When you’re planning to do any type of digging in your yard, it is crucial that you call before you dig. By calling ahead of time, utility companies can mark where their lines are buried so that when you start digging, you know what is where. You may think that this process takes too much time and effort or is too expensive—but it’s actually free and highly beneficial to your safety!
Calling before you dig can save you from hefty fines from utility companies.
Before you begin digging, call your local utility companies and make sure you know where their lines are buried. What may seem like an innocuous little hole for a fence or garden may actually be an excavation that could put others at risk of injury or property damage.
If a utility company has to send out a crew to fix the problem, the fines can be steep—$10,000 or more is not uncommon! The fines vary based on several factors: the depth and length of the excavation; how long it takes for them to respond; and how much time they spend fixing it.
The best way to avoid these costly fines is simply calling before you dig!
It’s a free service.
It’s free, but you have to call before you dig.
If your utility services are provided by a local municipality, the phone number for calling them to check for underground lines is different from the number for calling up your electricity or water/sewer provider. The main reason why this is so: many people don’t realize that their municipality has anything to do with underground utilities. In fact, it does! A lot of towns and cities own their own power companies and sewer systems. So when you call up your local government and ask about digging near the street—or anywhere else in town—they’re going to be able to tell you whether it’s safe or not without ever having to touch base with any other utility companies in Texas.
You can also call both at once. There are times when it makes sense not only to contact your municipality directly but also call up one of those big-name companies. This will give them an opportunity out somewhere else where they might not otherwise have heard about how close together two sets of buried lines were located on your property.
Many people don’t know that they have to call ahead of time.
You may be surprised to learn that many people don’t know they need to call ahead of time. In fact, a lot of people think it’s a waste of time or won’t actually do anything, even when they do know the right thing to do.
But in reality, it’s not necessary at all and there’s no reason you should get in trouble for calling us up! In fact, it could save someone from getting hurt or injured. We will send someone out within 24 hours and let them know exactly where your dig site is so that we can avoid any damage or harm done both to yourself and others nearby.
Utility companies will mark where their lines are buried so that when you start digging, you know what is where.
Utility companies will mark where their lines are buried so that when you start digging, you know what is where. This will keep you from accidentally hitting a utility line and causing damage or injury. If a utility company needs to come out and repair their line, they will use these marks to locate the problem.
It’s a quick process.
Calling before you dig is a simple process. You simply call the number on your utility map, or call 811 from a touchtone phone. After calling, you will be connected to a live person who will ask for your name and address, as well as details about what you’re digging. Your answers will be entered into our database and an underground location specialist will be sent to your home or business within 30 minutes to mark the utility locations on-site for you. If this happens before 9:00 in the morning, your work crew can start digging right away! If it’s after 9:00 then we’ll need time to send out our crew before they can start working—but don’t worry! They’ll come back just as soon as they’re able!
Your life might depend on it.
It’s important to call before you dig because your life might depend on it.
If you don’t call before digging, and something goes wrong, your life could be in danger or someone else’s could be at risk. You also wouldn’t want to harm the underground utility lines and cables that are there for everyone’s safety and convenience. When they’re buried underground, they’re protected from damage by traffic or weather conditions above ground. If we can keep these vital services safe and available for everyone who needs them, then everyone wins—and we’ll all be able to live more comfortably in our homes!
When homeowners or contractors do not take the proper precautions, serious injuries can occur and the consequences are often grave.
The dangers of digging without calling first can be grave. Many times, homeowners or contractors do not take proper precautions and serious injuries occur. The consequences are often serious and leave victims with long-term damage or disability.
In some cases, if you don’t call before digging, you may face fines from the municipality or county. In addition, you could be held liable for any damages that occur as a result of your failure to call before digging.
I hope this article has given you a better understanding of why calling before you dig is so important. If you have any questions or concerns about your utility company, do not hesitate to reach out to us.