makes moving the soil away from the hole or even away from the entire construction site a simple and easy process.

Regardless of whether you choose air or hydro excavation, it’s important to know how many holes you will be digging so that you know how big these storage units should be because their capacities can range anywhere between 150-2,000 gallons.

This can make a HUGE difference when you consider that the spoils will need to be dumped every time the container fills up. A larger container will make the process more efficient and easier for everyone.

Another massive quality of both hydro and air excavation is how relatively safe they are when carried out by an experienced team. Compared to backhoes or even manual excavation, vacuum excavation is proven to be very safe for your crew and avoids the risk of striking utility lines. 

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Most Efficient Utility Potholing Choice

Without a doubt, hydro excavation is the fastest vacuum excavation option available. That’s because water erodes the ground faster and can target the dig site more accurately to form a smaller, more precise hole. Water in itself is also a flexible and adaptable form to use because it can soften the earth and make the overall excavation easier.

It’s easy to understand then, exactly why hydro excavation is the first choice when dealing with more difficult terrain consisting of particularly hard or rocky earth.

You should also consider the climate when making a decision. In the winter, the earth does tend to get colder and some soils like clay can harden. The water used for excavation can be heated with a boiler, making it much more effective than air could ever be.

The Size of Your Construction Site

The larger the construction site is, the more utility lines you will have to dig for.  This can massively prolong the process. When time is of the essence, hydro excavation should be used.

It should also be noted that the debris tanks used with hydro excavation are typically much larger than those with air. This means that you won’t be required to dump the tank’s spoils every so often (involving a trip to an off-site dumping facility). Choosing hydro excavation allows you to dig more holes in less time.          

On the other hand, vacuum excavation using air pressure will allow you to fill in the holes with the soil that was originally removed. This might work well for small construction sites because you won’t have to dump the soil away from the site – but take note: the process will still be a slower one overall, which can cause costs to rise.

Water Source

Another thing to bear in mind is where the nearest water source is located. The larger hydro excavation tanks can hold up to 1300 gallons of water which roughly translates into about 3-5 hours of dig time. When you run out of water, it will need to be refilled somewhere. This isn’t a problem at all if you have an on-site or nearby water supply, but it could be more of an inconvenience if the water supply is farther afield. 

While you won’t face this problem with an air tank, air often isn’t enough alone to excavate all utility lines. When you reach a particular difficult dig site, most vacuum excavation teams will switch to water  anyway to get the job done. Using hydro excavation in the first place will prevent the hassle of switching to a different form and technique in the middle of a project.

The Bottom Line

While there are certainly benefits to both hydro and air excavation, most evidence points to hydro excavation being the most efficient and hassle-free method. 

Hydro excavation is known to be much faster and more effective when digging through difficult or frozen terrain. However, if you are located far away from a reliable water source, air excavation could be a better option.

It is always important to consider a specific construction site before making a decision. Taking into account the size, terrain, and location of the construction site will help you understand your excavation needs and which form of excavation is best. 

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/how-to-decide-between-hydro-and-air-excavation/

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Save More in 2020 with Vacuum Excavation

Whether you are in the middle of a construction project or just about to embark on one, one of your main concerns is likely keeping to a strict budget. Construction projects big and small can be expensive and time-consuming, but by utilizing the newest and most reputable technologies, you can end up saving a lot of money in 2020. One of the best techniques available for the early stages of a project is utility potholing using vacuum excavation.

This is the most reliable and safest way to locate utility lines, which means you won’t run the risk of causing extensive—and expensive—damage to water, gas, or other energy lines.

Keep reading to learn about the process of vacuum excavation, the benefits it will bring to your construction project, and our top tips and tricks on how to introduce potholing into your project.

What is Utility Locating and Excavation?

Any construction project that requires digging underground at all will benefit from utility potholing. Essentially, it is a method of locating the utility lines that run beneath the construction site. You have to locate these utilities for a variety of reasons: in order to connect the new property to these lines and to prevent damaging them in the construction process.

Typically, utility lines provide power and water to a large surrounding area, especially in urban zones. Therefore, any damage to the lines can result in extensive interruption of utility services to important buildings like hospitals and schools. If your construction team is found to be the cause of this damage, you will be handed a hefty fine and repairs to the utility lines will severely affect your deadlines.

These are worst-case scenarios, but they are very possible when poor methods are used to locate utility lines. Vacuum excavation is both extremely accurate and very gentle so there is no risk to the lines. This method uses the vacuum to gently apply air or water pressure to the area of land being excavated so that the earth is removed from the lines. When using air pressure, the earth is simply moved to another area which means it can be used later in the construction process, saving you money on materials later on.

Why is Utility Potholing Better?

Compared with other methods of utility excavation, potholing is cost-effective, efficient, and by far the most accurate option. Many people have stopped using backhoes because of their wayward nature. When they are not operated by a very experienced professional, there is a much higher risk of a utility line being struck and damaged.

