2 Tips To Make Your Utility Location Experience A Successful One
Although you may be familiar with the notion of utility location as it pertains to building a new home or other structure, you may not be as aware that utility location is typically required by many states when any kind of digging is done. Whether this is a deck, planting a tree or even installing a new mailbox, it is vital for you to get utility location services before commencing the project to make sure that it is done without damage to the network of wires that run beneath the ground. Use this information to learn more about how to ensure that your utility location experience is a successful one.
Doing It Yourself? Call 811
The first thing you want to do when you're planning on completing the utility location service job yourself is call 811. This is a countrywide number that has offices in each state, staffed with individuals who will find out more about your intended project so that they can send out utility professionals to your home. Without making this call, you run the risk of cutting or damaging the gas or electrical wires that power both your home and those around you.
When you call 811, you'll be given step-by-step instructions concerning what you need to do to make sure that's safe to dig. They will dispatch the utility company out to your house so that they can mark the places where the lines are run. This acts as a guide that helps you avoid a costly mistake.
When To Hire A Professional
If the project that you intend to undergo is more extensive, or if the markings from the utility company indicate a complex, sensitive network of wires that could prove tricky to navigate around, it may be a better idea to hire a professional to complete the utility location.
Professional utility locators will use equipment such as ground penetrating radar to uncover equipment that may be easy to miss, especially if electrical towers are placed incorrectly. Professional utility locators can not only find the wires, they can also assist with the digging for your project so you won't have to do it alone.
Utility location is such a useful service that helps you avoid clipping a line that supplies a valuable utility to your home. The next time you have a digging project coming up, use these tips so you can be pleased with the final result. Call 1st Call Locating for more information about utility locating.
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