Day lighting is the term for exposing utility lines to daylight for the purpose of verifying the exact depth and location of the lines. This is primarily done to avoid hitting these lines with heavy equipment when doing construction in the area.
Fast Traditional Method
Traditionally, these lines were dug out by hand. This is a slow labor intensive method, which sometimes results in damage to the line and on rare occasion results in the injury of a person who “finds” it. A backhoe, while faster, is cumbersome to use for this and increases the risk to the utility lines. Not only that, but either of these methods results in a large hole, a big mess, and a huge pile of loose dirt.
Hydro Excavation
Hydro excavation is the process of using pressurized water coupled with a vacuum to dig a small precise hole to find and expose the utility lines. We direct pressurized water into the ground with a hand-held wand, which makes a fairly small hole. A powerful vacuum removes the slurry debris created by the process, which is then deposited in a debris tank.
Low Risk
The lines are found without risk of damage or injury, and the dirt from the process is not sitting there in a heap. Best of all, the hole stays small, so small that the process is also called potholing, because of the small neat pothole-sized opening and the minimal damage to the surrounding area.
At 4 Warriors Hydro Excavating, our professional crew is well-trained in all aspects of day lighting excavation. Please contact us to effectively locate underground utility lines and pipes using our state of the art hydro excavation systems.