Another alternative is excavation by hand, but this simply is not practical for large scale projects due to how time-consuming and physically exhausting this work is. In fact, excavating with a trowel or shovel only appears to be the cheapest option. When you factor in labor and time costs, it is comparable with hiring out professional equipment.

Top 3 Benefits of Vacuum Excavation

If you still need more convincing, here are our top 3 reasons why vacuum excavation is the best choice for your construction project:

Accuracy

When you are utility locating, accuracy is the most important factor. Knowing the precise location of utility lines will benefit your build site and avoid the risk of damaging the lines. Using just a backhoe or trowels means your crew will be digging blindly and if they do not apply enough caution, extensive damage can occur.

Vacuum excavation removes this likelihood of human error, which will give you peace of mind and protect you from the risk of big fines.

Speed

it is also well-known in construction that time is money! When you are working to a tight deadline, you don’t want to be hampered by time-consuming methods or, worse, repairs. Vacuum excavation, when carried out by a professional team, can be an exceptionally efficient process.

When coupled with RADAR technology, the process is further streamlined because there is a preliminary awareness of the utility line locations.

Cost-Efficiency

Vacuum excavation does require paying more for the equipment and professional team. However, this upfront investment will actually save you money in the long run. This is because you altogether avoid the risk of damaging the lines and therefore won’t have to pay large fines or expensive repairs.

These costs would more than exceed the price of hiring a utility potholing team.

Tips and Safety Measures

As with any method and equipment used on a construction site, certain safety measures must be followed. We would recommend taking the following steps to ensure that your experience with vacuum excavation is as great as we know it can be.

Plan Ahead

Before you hire your potholing team, you should take a few precautionary steps. That means, utilizing RADAR technology to have a general understanding of where you want the vacuum excavation to take place. This will greatly assist the team you hire so that they can perform their job as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Hire Specialists

It is highly recommended that you do not just rent out the potholing equipment because it is still a new tool and not all crew members will have enough training or knowledge of how it works.

Instead, opt for hiring a professional team who can bring and operate their own equipment. This will remove the risk of an unexpected accident and ensures that the equipment is not used improperly.

Choosing vacuum excavation is a great choice for anyone who wants a more affordable and accurate utility locating experience. You won’t have to deal with any costly delays and repairs, and you will save money by hiring a professional team to carry out the work for you!

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/save-more-in-2020-with-vacuum-excavation/

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Vacuum Excavation Service for a Precise Trenching

Compared with most excavation methods used on construction sites, vacuum excavation is still a fairly new tool used for easy utility potholing and accurate excavation. Instead of manual tools or unwieldy equipment, vacuum excavators use a hydro or air jet to gently blow pressurized water or air into the ground to clear away earth. This process is more accurate than other methods and there is little risk of damaging utility lines.

Keep reading to better understand how Vacuum excavation works. This article will explain the process, necessary safety measures, and the many benefits of choosing vacuum excavation over manual digging or backhoes.

What is Vacuum Excavation?

In recent years, vacuum excavation has become the go-to option on construction sites for efficient and thorough excavation. Excavation is an important part of most construction projects because it allows you to understand what is going on underneath the earth. That means being aware of all utility lines, like water or gas, as well as any underground structures that might be in place.

Some methods of excavation, like backhoes, are too cumbersome to carefully excavate the land without risking damage to these utility lines. Such damage can be extremely expensive to repair and if the construction site is in an urban area, the damage could affect the surrounding area. This could lead to extensive fines for affecting the community in an adverse way, such as shutting off the power at a hospital or school.

Understanding the full extent of the risks involved in utility potholing should make it obvious why vacuum excavation is such a good option.

Read More: What You Need to Know About Potholing For Utilities

Vacuum excavation technology allows a professional team to gently remove earth from the construction site to reveal a completely accurate image of where the utility lines are located without any risk involved. Not only is the process effective, but a well-trained team can excavate the site quickly without sacrificing thoroughness.

Vacuum excavation can handle nearly all types of terrain: clay, dirt, rough and rocky soil are no match for this equipment. Whereas other forms of excavation can struggle to carefully remove rocky terrain, the water or air pressure from vacuum excavators remains an effective and quick option.

While hydro and air jets work in very similar ways, some will opt for air jets because the earth that is excavated can be reused at a later time. This is not possible with the earth that is cleared using water, so it is best to consult with your team before deciding which type of vacuum excavator to use.

Safety Measures

As with all tools and machinery on construction sites, vacuum excavation should only be carried out by a highly trained individual or team.

The most cost-effective option is to hire a vacuum excavation specialist who can complete the work with ease. Renting the equipment and training someone on site is not only more expensive but can also cause delays for the construction project or cause damage to the machinery or construction site.

To prevent these unnecessary expenses, opt for a team like that at Util-Locate who have years of experience and can understand the needs and scope of your project. 

Benefits of Choosing Vacuum Excavation

To better understand the benefits of vacuum excavation, you should consider the downsides of its alternatives: backhoes and hand excavation.

