If you are about to start a project which involves digging in your back yard there are certain things you will need to think about. It should never be a case of just grabbing a shovel and starting. If you do not take the time to think about what is lying beneath the surface of your yard you could find yourself striking something you really do not want to. This can be inconvenient and even potentially dangerous.
You may be surprised at what problems you can cause by just digging in your own back yard. Let’s take a look at the potential hazards that could be lurking beneath the surface of your yard, and what you can do to make digging in your back yard as safe as possible.
Water Lines
If you decide to make a start on putting up a new fence, or planting a new tree, in your yard, and simply start to dig, you run the risk of coming across something unexpected such as a water pipe or a gas main. If you hit a water pipe while digging in your back yard you could be faced with a flood in no time. The most important thing to remember if this happens is that you should not panic. You need to remain calm and deal with the issue as soon as you can.
The first thing you need to do is switch off the main water supply valve. This stops the flow of water and alleviates the immediate flooding problem. Then it’s all about fixing the pipe which you may be able to do yourself or you may need to get professional help with.
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Natural Gas Lines
Hitting a gas main while digging in your back yard can potentially be even more serious. As most people know, escaped gas has the potential to cause an explosion so you should always switch off any tools you are using if you hit a gas main. You should then make sure that everyone is away from the area and call the gas emergency service.
Electricity Lines
In many newer communities, electrical services are running underground. The main power source runs underline and extends to the back side your home. Cutting into these lines could cause serious damage. If you accidentally sever an electrical line, you need to contact your utility company immediately. Many of these underline electrical connections have circuit breakers that will turn off the flow of electricity. But it may not. A live wire exposed underground could be serious if it is near a water source. You need to rope off the area until your utility company or licensed electrician repairs the connection.
Service Utility Lines
Another underground lines and services include cable, FIOS, and other utility connections to TV and internet. Cutting into these lines don’t pose any danger. But inconvenience of having your home entertainment lines cut will shut down your services before it can be repaired. You need to contact your service provider for repair or installation.
How to prevent problems from occurring in the first place
Ideally you want to try and stop any of these problems from happening in the first place. One of the best ways to do this is to seek professional help with utility mapping before you start. Expert surveyors can tell you exactly what lies beneath the surface of your yard so that you do not hit anything you should not. You can click here to learn more about this service.
It may be tempting to just take a chance without having this work done but it’s worth taking a moment to just think about the potential consequences. Dealing with the aftermath of a flood or a gas leak could be a lot more expensive than paying for utility mapping before you start.
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