Using Hydroexcavation for Potholing Projects

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Using precise, high pressure water and an air vacuum, hydro excavation is a better way to complete a potholing/daylighting project. Once the water penetrates and digs through the soil, an air vacuums the dirt and then transfers it to a debris tank mounted on a truck. Depending on the project, the truck can either be located near or far from the excavation site. In the past, projects needing potholing, trenching, etc. were done with traditional methods of heavy machinery and hand shoveling.

Using Hydroexcavation for Potholing Projects

Traditional Methods

Potholing, also known as daylighting, is a process for digging a test hole so as to expose underground facilities. Once exposed, the facilities need to be inspected for leakage, cracks, or other damages. Potholing in the past was traditionally done using a backhoe or by hand shoveling. Heavy machinery not only brings a safety risk, but also can cause costly mistakes by puncturing or snapping utilities. Hand digging is very intensive and takes too much time and labor to effectively complete the job. Also, with hand shoveling, back-filling is usually needed after the excavation. This costs more money, time and labor.

Time Saving, Cost Effective and Safer

The hydro excavation process is a more accurate way to complete potholing/daylighting projects. With better accuracy, there is less chance for down time, injury, or restoration using this method. Injury becomes non existent when using this method of excavation because there is no risk of collapse or getting hit/ran over with heavy machinery. Time saving, cost effective, and environmentally friendly, hydro excavation is ultimately a better choice versus traditional methods. Companies specializing in hydro excavation should provide a team of experts that are well trained and practice proper safety practices regarding hydro excavation.

At 4 Warrior Hydro Excavating, we have the tools, expertise and experience to get the job done so you can focus on your whole site. Contact us here to let us help you get your project completed safely and on time.

How Can You Locate Old Gas Lines Safely?

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Gas lines are hazardous to work around, even when you know precisely where they are. But in many parts of the country, gas lines were initially laid out when there wasn’t a standardized method of marking subsurface utilities and improvements to a property. There also wasn’t a standardized method of storing that information or giving the details to the local governments of the area.

How Can You Locate Old Gas Lines Safely?

Unfortunately, these older neighborhoods and industrial areas are also the most likely to have complications during any new construction project. The parts wear out. The pipes decay or rot after decades of submersion. They’re also buried at different depths depending on the habits of the original builders and the area’s erosion. So the first step to making your project site safer is to locate old gas lines as soon as possible.

How can experts help you find them?

There’s a complicated, unorganized mess of pipes and connections beneath your worksite, even if you’re not in an urban area. Power and telecommunication lines generally run closest to the surface. Then water is a bit further down. Gas may be a couple layers deeper. That presents a massive problem for mechanical modes of excavation: the tools might eventually reach the gas line. But even if it doesn’t break that particular part of the system, it will have carved through everything in between.

But hydrovac services can work around preexisting infrastructure that shouldn’t be damaged. The pressure level for water or air that displaces the surrounding dirt doesn’t just come in one setting. It can be turned on high to cut initial scouting lines in the soil that are parallel to the utilities’ course. Then the pressure can be fine-tuned to unearth the lines without damaging them. Armed with the right tools and the knowledge of likely layouts in your area, a local hydrovac service is the best way to locate old lines without slowing down construction. Go to 4 Warriors Hydro Excavating to get started.

3 Things You Should Look for When Hiring a Hydrovac Excavation Service

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Trying to find a reliable excavation company can be tricky, especially when you’re on a deadline. Ask yourself these three questions as you’re searching to make sure you end up with the right excavation company.

3 Things You Should Look for When Hiring a Hydrovac Excavation Service

1. Do they offer a wide enough range of services?

When you’re trying to get a lot of work done at a construction site, the last thing you want is a lot of single-function tools or teams clogging up the workspace. Not only does it make it harder for everyone to complete their jobs, but overcrowding is also unsafe. It can also increase your liability for injuries or damages. So when you know you need excavation work handled, look for a service that can provide everything you’re looking for. At a minimum, search for hydrovac excavation, daylighting, and trenching from one service.