As mentioned above, backhoes are an unwieldy piece of construction machinery, which lack the finesse of a vacuum excavator. While the job might get done quickly, utility lines could be struck or ruptured in the process. We already know that this can result in fines, but you could also have to push back the deadline of the project due to the need for lengthy repairs before construction work can be continued.

Smaller sites have previously relied on excavation being carried out by hand with the use of shovels or trowels. While there is certainly less risk of rupturing a utility line, this method is very time consuming and will result in overworked and exhausted workers.

Due to the amount of time this form of excavation takes, it is not as cost-effective as you might assume. You might save money on equipment, but this is canceled out by how long the process takes and the number of workers it will require.

Read More: Vacuum Excavation vs. Traditional Excavation Techniques

You might also have heard of RADAR technology, which uses radio waves to locate utility lines. While this might seem like a great option because it limits the need for physical excavation, it is not 100% accurate. This discrepancy in accuracy means utility line ruptures can still occur. If you use RADAR, it should be used alongside a vacuum excavator. Doing so will maximize accuracy while limiting the area you have to excavate.

So, it is easy to see why vacuum excavation for utility locating and potholing is such a good option. Not only will it preserve the integrity of the construction site, but you will save money and time.

To conclude, it is essential for the safety and success of your construction project to choose an excavation method that is both accurate and efficient. Vacuum excavation is proven to be the most accurate method for construction site excavation and a professional team will ensure that the work is carried out according to your team’s needs.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/vacuum-excavation-service-for-a-precise-trenching/

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Avoid Excavation Hazards and Utility Strikes, Call the Potholing Experts

It is well known that construction sites are inherently dangerous and there are a lot of risks that go along with excavating earth. Although it is tempting to choose the cheapest or least time-consuming option to get the job done, such choices can lead to expensive disasters down the line. Utility potholing uses vacuum excavation technology in order to carefully and efficiently locate all underground utility lines without damaging them.

Utility potholing is an excellent option for most construction projects and will likely save you and your crew both time and money. Using a professional team will ensure that your construction site is excavated properly and as quickly as possible. While potholing is an investment, it will ensure that you avoid extensive damage and expensive repairs or fines.

Keep reading to learn how vacuum excavation can help your construction project run smoothly without the risk of utility strikes.

Other Tools Don’t Cut It

When you compare potholing to the other tools available, it becomes quickly obvious that professional potholing is the best choice.

Those with smaller construction sites often think that excavating the land by hand is the best option because it is so inexpensive. However, digging with hand tools like shovels and trowels requires grueling physical labor. Depending on the site, it can also take many days to complete. The contractor might want the work completed by a certain deadline and it just isn’t possible to know exactly how long excavating by hand will take.

While hand tools might not cause damage to utility lines, it isn’t recommended that you use this time-intensive and exhausting method.

Read More: What You Need to Know About Potholing for Utilities

Meanwhile, you might also consider renting a backhoe because they are generally considered an affordable and efficient method. However, it is incredibly difficult to use finesse with a backhoe, which means there is a much greater chance of striking a utility line. This is a fine option if you are certain there are no live utility lines under the land but should be avoided otherwise.

If you do opt for a backhoe, remember to employ an experienced spotter who will help guide the equipment and avoid utility lines. Even so, the risk to utility lines is far greater than it would be with vacuum excavation.

How Potholing Works

Potholing works to carefully excavate a construction site through the use of air or water pressure.

Air or water is gently, but firmly, push through the earth so that the locations of utility lines can be discovered without physically touching them. Even better, the use of an air jet allows the earth to be stored and reused at a later time in the construction process. While this cannot be done with a hydro jet, both are great options for keeping your construction site safe.

Potholing is an effective method that involves clearing the earth away from utility lines. It is also time-efficient and cost-effective. When used properly, vacuum excavation is the best method available for any construction project.

Safety Precautions

As with any construction equipment or machinery, safety measures must be taken to ensure the well-being of your crew.

You will still need to plan ahead of time to fully understand how to vacuum excavate the property. For instance, you should call all relevant third parties who have knowledge of the construction site. These third parties may have information concerning utility lines, which will assist you during the excavation.

It is always safer to choose a professional, experienced team. These professionals understand the delicate excavation process and will be much faster and more skilled than an untrained worker.

A professional team will also understand the importance of inspecting the area beforehand. This involves creating a small hole through which the professional can explore the underground area. RADAR or digital technology doesn’t compare to visual verification of what is underground. Damage to underground utilities can result in unexpected expenses from repairs or fines.

Usually, these fines occur if the damage disrupts access to utilities for those living and working in the surrounding area. It is important to respect the local community and do everything possible to ensure the construction is safe and takes necessary precautions.

Read More: Potholing Utilities for A Cost-Efficient and Safer Excavation

When in Doubt, Seek Help

If you are in doubt about how to excavate your construction site, it is advised that you choose potholing. Vacuum excavation is an advanced technique that, when carried out by an expert, is both safe and efficient.

