Exposing Utilities with Hydro Excavation
Hydro excavation is a method of removing soil through the use of highly pressurized water. It is a non-destructive method, using an air vacuum to evacuate soil in a controlled manner. It safely brings up the soil and transfers it to the debris tank. Because of this it is the perfect method to use for exposing utilities.
Earlier excavation processes such as hand digging or augers often caused safety, hazards, delays and possibly service interruptions from damage. With hydro excavation, pipes can be installed, repairs can be done to existing lines, and new lines of utilities can be installed with fewer safety and service issues.
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Exposing Utilities
Hydro excavation has a lot of functions. One of these functions is to expose utilities. Checking the utilities occasionally needs to be done to ensure that they are in their proper condition. It is also needed to see if there are parts that have been damaged.
Hydro excavation makes use of water to soften and break up the soil that is being removed. The soil is then transferred to the debris tank. This lessens the risk of damage to the buried utilities that sometimes happens when a manual excavation method is used. The process of hydro excavation in exposing utilities can also be called potholing or daylighting.
To expose the utilities, a combination of pressurized water and a vacuum is combined in one mobile unit. The water is injected into the ground by using a handheld wand to wash away the soil in the area safely.
A debris hose then transfers the soil to the debris tank. Because it is non-destructive, hydro excavation reduces the risk of damaging the underground pipes and cables. Using this method, the type, depth, and location of the utility is established accurately.
This method allows for clean, speedy and complete evacuations of the area that needs to be dug up. It requires less restoration, less backfill, less labor force and less negative environmental effects than typical digging processes. Accuracy is maintained because of the controlled flow of the water stream. Hydro excavation only removes the needed quantity of soil for examination and reparation of any problems in the utility lines.
The hydro excavation process allows excavation and digging to be done without disturbing the surrounding soil and underground utilities. There will be no problem even when the ground is frozen. The heater that is installed in the hydro excavation equipment can remove even frozen soil efficiently.
It also eliminates unnecessary traffic congestion and it provides a cleaner excavation site. Moreover, hydro excavation is cost effective. It reduces the unnecessary costs that may be spent if the manual or mechanical excavating method is used. These advantages have made hydro excavation the preferred method for exposing utilities.