2. Do they just rent out equipment, or do they perform the service?

Depending on the project, it’s often better to hire third parties for specialty work than it is to have your employees perform a technical task they aren’t trained for. Just like you’d bring in a trained electrician to lay the wiring instead of trying your hand at it, don’t just look for excavation equipment. Look for a service that has a trained pair or team of professionals handle the excavation from start to finish.

3. Do they make quotes and scheduling simple?

You don’t have time for delays or uncertain pricing. When you’re comparing services, look to see who offers a wide variety of contact methods. You need to be able to easily contact them through email and over the phone.

If their site has easy contact forms and a quick response time that’s even better. Not only are delays costly, but poorly organized systems are also a sign the company might not have much experience.

If you’re looking for the right company to handle excavation at your Texas site, contact us at 4 Warriors Hydro Excavation. Our excavation services are exactly what you’re looking for.

What Do You Need to Do to Prepare for a Hydrovac Excavation Team?

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No matter what hydrovac excavation service you hire, you want everything to go smoothly. That includes everything from having the lines uncovered without damage to staying on schedule. When you hire a team of expert excavators instead of just renting the equipment, those contractors will handle the majority of the work. But there are still a few things you can set up to make everything work according to plan.

What Do You Need to Do to Prepare for a Hydrovac Excavation Team?

Prepare the ground for excavation.

Mark the ground you want to be excavated during the course of the services. This can include everything from putting flags at your plans’ best guesses for existing utilities to putting markers where you definitely don’t the excavation to include.

Also, clear the area right next to the future excavation site. The contractors need room to safely park the excavation truck and move the dirt. Having that ready ahead of time can prevent delays, especially if you won’t be on-site that day.

Pause electrical and other potentially hazardous projects directly next to the site.

While hydrovac excavation is designed to be less intrusive and less time-consuming than traditional methods of excavation, that doesn’t mean work should continue just a foot away. Schedule the excavation for a time when adjacent electrical work can be paused and when your other contractors can work at other parts of the construction site.

Determine the scope of potential changes.

Most companies to work with you to determine the scope of the initial services before the appointment, as well as a few likely scenarios. Make sure you discuss the potential scope of services with all necessary approvals on your side. This mitigates the risk of unpleasant surprises later. It also means the excavation can continue on the same day with minimal interruption. You won’t have to wait a week for approvals and the next open slot.

If you know your current or next construction project will need excavation, get the details settled ahead of time. Contact us at 4 Warriors Hydro Excavating to get started.

3 Disadvantages of Locating Utility Lines With Backhoes

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Backhoes and shovels used to be the best ways to find buried utilities. But being the best didn’t make them good options. The next time you have a project where you need to locate the utilities, find an alternative to backhoes and hand digging because:

3 Disadvantages of Locating Utility Lines With Backhoes

1. There’s no guarantee of accuracy.

Backhoes are a great tool for when a lot of dirt needs to be moved and there aren’t any surprises waiting in the dirt. But if there are pipes, cables, or wires buried underground, backhoes will snap them just as often as they uncover them. Either the utilities will get punctured or snapped at the digging site or the backhoe will stretch a cable too far and it will snap somewhere else.

While hand tools are much less risky because you’re moving less dirt at once, there is still a high chance of damaging the utilities during the process of uncovering them. The risk increases if the ground is rocky or frozen.

2. Precision work takes too long.

Backhoes can’t be used if you need precise results, even if the operator has years of experience. Hand digging tools like shovels offer more control. But this switch comes at a high cost in terms of man hours and your overall schedule. Hand digging is inefficient, especially if it has to be done carefully.

3. Electrical cables are too hazardous.

Electrical cables are one of the most dangerous work site hazards. While pipes and other cables are just as liable to break, exposing live wires is dangerous for everyone nearby. This can lead to direct liability suits. Even the indirect consequences are too hazardous, such as an injury claim from workers who were suddenly left without light or power. Whether you’re using a hand tool or a mechanical vehicle, digging will eventually result in electrical dangers.

Hydrovacs and other vacuuming excavation tools are a much safer alternative, and they keep you on schedule. Go to 4 Warriors Hydro Excavating to learn more.

