Proper excavating requires more than heavy equipment and a go-ahead to start digging. To avoid lasting damage, some investigation is required to determine whether any of the multiple underground systems that lie right below the surface of many landscapes is where the excavation needs to happen. Excavation contractors are knowledgeable and ready to take into consideration all wires, pipes, and other systems throughout your Armonk, NY landscape before they begin the excavation process.
Gathering Information for Excavating
Excavation of land that could have an abundance of underground systems requires preparation. When excavation contractors are tasked with such a project, it is similar to solving a puzzle—several pieces are involved before the project can be completed. The contractors may need to consult with the records of your town to obtain the required maps that will show all of the possible ground systems. This can include storm sewers, water lines, natural gas, oil, and cable television, to name a few. Even after obtaining this information, it can still be difficult to accurately locate everything because the blueprints of one system could be on a different scale. A worst-case scenario would be if the underground systems were been installed so long ago there are no records to be found. To ensure nothing is overlooked, excavation contractors could use sonar and other equipment to find underground systems on site.
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Underground Locating Equipment Options
There is a type of equipment that becomes a necessary part of some excavation jobs when contractors are not able to gather all of the required data through other means. This piece of equipment is called an electromagnetic locator. This pipe or cable locator uses the same principle as metal detectors but on a larger scale: Essentially it shoots a magnetic field into the ground below. When the magnetic field hits a metal object such as a cluster of wires or metal pipe, the pulse reflects back and is received by the machine. Keep in mind, this will not work on any non-metallic items. Some fiber optic cables and certain pipes will not show up on the detector. An alternative is ground penetrating radar, an extremely versatile way to locate underground items with only a few exceptions. It works like the electromagnetic locator but instead of a magnetic field, it emits a radar field.
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Precautions Taken Before Digging
An abundance of precautions need to be taken to have a safe and smooth excavation on your property. Depending on the type of line underground, if it is broken, it could mean no water, power, or internet for a large portion of people until it is fixed. This is why it is preferable to use professional excavation contractors who have decades of experience and are diligent about where and when they excavate. Precautions include regular inspections as the work is being done, careful placement of any heavy equipment used, and following of industry and regulatory standards for how the work is completed.
Skilled excavation contractors can walk you through the process and expectations before your project begins. Before you know it, the excavation will be complete and your construction project will be close to completion.
