Broken Pipes? Don’t Tear Out Your Floors ( or Your Hair ) Use Hydro Excavation
Okay, the plumber has told you that you have a major plumbing issue down under your Palm Beach or Broward County home’s foundation. The first thought that comes to mind is a plumber taking a sledgehammer to your gorgeous tile floor and digging down through your foundation to the pipes to repair them. Talk about a costly mess. The good news is that you don’t have to pay to have your floors busted up. Hydro excavation and tunneling is the answer!
What Is Hydro Excavation and Tunneling?
The Colorado River lies at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The power of that river was able to excavate a gigantic trench through the earth that is easily seen from space. Now, think of how the power of water could be used in a similar ( albeit smaller scale ) way to remove the earth under your South Florida home or business foundation – going ‘under’ instead of ‘through’.
That is what hydro excavating does. It involves a specialized truck and a bit of industrial magic. It shoots a jet of pressurized water to break up the soil. At the same time, a powerful vacuum sucks the water and dirt out of the area. What’s left behind are the plumbing pipes and other utility lines that our licensed and professional plumbers needs to access.
This same technology can be used to dig tunnels underneath the foundations of your South Florida home or business. A focused jet of water, plus powerful suction, makes this possible. The pressurized water exposes the pipes that require repair, making it easy for the plumbing team to do the job without busting trenches through your floor. After the work is completed, the same equipment that excavated the soil then shoots the compacted soil back into the trench or tunnel, recreating the natural support the floor had before the work began. This prevents any problems from occurring with your concrete slab.
Why Would You Need Hydro Excavation and Tunneling?
From Davie to Delray Beach, a lot of homes and businesses in this area are built on concrete slab foundations. That means a lot of pipes are buried underneath a layer of concrete. There are times when a plumber needs to access those water and sewer lines.
Pipes can last for decades without problems. However, eventually they are going to start to deteriorate, which means they need to be replaced. Sewer line pipes and water pipes can also break due to a shifting foundation or pressure from another source. Some tree roots can also infiltrate the pipes, causing cracks and never ending clogs.
Hydro excavation and tunneling offers certain advantages over traditional trenching:
- Minimizes need to break through foundations
- Removes soil completely to give a clear view of the pipe
- Offers room to complete repairs
- Reduces the amount of heavy shoveling required
- Eliminates need to re-pour the foundation after work is done
- Creates far less mess inside the home or business
If your plumbing needs major underground work, it’s time to take a look at hydro excavation and tunneling. The process takes less time than manual trenching, which means the entire job goes faster. Once the job’s done, the soil goes back to keep your foundation sound and level.
To learn more about hydro tunneling and excavation using these newer, high tech methods, contact Plumbing Experts today. We have been proudly serving our friends and neighbors in Palm Beach and Broward County since 1976. From Davie to Delray Beach to West Palm Beach, contact us to learn more about these procedures and to get advice about plumbing and pipe work in general
