One of the last things you want to happen if you are digging in your yard is for you to accidenatlly strike a water pipe. If this happens it can end up causing a lot of inconvenience. It can also cost you a considerable amount of money if you need to pay to have the pipe fixed. All of this means that your digging project may overrun and may also go considerably over budget.
Obviously, you do not want any of this to happen. The best thing to do is to try and avoid hitting a water pipe in the first place. We are going to take a look at how utility mapping can help with this. We are also going to talk about what you should do if you are unlucky enough to hit a water pipe while you are digging.
How can you avoid hitting a water pipe during a digging project?
If you want to avoid hitting a water pipe while digging in your yard you need to know if there are any of these pipes located underground in the area where you are going to dig. This is where utility mapping can help.
If you speak to a professional about the service they will discuss your requirements with you. Utility mapping helps you to identify any structures which are hidden underground, such as water pipes and gas mains. This means that you can avoid hitting these structures when you dig.
Utility mapping is a useful part of the planning for any digging project. Having this work carried out means that you can help make sure your project goes to plan and that you do not have to spend an excessive amount of money fixing unforeseen problems.
What happens if you do hit a water pipe?
If you do ever hit a water pipe while digging in your yard, the first thing to remember is that you should not panic. The first sign that you have hit a water pipe will normally be a flood of water and this can be very disconcerting. It’s important that you remain as calm as possible and switch off the water at the main stop valve for your home.
Once you have switched off the water supply you should be able to check the damage to the pipe. If the damage has been caused by your digging you will usually be able to locate it fairly quickly. Depending on how bad the damage is, professional repair may be necessary. This type of repair is expensive which is why it’s a good idea to try and avoid problems in the first place.
If you are going to start a digging project you need to make sure that you know if any utility pipes are located underground. If you do not do this you may be faced with a major headache and a large bill if you strike a pipe by mistake.