What Is Potholing and Which Technique Is Best?

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Excavating can be challenging and, quite literally, dirty work. Before a crew can begin construction, they have to know exactly where to excavate in the first place. Even this comes with risks, as striking in the wrong spot could result in disaster for the workers and for the surroundings. Fortunately, there’s one technique that makes this a far safer task.

What Is Potholing and Which Technique Is Best?

An Introduction to Potholing

Using a process called potholing, crews are able to locate underground utility lines not only much more quickly but more accurately as well. This is done by excavating holes (generally 12 inches deep) to confirm the location, depth, and type of the line before beginning construction. Under previous methods such as using charts, there was a much greater chance of digging in the wrong location. More than simply wasting time and energy, excavating incorrectly could lead to danger. Power or utility lines might be struck, leading to outages and electrical harm to the workers.

Potholing Techniques

There are several potholing techniques available, although each has its drawbacks. Digging with manual tools is usually accurate enough, but is exhausting and can take far too much time. Digging with a backhoe is faster, but is also cumbersome and creates a greater risk of exposure and environmental damage. Eventually, vacuum excavation came along and made significant improvements. It used pressurized air to destroy dirt and rock and clear the way. The debris was then vacuumed onto a truck and used for backfilling.

Why Hydro Excavation Is the Way to Go

Vacuuming excavation has been a boon, but we now have an even better method! It works in much the same way as the vacuum technique but possesses additional benefits. The key difference is that water is used to clear the dirt rather than air. Because of this small yet ingenious change, the results are more accurate and cost-effective. Not only that, it works with most soil types and minimizes environmental damage and employee risk even further.

When excavation needs to be done, 4 Warriors has the knowledge and skills to make it happen! Our highly-trained has been operating for more than six years, working on some of Texas’s biggest projects. Feel free to contact us anytime. We are ready to assist you on any and all of your needs.

The Importance of Safe Trenching

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Trenching is an important aspect of excavation yet it is also dangerous. That’s why when you’re looking for an excavation service, you need the trained crew of 4 Warriors. They know how to implement trenching quickly, effectively, and safely. The Importance of Safe Trenching

What Trenching Is and Why It’s Risky

First, let’s go over what exactly constitutes trenching. As stated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, trenching is removing large quantities of earth to form (often wide and deep) trenches in the ground. As you can imagine, it ends up being a big part of excavation in general.

What makes it so dangerous is the fact that trench-related accidents account for hundreds of construction injuries every year. It’s not difficult to see why, either. If a worker is in a trench when it collapses, they are at risk of serious injury or even death. These deaths are preventable and we take it as our Christian duty to do whatever it takes to guard our fellow man.

How 4 Warriors Gets It Right

We are sure to practice safety measures as outlined by OSHA, to ensure maximum safety for our workers and timely completion of the work. We do not operate in unsafe trenches and take proper steps to prevent accidents in the first place. When trenches deeper than five feet are built they are given a general protective system. For trenches below 20 feet, an engineer is required to build a custom safety system.

For optimal safety, take numerous other considerations into account, such as:

  • Inspecting trenches daily and check for dangerous fumes before beginning work, as well as after rainfall and other disruptive weather
  • Digging the trench wall at an angle and reinforcing it to reduce cave-ins
  • Keeping work material at least two feet from the edge of the trench and heavy equipment even further away as necessary

These are merely some of the practices 4 Warriors Hydro Excavating’s highly experienced team uses to guarantee a safe and efficient job done. For assistance with your trenching needs, or anything else, feel free to contact us at any time. Thank you and God bless!

3 Reasons to Use a Hydrovac Service Instead of Doing It In-House

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Every industry is increasingly moving towards specialization, and that’s just as true for construction and repairs. It’s impossible to be an expert at everything going on at your construction site. Even general contractors who are licensed in all of the specialized tasks don’t handle them personally; they assign the work to specialists dedicated to each type of work. Whether you have a large commercial construction site or you’re adding on to a suburban neighborhood, hire an expert team of trained excavators instead of employees. Here’s why:3 Reasons to Use a Hydrovac Service Instead of Doing It In-House

Good excavation work requires a lot of certifications and training.

