Three Reasons To Contact Private Utility Locators Before You Dig

Even small projects such as installing an in-ground water feature in your backyard require diligent planning. Call before you dig mandates are in place to protect citizens, property, and power supplies. If you have earth-moving work to perform on your property, the first and most important step in your project is to contact private utility locators. Read on to find out why.

Power line locating is a critical step in ensuring that no one is harmed during these efforts. If you dig before you have a keen understanding of what lies below your land, you or someone else could get injured. Striking a power line can also leave you and all of your neighbors in the dark for days or even weeks. Worse still, if you cause utility line damage as the result of poor planning, you’ll be held financially liable for the costs of resolving the problem.

Power lines aren’t your only concern when trenching your yard or engaging in other digging projects. You also have to worry about gas lines. Digging before you identify the exact location of gas lines can result in dangerous explosions. Gas leaks and other problems won’t just affect those living on your land. These are issues that can impact all residents within a several-block radius.

Having underground lines identified also simplifies projects. When you know where to dig, you only have to trench your yard once. If you conduct this work blindly and absent of the necessary data, you could end up creating multiple holes in your landscape at an extra cost and with absolutely no additional benefits.

The best reason for working with utility locators is that it’s your duty under the law. Failing to adhere to this duty can result in fines and criminal charges. Moreover, when you take risks like digging without utility line location, you can also inadvertently void your home insurance policy and any relevant home warranty agreement.