By opting for potholing, you avoid the risk of striking a utility line, which could severely impact the overall success of the construction project.

Not only will a professional team be able to understand the needs of your project, but they will carry out the work without putting workers’ health and well-being at risk, as well as protecting the land itself.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/avoid-excavation-hazards-and-utility-strikes-call-the-potholing-experts/

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Never Just Dig Holes Again! Let the Pros Pothole Your Utilities 

When you are planning to carry out excavation work for a construction project, utility potholing is an absolute necessity.

If you aren’t already familiar with utility potholing, it’s a construction method that allows a crew to investigate underground and find any potential water or sewer lines. Professional utility potholing companies have specialized equipment that isn’t affordable to rent for a short term job. Typically, companies use a hydro or air jet, which gently vacuum excavates the site so that underground pipes are easily located.

You might think that using RADAR technology or ordinary hand tools would be as effective, but these techniques are in fact far less accurate. Making a mistake and damaging underground utilities on a construction site can lead to expensive, extensive, and time-consuming repairs. Utility potholing prevents these steep costs and will give you peace of mind throughout the process.

The Problem with Traditional Tools

Even if it is a small scale construction project, excavating by hand with a shovel or trowel is labor-intensive and exhausting. Hand tools are arguably useful for getting into small spaces and are certainly affordable. However, costs can pile up depending on how long the excavation drags on. Added to this, the individual and company you contracted the work might be on a tight schedule and not want to wait for the work to be done by hand.

Hand tools can also make the work more difficult depending on the terrain. Clay, rough terrain, or especially rocky land can cause all sorts of issues and delays.

Another option many people consider using are backhoes, but it’s important to remember that they should only be relied on when you aren’t worried about what’s under the construction site. So if you’re okay with tearing up an existing site, backhoes might work out fine because the job can be completed quickly.

Just bear in mind that utilities will be at risk when a backhoe is used. A spotter on the ground can only do so much and mistakes can happen in even the most careful construction zones.

Read More: Vacuum Excavation vs. Traditional Excavation Techniques

  Why Choose Utilities Potholing?

As mentioned before, when done by a professional, utility potholing is an accurate and effective tool to locate underground utility lines. Here are a few of its benefits:

Minimizes damage

The tools used are gentle enough to clear away earth without damaging the lines you are trying to locate. When compared with other tools, it’s the most accurate way to find the location of water or sewage lines.

There are two types of potholing: air and hydro excavation. Both are very effective techniques and surprisingly cost-effective despite the investment in machinery.

Air or pneumatic excavation uses compressed air to displace soil and unearth the utilities that lie beneath. One benefit of using air excavation is that the soil can be reused at a later point to fill in any holes that were left behind by the excavation.

On the other hand, hydro excavation uses pressurized water to remove the soil by turning it into wet slurry and vacuuming it away. Unlike in air excavation, the wet soil can no longer be reused to refill the hole later on. Nevertheless, hydro excavation is still the most used method of utility potholing today.

Read More: Why Utility Potholing is Essential for a Successful Construction Project

  Reduces surface damage

Another type of damage you might not have considered is surface damage. With air or hydro excavation, the actual construction site will remain relatively untouched until the real work begins. 

With traditional tools, large amounts of earth and removed from the site and relocated, which is neither time nor space-efficient.

Increases safety

A final benefit is how safe utility potholing is. When a water line is severely damaged, workers can get injured and anyone living or operating a business in the surrounding area can be seriously affected.

Causing that sort of damage cannot be taken lightly because you could be held liable for the costs and inconveniences experienced by anyone affected. So not only will you have to pay to repair the damaged lines, which is expensive in itself, but you could have to manage lawsuits and fines as well.

Tips for Professional Utility Potholing

While utility potholing is generally a far safer and quicker process than other excavation methods, there are still some precautions and techniques that should be used by professionals to ensure the process runs safely and smoothly.

Extensive planning: Before any excavation takes place, you should plan ahead. That means contacting third-parties about any cabling that might be underground. You should aim to be as precise as possible to avoid expensive damage to cables. Damaging infrastructure below the ground is one of the easiest ways to incur delays and extra expenses.

Safety is a priority: It might seem unnecessary to hire a private excavation company, but professionals are trained and highly skilled individuals. Hydro and air excavation require this level of skill and leaving it up to a professional will avoid mistakes and mishaps. Professionals are also accustomed to working on complex sites and will keep the machinery away from any overhead wires, which someone less experienced might forget about.

The Bottom Line

Vacuum excavation for utilities is one of the most sophisticated methods for exposing underground utilities. It’s safer and more effective than most alternatives, and it can be far more affordable in the long run. While it is a large upfront investment in a professional team and equipment, this investment ensures that you avoid serious damage to the construction site and hefty expenses down the line.

