Do you have a project coming up on your property will require some digging? Maybe you want to put in a pool, dig post holes for a new fence, add some irrigation lines, or install a new gas line to your firepit or bar-be-que. You could just start digging, but doing so could be costly, or even dangerous. What happens if you hit a gas line or water line? Not only will you be responsible to pay for its repair, you could also damage your equipment, or worse, be severely injured.
A better approach is to find out what’s buried below the surface in the area in which you plan to dig prior to the start of your project.
Fortunately, there are services out there that will come to your home and scan the area to find out where it’s safe to dig, and which areas you should avoid.
Who Do You Call When You Need Underground Utility Location in San Diego or Riverside, CA?
Your first call should be to 811, the national “Call Before you Dig” service in the United States. This is a service that will send individuals out to scan for buried public utilities like electrical, gas, water, and telecommunications lines at no cost to you. They will come to your property and mark on the ground where your public utility lines are located so you can easily avoid them when you go to dig.
For some homeowners, the free 811 service is enough. However, if you know or suspect that you have other buried items that need to be avoided, you should also call out a private underground utility locator.
A utility locating company like Enhanced Scanning, which services San Diego and Riverside Counties, as well as the surrounding areas, can come to your property and scan the area for other buried hazards, often referred to as “private utilities.” Using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and other tools, they can find all kinds of things below the surface of the ground which could pose a problem when digging. Some examples of private utilities include septic tanks, propane lines, irrigation lines, and electrical lines going to outbuildings or from back-up generators.
Having an underground utility locator come out to locate private utilities on your property will cost you some money, but it is an expense that shouldn’t be avoided. Hitting private utilities or other buried hazards could turn out to be much more costly!
If you’re still in the planning stages of your upcoming project, make sure you budget for a private utility locator. But even if your project is well underway, don’t forgo this important step just to try to save a few dollars!
