The removal of dirt and excavation of land is one of the most challenging aspects of any construction project and while there are a number of different ways to achieve excavation, hydro excavation is one of the best options.
Hydro excavation refers to the process of digging and moving soil that uses highly pressurized water with an air vacuum. The water pressure ends up being so high that it actually digs out the soil and the air vacuum transfers it to the debris tank.
Hydro excavation services provided by Muller, Inc. offer a number of benefits over traditional methods of excavation and will move the land and get it ready for the next stage of your development with ease and in record time.
Here are some benefits of choosing hydro excavation for your next project:
1. Greater Accuracy
Traditional methods of excavation utilize heavy machinery in order to clear a pathway in the earth, either via manual digging or backhoes. Such methods are rarely precise and usually create a much bigger mess than was expected.
This is one of the issues hydro excavation solves, with a specialized vacuum and pressurized water used to get rid of the dirt, making it both more accurate and simpler to operate. Suction and high-pressure water are utilized in order to open the soil and turn stiff grounds into softer dirt. The soil is then sucked inside the holding tank to be disposed of. Because of the intensity of the water pressure, the excavation will have extremely accurate results.
Hydro excavation increases the possibilities for a number of other excavation applications as well, particularly in smaller spaces.
2. Safer
Tools that are used in traditional excavation such as backhoes, diggers, and shovels can be hazardous for those working on the project. Even experienced workers face the risk of having an accident while straining during manual excavation or working with potentially unpredictable machinery.
Hydro excavation on the other hand only involves the use of an air vacuum and water, meaning that it is much safer because of its non-mechanical and non-destructive nature. There will be no accidents with machinery putting laborers at risk, and local citizens will also not be in danger from construction accidents.
The fact that only an air vacuum and water are required for the process means that the necessary equipment can be positioned some way away from the actual site of the excavation, lessening traffic and thus congestion at the site itself.
There is a much lower risk of injury or any other safety issues on a hydro excavation project than is the case with traditional excavation projects.
3. Greater Efficiency
Using manual digging or even machinery to dig holes can take up a lot of time. The dirt having to be removed and taken elsewhere also makes traditional excavation a much lengthier process.
The hydro excavation process sees dirt being vacuumed inside the tank automatically, which results in it being removed from the area much more quickly. It is also much more quickly removed from the earth to begin with because of the pressurized water system, allowing the project to progress a lot faster than would otherwise be the case.
4. No Danger to Utility Lines
With traditional methods of excavation, there is always the risk of hitting underground pipes and sewer lines, potentially causing serious issues and resulting in a long and expensive repair process. The greater accuracy of hydro excavation means that crews can much more easily avoid underground utility lines altogether, and the lack of machinery or sharp diggers means there is no danger of accidentally tapping an underground pipe or sewer line.
5. Better for the Environment
The more precise and less invasive nature of hydro excavation means it is also less harmful to the environment than is the case with other methods. The fact that hydro excavation can be precisely targeted to specific areas means there is no risk of damaging the surrounding ecosystems and land. There is also no need for chemicals or any other potentially hazardous materials, making it safer for the earth as well as animals as there will be no contamination of underground assets, soil, or plants around the excavation.
Because hydro excavation removes no more earth than is absolutely necessary, the area requires less restoration than is the case after traditional excavation and the environment will be able to bounce back considerably faster.
6. Cheaper
Hydro excavation makes use of more effective and accurate methods, resulting in minimal damage to utilities, pipes, and the surrounding environment as a whole. It also means that the soil will be moved much more accurately, with the water avoiding pipes and any underground utilities, reducing the likelihood of cracks and leaks.
This means that fewer repairs and backfilling will be required. It can also be achieved much more quickly, which will also see a significant reduction in costs. There are also fewer risks involved with hydro excavation, which cuts down liability and the possibility of having to pay to clean up adjacent areas or damage.
The cost of hydro excavation is also less as it requires only a limited workforce to accomplish and fewer materials.
7. Easier Waste Removal
One of the biggest problems associated with traditional methods of excavation is what to do with the dirt that is excavated from the earth. Large projects in particular, invariably end up with roads having large piles of dirt blocking either the rest of the project or local roads. There is a very precise waste removal method used with hydro excavation, which is not the case with other methods of digging.
Any dirt that is collected as a result of the digging process is removed with a large vacuum. The dirt is pulled directly into a storage tank to be disposed of later on. This means that no waste material or dirt is left at the site of the excavation after it has been completed, making the process take less time and causing less damage to the area’s surroundings.
Industries that Benefit from Hydro Excavation
Hydro Excavation has particularly benefited the construction industry due to its ability to quickly and accurately complete the job. When being used with larger projects that have limited space, particularly in big cities and other congested areas, using hydro excavation means that construction work does not require much space and does not have to cause too much disruption to traffic.
Digging the foundations is probably the single most important benefit of hydro excavation to the construction industry. Excavation has to be done accurately and precisely in order to allow for the creation of a solid foundation, and this and more can be easily achieved with hydro excavation.
Other industries that have greatly benefited from the use of hydro excavation include the likes of plumbing and landscaping. Plumbers have to dig underground to repair pipes or take out old ones and replace them with new pipes, and landscaping needs specific holes to be made in areas where trees and plants are going to be placed. In both cases, the accuracy and lack of destructiveness to the surrounding area of hydro excavation have proved indispensable.
These benefits of hydro excavation demonstrate its superiority to traditional excavation methods. Muller, Inc. has worked on many large projects throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. such as construction, landscaping, and plumbing. There are so many benefits to hydro excavation that it will almost certainly be the best choice for your project so contact us today via our website or by calling 703-560-4040.