If you want a safer and more efficient experience on your construction project, choose a professional team to pothole your utilities.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/never-just-dig-holes-again-let-the-pros-pothole-your-utilities/

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Hiring Vacuum Excavation Experts Prevents Accidents

When planning your next home improvement or repair project, make sure to proceed with caution. This is especially true if your project involves digging. The first step to any project of this magnitude is having a proper utility locate service performed. While it may add a few days to your project’s timeline, having utility potholing completed in your yard can save you from dangerous outcomes.

What Went Wrong in Southern California  

Recently, Southern California was devastated by an accidental gas explosion: fifteen people were injured, and a Southern California Gas Company worker lost his life. Sadly, the ruptured gas line could have been avoided had the local contractor used a utility locating service. 

The contractor not only violated state law but put others at risk. Most likely, the contractor didn’t think locating utilities was essential for the work he was doing. It’s far too common for contractors, handymen, and homeowners to either be overconfident in their abilities or to underestimate the task at hand. However, one must always consider the dangers of their projects and determine whether or not the are truly qualified.

Accidents involving utilities do not always result in death. Some accidents result in damaged property, physical injuries, or high costs. In some cases, calling the local utility company might suffice. 

In other situations, it’s best to hire a private utility locating company. These private companies often have more autonomy on your property and can identify all of your utility lines in one visit.

Experts Always Do a Utility Pothole Inspection

Potholing is a process that confirms underground utilities and obstructions. As the first part of investigating what’s underground, utility potholing starts with a small, exploratory hole along the planned route of new construction or repairs. While some contractors rely on digital locating devices to find pipes, utility lines, and other obstructions, there are times when actually seeing what’s underground is essential.

Digging without first locating underground utilities runs the risk of hitting the gas, power lines, communications, water, and sewer lines. While nicking one of these utilities might seem harmless, it can result in significant issues: 

Service disruption

Costly repairs

Acute injuries

Death

Did you know? Accidentally cutting an underground fiber optics line could stop internet services from working throughout your neighborhood, and you could be held liable for the loss of that service.

What Methods Do Excavation Experts Use?

In the past, manually removing dirt was the only method used to locate and protect utility lines. There are still times when hand tools are preferred. Modern techniques include vacuum excavation. The best method depends on your project and what gets the job done.

Hand Tools

While labor-intensive, using a shovel, pickax, or another hand tool to pothole is perfect for small spaces where precision is necessary. Hand tools are also the cheapest pieces of equipment used to dig. On the flip side, hand tools require a great deal of time and effort, especially when dealing with harder ground surfaces. Shovels are unlikely to damage underground pipes but can slice through cable or communication wires.

Backhoes

When precision isn’t necessary, backhoes are incredible options. The work is much less labor-intensive and can be completed rather quickly. When a new development is excavating for new foundations, backhoes are the easiest and best option. The biggest downside of using a backhoe exists when utilities are present. 

Even the most skilled backhoe operator runs the risk of hitting and damaging subterranean lines. This is why most backhoe operators use a spotter to help keep a closer eye on where they are digging. Backhoes also don’t fit into many spaces, especially once houses or other structures are in place.

Vacuum Excavation

Simply knowing where a utility line isn’t always enough. Many projects need to work around existing utility lines. Digging up an entire utility line can take a long time, cost a lot of money, and require quite a bit of workforce. Also, you must consider how digging can destroy your yard. 

Vacuum excavation is a method used to locate underground utilities without the same mess as manually digging. The process involves using water or air to break up soil before suctioning up the broken ground into a storage tank. Vacuum excavation contractors can eliminate nearly all risk of damaging underground utilities at a lower cost and higher level of precision. In some cases, the soil can even be reused cutting down on landscaping costs.

There are two main methods of vacuum excavation:

Air Excavation:

Air excavation uses compressed air to loosen and break up the soil. Since the primary element of this process is air, the earth is still used to fill in holes later on.

Hydro Excavation:

Instead of air, hydro excavation uses high-pressure water to loosen and break apart dirt. This technique is also extremely precise, although faster than air-based methods. Since the primary element is water, the soil is no longer fit to be used again.

Both air and hydro excavation allow you to pothole quickly, easily, and safely. At the same time, however, the vacuum excavation process is not something anyone can do. Besides the hefty investment in equipment, operating a vacuum excavation system requires a great deal of skill and experience. 

Unfortunately, your utility company or other public “call before you dig” service most likely won’t use vacuum excavation methods. Hiring a private potholing company may seem like an extra expense, but it can certainly save you money in the long run.

Which Method is Best?

The nature of the job at hand will ultimately determine which method is best. The key is that underground utilities are safely located and protected to keep major accidents from becoming commonplace. 

Most homeowners won’t be able to decide on their own which method is best. Using a reputable utility locating company is the best way to ensure your project or repair is done without the risk of a significant accident.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/hiring-vacuum-excavation-experts-prevents-accidents/

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Vacuum Excavation VS. Traditional Excavation Techniques

If you are planning a home improvement project that involves digging into the ground, you’ll need to start by having all underground utility lines found. Even small projects like adding landscaping or installing a new mailbox require the use of a potholing company. These companies use a variety of techniques to locate and protect utilities. From backhoes to hand tools, and vacuum excavation, here is what you need to know about the type of methods.

