Have you heard the latest buzzword in the construction and excavation industry? Hydrovac. That’s right, if you are working in any sort of field that requires drilling or excavating underground, then you need to know more about hydrovac services at St Paul and other areas of Alberta. So what exactly is hydrovac and why is it so useful for these industries? Let's look at this more below.

What is hydrovac?

Think of hydrovac as a large truck with a vacuum attached that can make some of the more complex tasks in construction easy. Basically it uses an easy, non-destructive method of pressurized water and a vacuum to expose underground infrastructure without submitting it to the damage that would be present if large tools and drills were being used. So if you want anything underground to be exposed such as utility lines and water pipes, and you are unsure what is down there or want to minimize damage, then you will want to get hydrovac services in St Paul. There are many different services that these hydrovac companies offer other than pressurized water and vacuums, and you could be surprised just how easy and quick they could make the toughest jobs.

Where can hydrovac systems be used?

This is the great thing about hydrovac services - they can be used in nearly all soil conditions. So you don’t have to worry about the ground or soil being too hard, too soft, too icy, or too slushy – the hydrovac system will easily be able to work with it and turn it into the mush you can work with. There is no real limit to where exactly the hydrovac services can be used – any location where digging is required is perfect, and they are even able to get to areas that larger and more bulky pieces of equipment may not be able to reach. This is the benefit of the hydrovac trucks being smaller in size and using large hoses to get to hard-to-reach areas.

What are some other hydrovac services?

There is more to hydrovac services than pressurized water and a vacuum. There are a few different services that can definitely come in handy when it comes to any sort of digging expedition. These include the following.

1. Trenching. Trenching services are very high value as they are a very specialized type of hole. A trench will generally be deeper than it is wide, and often they are very narrow. Trenches are used to lay pipes and other utilities and can be very difficult to get right. This is why a hydrovac company that offers trenching services in St Paul will be perfect as they will be able to create the trench and include some of the other hydrovac services while they are there. Keep in mind that some soil conditions do not allow for trenching, but all hydrovac companies will be aware of this and will be able to advise an alternative if this is the case.

2. Utility Line Locating. It’s clear why the location of all underground utility lines is imperative before starting any digging or excavation. Digging into a utility line is not only extremely dangerous for everyone in the area (especially the workers operating the machinery), but it can cause outages that can be dangerous and extremely inconvenient for the community around. Locating utility lines is not always as easy as it should be, thanks to marking maps being outdated and incorrect more often than not. If you are not 100% sure of what is underground, then you will need to ensure that you use a utility line locating service before you start any work. This way you will know what you have to work with and will be able to continue safely and effectively.

We have just touched on two of the main services that hydrovac companies offer in the Alberta area, and there are many more depending on your budget and your needs. So from hydro-excavating services to trenching and even utility line locating services, make sure that you contact a reliable hydrovac company to ensure that your excavation or digging task can run smoothly and safely.