Cleaner and More Efficient: Why Hydrovac Is Your Best Bet for Excavation

April 16, 2020

There are many different excavation processes used in construction and industrial settings, and the choice of method depends on the type of project. One such method is hydrovacing, which is the process of extracting or moving ground with pressurized water instead of with diggers. That ground and debris gets transferred through a vacuum or air conveyance to a debris tank. The idea is to create a safer, less destructive method of excavating soil to find or place underground utilities.

This method of excavation has grown in popularity in recent years, and that growth in popularity really started in the oil and gas industry in colder climates. During cold winters, the ground will freeze, which makes excavation with traditional methods more difficult. Heated water offered a safe and effective way to complete excavation jobs.

Here’s what you should know about why hydrovac service in Carlsbad, NM may be the right method for your job.

How hydrovac works

Hydrovacs feature a combination of high-pressure water delivery and an air vacuum to slice through the soil, break it up and then remove the resulting slurry. The vacuum system can either feature a fan system or a positive displacement blower. If you use a fan system, this allows you to push air around in large amounts for faster excavation, a method that results in greater control and easier operation while being less expensive than the positive displacement alternative. Positive displacement blowers, meanwhile, can move air across much longer distances and at greater depths, but at a slower rate.

The process of hydrovacing is most frequently performed for subsurface utilities or underground facilities. Excavation for utilities requires a lot of precision, and has quite a few risks associated with it. Hydrovacing is excellent for risk mitigation, and is the excavation method of choice for line, sign and pole installation and location, as well as for daylighting and potholing. Because the equipment can be used across longer distances, it results in less disruption to traffic in the excavation area.

Hydrovacs will also be used for rehabilitation of pipes and sewers, to cut down on the risk of damage or puncture to any pipes below the surface.

Benefits of hydrovacing

There are a variety of benefits associated with hydrovacing that have led it to become such a key part of the excavation industry and one of the most preferred methods of digging.

The biggest benefit is that there is much greater control and accuracy with the use of hydrovacing, which ensures greater safety and less potential for damage. There are fewer chances for accidents and injuries, and it is less likely to cause damage to underground utilities, which means eliminating the expenses associated with repairs and restoration resulting from such damage.

Hydrovacing is also simply a more effective means of digging in a wider variety of soil and environmental conditions.

For more information about why hydrovac service in Carlsbad, NM has become so popular and when it is appropriate to use, contact an experienced electrician at JB Electric LLC today.

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