Backhoes

Backhoes are most often used when precision isn’t as important. For example, when a new development is digging up the foundation for new homes. It involves much less intensive work than other methods and can be completed rather quickly. When used for potholing, backhoe operators rely on a spotter who helps keep an eye on the ground. 

The downside to using a backhoe is that there is an additional risk when utilities are present. Even a skilled operator runs the risk of hitting and damaging the very line they were trying to locate. Due to their size, backhoes might not fit into many spaces, especially once houses are in place.

Hand Tools

Using a shovel or other hand tool to pothole is the most labor-intensive for the individual. Because the equipment needs are small, operators can get into almost any space. Outside of the necessary working hours required to dig, hand tools are also the lowest priced option. 

The major downside to using a shovel is the labor involved. Digging, especially on rough terrain, can be tough work and take a long time. While hand tools are relatively safe for locating utilities, caution is still required. A shovel probably won’t do any damage to an underground pipe, but it can sever fiber optics or other wires.

Vacuum Excavation

Utility locating is the first part of the investigation process. You need to know where utilities are before continuing. Then, using vacuum excavation, you can verify the utilities by potholing, or exposing them for visual identification. 

Vacuum excavation is a process where water or air is used to break up soil before sucking it up into a storage tank. This process eliminates nearly all risk of damaging underground utilities. It offers a lower cost, outside of the initial equipment investment, and a higher level of precision.

Air Excavation: By using compressed air, this method loosens the soil to be stored in the tank. Since it’s only using air, the ground can easily be reused to fill in the holes later on.

Hydro Excavation: Instead of air, this method uses pressurized water to loosen dirt. This technique is extremely precise and much faster than air-based methods. It does not, however, allow the same soil to be reused.

Which Method is Right for You?

Ultimately, the method used is going to be determined by the nature of the job. It may not be easy to decide on your own; using a reputable utility locating company is vital. You might be tempted to try a digital meter or to call your utility company. 

Unfortunately, utility companies often won’t come on to private property. When they do mark underground obstructions, it’s typically with spray paint. A digital meter is also useful to simply mark the surface. Many jobs require seeing the actual obstacle and not just relying on a rough estimate of where it is. Using a private utility locating service will ensure your job is done safely and without the delay and cost associated with damaging utilities. 

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/vacuum-excavation-vs-traditional-excavation-techniques/

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Utility Potholing & Vacuum Excavation for Your Underground Work

The value of precision in any construction project is hard to overstate. If the technology age has taught us anything, it is the value of miniaturization, precise tolerances, and optimizing the process of building a solid foundation for future improvement.

The high-tech environment comes with its share of challenges, however. Beneath our feet is a maze of electrical connections, gas lines, sewer, and water lines and data cables. It seems every building has its own collection of interfaces to city and county facilities. Things are only going to get more complex as time goes on. Construction crews, contractors, and even utility workers can’t afford to make mistakes when it comes to surveying a site for repairs, new construction, or simple maintenance checks.

The solution is to find a company with the experience and the tools to make vacuum excavation and utility potholing simple, quick and effective.

Keeping It Simple

Vacuum excavation services relies on what would seem to be the simplest of principles. Dirt and debris are mixed with water, liquified, and extracted with a high-powered vacuum. It is what regulators call a “non-destructive” process. This new and effective means of removing dirt and rocks from around sensitive underground facilities is now required by some states when crews are digging near safe zones.

Once the underground work is complete, the dirt is replaced by merely reversing the pressure. In the interim, the liquified material is stored in a tank on site. As an added bonus, since the material is already liquified, when it is replaced it “sets” very much like cement. There is often little evidence any digging ever took place.

Safety First

Imagine you are building on a site with pre-installed utilities. You have a backhoe in operation. This means digging at the site without sufficient information or worse, outdated information about what kinds of utility lines are present and where they are located. The backhoe blade strikes a gas line. There is a spark.

This is the kind of situation vacuum excavation, and potholing is meant to prevent. It is necessary to know the precise whereabouts of utility lines. It is also vital to understand the nature of those lines and what they might present in terms of hazards. Safety is always of utmost concern at a job site. The crews are at risk, and so is utility service to the surrounding neighborhoods and region.

Digging precisely and with the right tools and process allows you to know with specificity before you engage in large-scale digging or construction. Making the wrong decision or being in too big a hurry carries with it risks no construction crew should have to face.

The Right Team

It is in every stakeholder’s best interest to have experts in their field doing the work they were trained to do. This is why you need an experienced and knowledgeable team at your construction site to find the utility lines before your crew accidentally damages them. It is better and safer for everyone involved, and in the long run, it will save you time and money.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/utility-potholing-vacuum-excavation-for-your-underground-work/

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Vacuum Excavation: Achieve Less Surface Damage

Surveying a construction site is not only a necessity; it is an accepted and recommended practice for several reasons. Among the most urgent is the safety of the construction workers, along with the integrity of the structure and works built at the location. Also high on the priority list is keeping the grounds intact and free from unnecessary damage or navigational hazards.