You don’t want just anyone to be digging up the utility and sewer lines on the property. The smallest mistake can cause delays and delays mean you’re losing money. While you can train, or pay for the training, for an internal employee or two, there’s a large opportunity cost that comes with it. Your company is also held responsible for any damages. Instead, hire a trained service that handles the excavation and the liability.

Employees are expensive, especially if they’re specialized.

Many businesses are turning to third-parties and contractors for specific tasks. Part of that is because specialized experts are a better resource. But it’s also because employees are expensive: they bring tax implications, health insurance requirements, and salary costs. If you have a small construction company, hiring out often makes more business sense.

Don’t get tools you can’t use 24/7.

Hydrovacuum excavation uses a lot of tools that you can’t use for other tasks. While it makes sense for a company that focuses on excavation only to invest in the equipment, it’s not the same for construction companies and utility repair specialists.

At 4 Warrior Hydro Excavating, we have the tools and experience to get the job done so you can focus on your whole site. Contact us here to get started.

2 Reasons to Use a Vacuum Truck to Locate Utility Lines

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Hydrovacuuming is the go-to procedure for daylighting and potholing. Here are three reasons to turn to it for line locating, too:

2 Reasons to Use a Vacuum Truck to Locate Utility Lines

1. The records will be accurate.

Even modern-day records aren’t going to accurately place utility lines. There are few standardized bodies of records, and most markings allow for a certain margin of inaccuracy. Even worse, maps and records may not fully account for repairs, improvements, and additions since the utilities were initially laid out. Also, because different entities are laying cable lines, fiber optics, and more, you need a direct line of sight to know what’s really under the ground.

2. Don’t rip and repair.

Mechanical digging with backhoes and sharp tools used to be the only way to locate and unearth utility lines. The practice came with the expectation that things would get broken along the way, but that slowed down business and was dangerous for everyone involved. If ‘rip and repair’ used to be part of your company’s standard operating procedure but you’re looking for alternatives, hire a service to see how fast, safe, and damage-free the process is.

When you need lines located on your construction site, hydrovacuuming helps you find them without delays. Even better, the process puts the dirt back with minimal disruption. Go to 4 Warriors Hydro Excavating to get started.

What You Need to Know About Day Lighting

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In construction, there’s always room for improvement, especially when it comes to the safety of not only the materials but the workers themselves. Today, we will be looking at advancements that have been in day lighting.

What You Need to Know About Day Lighting

Just What Is It, Anyway?

The term day lighting refers to the practice of bringing daylight to utility lines. Since they are buried underground, we are unable to monitor or inspect them for sometimes years. Thus they need to be brought to the surface. Doing so allows workers to accomplish a number of things, such as letting them verify where the lines are and what their precise depth is. This is necessary to avoid interfering with them when doing construction or maintenance nearby. Not only that, it allows them to inspect for cracks and other signs of damage, and to repair them accordingly.

Day Lighting in the Past

In the past, workers would have to use basic tools to dig them out manually. It was slow work, costly, and put the digger at potential risk if they cut into the utility line directly. Even using machinery didn’t solve all these problems. Backhoes and other vehicles still took considerable time to operate. Plus, on rare occasions, they would make mistakes such as leaving areas without cell phone access or even electricity (and that’s not even getting into the huge cost of repairs)! It was an imperfect system but for a long time, there was simply no alternative.

The Power of Hydro Extraction

Fortunately, the revolutionary hydro extraction technique has made day lighting a safer and speedier task. This new process directs pressurized water to dig small holes in the soil until the utility lines are exposed. A vacuum removes the debris created by the process and stores it in a tank so that it doesn’t build up and make a mess. The holes created are very precise so that damage to the immediate area is greatly reduced. Workers are then allowed to expose the lines in a controlled setting. Not only that, as it only requires a small crew to operate and will save even more money over the long term in repairs.

4 Warriors Hydro Excavating’s highly experienced team can assist you will all your day lighting needs. Feel free to contact us at any time. Thank you!