Vacuum excavation
is the specific process of removing debris, soils, or other materials from a hole or piece of land using powerful water (hydro-excavation) or air suction. Materials are loosened then sucked through a pipe that is approximately 6 inches to 1 foot wide (depending on the size of the vehicle) and with an airspeed of over 200 miles per hour. The materials are then stored in a tank for disposal.
The specific instrument, unsurprisingly called a vacuum (or suction) excavator, was created in its earliest form during the 1960s and since then, gone through a number of upgrades and improvements to get to where it is today. When using the excavator, and operator will guide the hand-held tube to the site while the machine will dislodge the materials and suck it up. The operator and boom allow for some level of precision. The size of the material that it can hold is limited, so sometimes bigger objects need to be disposed of separately.
Vacuum excavation is commonly used for site remediation or investigations, a variety of construction projects, and other civil engineering work. It is a popular option because it is minimally invasive and does not tend to destroy a lot of property. Another reason for the popularity of vacuum excavation is the fact that it is much more efficient and can be cheaper than the alternatives. This process can assist some agencies to locate and map sensitive underground utilities, in turn saving money for taxpayers and time for contractors.
4 Warriors Hydro Excavating has years of proven safe and cost efficient excavation methods. Contact us to find out which one makes the most sense for you as well as learn about all of our other services.