Excavation is one of the most expensive things a construction company can do. Moving tons of earth from one place to the next is a non-trivial undertaking. What’s more, leaving deep holes, trenches, and other impassable obstacles behind can be a major safety hazard to say nothing of their effect on future building. The good news is there has been a better way to do things available to contractors for some time. It’s called vacuum excavation. If you haven’t taken advantage of it yet, you will be quite surprised at what it can help you accomplish.

What is Potholing?

Suppose you need to dig at a construction site to determine if there are any hidden underground hazards, pipes, electrical lines or other obstacles. What is the better option?

Breaking out the shovels and pickaxes and hoping you don’t break something as you descend into the darkness

or

Using a high-tech method that allows you to simply remove dirt and rocks and then replace them later

Potholing for Utilities is the second and best method.  It is being used more and more by construction companies and contractors to help locate facilities that might otherwise be damaged if not located beforehand.

Time Savings

Key to any construction project is the ability to save time and expense, both for the contractor and the client. When it comes to safety and the regulatory requirements of checking before digging, anything that increases the efficiency of the process is going to be an obvious priority. This is one of the reasons vacuum excavation services has become so popular so quickly.

The equipment itself is self-contained and operates on the simple principle it is possible to remove mud with a sufficiently strong vacuum and then replace it by reversing the pressure. Since no blades or bits are hitting the ground or anything underneath it, the potential for damage is practically non-existent. Further, once the earth is replaced, the process of drying causes it to set very much like cement, leaving almost no evidence any digging.

Practical Efficiency

Since in some states digging near a marked safe zone is prohibited by regulation, air and hydro excavators have become the go-to tools. These processes are considered “non-destructive” and are therefore recommended to avoid expensive accidents, not to mention the possibility of interrupting local utilities like electricity or water service.

When the possibility of hitting a gas line is taken into consideration, what might once have been a good recommendation becomes a necessity. Vacuum excavation is the correct choice in most construction contracting, and it is a safe choice when it comes to preserving utilities and underground lines.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/vacuum-excavation-achieve-less-surface-damage/

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How the Murrieta Explosion Could Have Been Avoided

  Southern California was recently devastated when a ruptured gas line led to an explosion. The explosion killed a Southern California Gas Company worker, and fifteen people were injured.

The reason behind the Murietta explosion was a contractor who was working without having the area inspected first. The contractor not only caused irreversible damage but violated state law by not utilizing a  private utility locating service. Tragedies like this can be avoided when proper utility potholing and inspections are used.

What is Utility Potholing?

Potholing is a construction method that confirms underground utilities and obstructions. Utility locating is the first part of the investigation process. A small, exploratory hole is dug along the planned route of new construction. Air and hydro vacuums are used to remove soil via high-velocity suction.

Some contractors like to use digital locators to find pipes and other utility lines. There are many occasions, however, where it is essential to actually see where the wire or pipe is located.

Why Pothole?

Digging without first locating underground utilities creates a risk to gas, electric, communications, water, and sewer lines. Accidents with these lines can result in service disruption, costly repairs, serious injuries, or death. While it may mean delaying a project, knowing where lines are before you dig ultimately makes sure projects are entirely safe.

Why vacuum excavation?

In the past, potholes were dug with large machines, like backhoes. Unfortunately, even a skilled backhoe user runs the risk of damaging the very utility they wanted to protect. Some companies resort to digging by hand. While this method required less machinery and skill, it is somewhat labor-intensive. A shovel is unlikely to cause damage to a water pipe, but could completely sever fiber optics or other communication lines.

The current preferred method of potholing is vacuum excavation. Vacuum excavation happens after utility locating and verifies the utilities by exposing them for visual identification. This method allows for small holes to be created with a much lower risk of additional damage. Vacuums also can create holes of different sizes and depths without extra manual labor.

Plan before you dig!

Whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a contractor to take over, you must plan appropriately. Even smaller projects, such as planting trees or shrubs, require knowing what’s beneath the ground. Many utilities are only buried a few inches below ground, which makes them easier to hit when performing simple gardening projects.

Make sure to call several days before you plan on putting a shovel to the ground. Be careful as some programs only mark the area where utility lines are placed. You may also have to wait for multiple companies to take care of marking the area. Also, be aware that utility companies may not go onto private property. For a better response and completion time, consider going with a private utility locator company.

