Pot Holing
When is Pot Holing Required?
Sometimes you don’t have all the data you need before you start digging. You might be trying to access some underground pipes or power lines but there are no proper records about their location, their size, or their type. Without this data, we can’t drill into the surface safely or without causing damage to the lines. Pot holing gives us the visual confirmation that we need. At AV Drilling, we believe that proper investigation before drilling is the key to a successful, accident-free project.
Why Pot Holing
Some people believe they can save time, effort, and money by forgoing pot holing. Unfortunately, they’re taking on the risk of large scale damage, major expense and repair costs along with problems with local authorities if they do that. In the long run, the risk doesn’t justify the savings in time and money. There are several instances where contractors have decided to skip pot holing and have struck power lines, gas lines, sewer mains, etc.
By skipping pot holing, they have caused thousands of dollars worth of damage, disruption of services, and even evacuation due to gas leaks. It’s vital to be thorough and careful when we drill into the surface. When we dig to repair infrastructures like sewer lines, water lines, or gas lines, we need to be aware of the exact location of the pipes, their size, and their condition.
How do we go about it?
Even before pot holing begins, we need to determine the location of the pipes in the ground. We can’t just blindly create holes everywhere in search of the infrastructure after all. For this propose, we have a guideline that we follow.
- Plans – We first find the plans of the initial dig and installation. Sometimes, these plans aren’t accurate or up-to-date. However, they can give us an idea about where to start our investigations. We study these plans carefully, trying to get an understanding of where the pipes are underneath the surface of the ground.
- Visual Confirmation – We then move on to determining the exact location of the pipes. We need to know the horizontal and vertical locations of the infrastructure to dig safely. We can use the electromagnetic locator, CCTV sewer inspection cameras, ground penetration radar, and other such devices to find the location of the pipes.
- Process – After the location is confirmed, we can proceed with pot holing. We first remove all the hardscapes, rocks, etc. We then loosen the soil and expose the utilities under it. We carefully map and understand the entire infrastructure under the surface.
After pot holing, you can easily repair or install infrastructure whenever needed. You’ll always have precise data to work with. After the pot holing work is finished, we refill the hole and resurface the ground properly so that you don’t have to deal with the mess. For any questions or queries, you can contact us at AV Drilling anytime. Just call us at 02 4773 4460 or 02 9158 3525. You can also fill in this contact us form and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
Under Road Boring and Horizontal Directional Drilling Contractors Sydney.