The Best Guide for Hydro-Expansion

The non-destructive hydro excavation technique, commonly called vacuum excavation, quickly displaces older techniques like backhoes and hand shovels. It offers many advantages over mechanical excavation tools that can damage underground pipes and cause costly project delays.

The leading equipment of a hydro excavation truck is an articulating boom equipped with water hoses, a suction hose, and a storage tank for the loosened soil. It allows for more precise work in a dig area and less disruption to regular traffic routes.

Safer

Unlike conventional excavation methods, hydro excavation is safer for the workers and surrounding areas. It combines hot pressurized water and vacuum to dig and remove debris. Also known as daylighting, potholing, and non-destructive excavation, the process is fast and efficient.

Using hydro excavation, crews can work around underground pipes without damaging them. It allows the project to move along quickly and reduces time spent on backfilling.

Other methods, like hand digging and backhoes, are more destructive to existing utility lines. Hitting buried pipes or sewer lines results in expensive repair costs, downtime, and even damage to the surrounding environment. The precision of the hydro-vac trucks eliminates this risk and makes the digging process more accurate.

Faster

When crews use hydro excavation, they can do their work much faster than traditional digging methods like backhoes or shovels. It’s also safer for the workers and causes less disruption to surrounding areas.

For projects that involve revealing underground pipes or lines, such as “daylighting,” hydro-excavating is the best option. It uses heated water to melt the dirt before sucking it up, which makes it far easier to avoid damaging existing infrastructure.

Shovel strikes cause nearly 75% of damage to buried utilities, and hydro excavation eliminates the risk. Its non-destructive process is also faster and more accurate than hand digging or using heavy machinery. It also requires fewer trips to and from offsite dumping sites. It all adds to a more efficient and cost-effective project for everyone involved.

More Accurate

Hydro excavation services help companies dig holes without damaging existing underground infrastructure. This method uses water to loosen soil and a vacuum to suck the dirt into a waste disposal tank.

The precision of this non-destructive process minimizes the risk of damage to pipes and lines. It reduces downtime and avoids the costly repairs from shovel strikes or backhoes.

The equipment used for hydro excavation includes:

• A truck with a high-pressure water hose.
• A storage tank for the water.
• A large vacuum tank.

The truck also has a nozzle that can be directed to where you need to dig. It allows you to work in confined spaces around buildings or foundations. It’s also helpful in digging through pilings to expose underground utilities, known as daylighting.

More Flexible

As you can see, hydro excavation is quickly beating conventional digging techniques thanks to its speed, accuracy, safety, and flexibility. All at a lower cost with higher precision.

The specialized process uses high-pressure water jets to transform hard soil, rock, or frozen ground into a slurry that is then suctioned into a tank for transport. It allows crews to uncover or locate underground utilities without damaging them.

Sewer pipes, septic tanks, power lines, and other utility infrastructure are buried in the ground that needs to be dug up. Damage to these vital services can lead to costly repairs and service disruption. Hydro excavation eliminates this risk by providing crews with a non-destructive option that makes the process faster and more accurate. It allows work to progress more efficiently and avoids the need for costly backfilling.

More Affordable

Hydro excavation requires less labor than other types of excavating methods. It means fewer employees on the ground, which results in lower costs for the company. Additionally, this method only requires heavy equipment like backhoes or traditional excavators. That means fewer vehicles on the road, which also cuts costs.

Finally, avoiding damage to underground utilities is a huge savings for companies. Not only does this protect workers from potential injury, but it also helps reduce the cost of unexpected repairs and project delays.