While some accidents are avoidable, many accidents don’t need to happen. The explosion in Murrieta destroyed more than a house; it took a person’s life. Contractors might think they know better, that they are skilled enough to work around utilities, or they want to save time on a project. However, taking the extra time to identify underground obstructions is the best way to ensure your project is completed without tragedy.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/how-the-murrieta-explosion-could-have-been-avoided/

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Potholing Utilities for Damage Prevention & Effective Subsurface Investigation

The practical considerations involved in starting or continuing a construction project without first ascertaining what obstacles might be hidden under the ground can be substantial. While there are technologies available to perform searches for utility lines, water or sewer pipes and other underground structures, there exists a quick, accurate and relatively inexpensive method for visually confirming the presence of underground construction obstacles. It is called utility potholing.

Preventing Damage

All non-trivial construction and the majority of building repair, expansion, or inspection activities involve some level of excavation. The foundation of any building must be inspected before any new construction can take place. Any land set aside for new work could be crisscrossed with all kinds of public facilities. 

Without some method of avoiding those obstacles, a construction crew could not only do tremendous damage to the lines themselves but could put the surrounding neighborhoods and populations in danger by cutting off electricity or water. They could even put themselves in danger if they hit a gas line or an underground fuel storage tank.

Surgery for Construction Contractors

Vacuum excavation is similar to a medical technique called arthroscopy. In medicine, doctors often need to repair ligament or tendon damage in a joint. Instead of conventional surgery, however, they make a tiny incision and insert a camera and light so they can see inside the joint. 

Vacuum excavation has the same objective. A construction crew needs to see beneath the ground so that they make a tiny incision using a non-destructive process. This method is called vacuum excavation and allows them to perform a visual inspection and avoid any possibility of damage.

The Alternative

What happens if a backhoe hits a gas line? Most construction crews don’t want to imagine it, and for a good reason. Electrical lines, diesel engines, sparks, and natural gas leaks combine to produce unfortunate results. 

The same goes for a water line or a sewage line. Interruption of a water utility can be catastrophic for public services like hospitals. Electricity outages can cost supermarkets incredible amounts of money in lost product. Sewage breaks can tie up traffic and create health hazards for days.  The minuscule time and money savings of bypassing the potholing process and moving forward with a risky and potentially life-threatening construction project is never worth it. 

While it is possible to approximate the location of utility lines using various technologies other than potholing, the truth is nothing beats first-hand visual inspection, and nothing beats the time savings of using a proven process with no drawbacks. Why guess when it is possible to know for certain? Why take a chance when a first-hand look answers all the questions? 

Modern construction is impressive. The ability to see beneath the earth and avoid costly and dangerous obstacles is one of its greatest accomplishments. It is in every contractor and construction team’s best interests to take advantage of those technologies whenever possible.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/potholing-utilities-for-damage-prevention-effective-subsurface-investigation/

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Why Utility Potholing Is Essential for A Successful Construction Project

It’s long been said that if humans could see all that is under the ocean, they’d never leave the shore. The same is true of nearly any developed property, whether you are starting a new structure, repairing a building or adding to an existing site. You’re going to want to look into a process called “utility potholing.”

Potholing is a construction method where a small hole is placed in the ground through a process called vacuum excavation. Once the hole is deep enough, it is possible for a construction or inspection crew to confirm the presence of utility lines visually, and water or sewer pipes. Once located, the crew will be in a position to make certain the existing lines won’t conflict with either above or below-ground construction plans.

The equipment used to create the excavations through the potholing process are self-contained units designed to avoid damaging underground infrastructure. Here’s why utility potholing is essential for a successful construction project. 

Safe Zones

To avoid the possibility of damage to lines and subsequent site damage, flooding or service outages in the surrounding community, construction crews are not permitted to dig in safe zones, which are the areas within a few feet of either side of any previously located utility line.

Though it is possible to approximate the location of utilities and underground facilities using digital equipment and ground-penetrating RADAR, it is far more precise and far less risky if the construction crew can visually ascertain the location and alignment of any lines that might pose a hazard to the construction project.

Scheduling and Costs

Leaving aside the potential of damage and service interruptions in the event a dig might sever an underground line, the resulting delays and potential sanctions experienced by a contractor or construction crew can be both costly and harmful to the construction crew itself. Time is money, and many construction projects are operating on thin margins in the best of circumstances. The minimal time savings of bypassing prudent potholing isn’t comparable to the practically unlimited liability issues involved in damaging a public utility.  It’s always better to be on the safe side if only to protect the other residents in the neighborhood.  

Physics

What if it were possible to simply vacuum soil out of the ground at a precise location? If no tools are penetrating the ground, they can’t damage anything built underground either. If a vacuum can store the removed soil, it can also replace that soil, meaning there is no lasting effect on the site. The vacuum excavation process, therefore, delivers a non-destructive way to inspect the subterranean environment without any of the above-noted risks.  

If a process is safer, less expensive, leaves no permanent evidence it was ever performed, and can obtain better and more accurate information about ways to avoid damaging a site or public property, it stands to reason it is something that should be considered any time there is a potential for the presence of utility lines at a construction site.

from Util Locate https://www.util-locate.com/why-utility-potholing-is-essential-for-a-successful-construction-project/