SmartHomeOwners

Spring is the time you plant trees, excavate for a pool or work on your gardens. However, digging could also mean that you interrupt or damage the underground service systems.

Underground Service Systems

Homes are serviced with telephone lines, gas pipes, water pipes, cable TV and sewage systems. It is getting crowded beneath the earth surface. They are complicated and may be intertwined under the green or the driveway. The optical fibre or cable may not only service your own neighbourhood, but also service a wider area. With these systems we do not see, we enjoy our quality of life.

Risk of Damages

Damage on one of these systems could simply mean the interruptions of services for you and your neighbours. However, damages on the gas pipes or power line could mean fire or explosion causing death or injuries. Following one simple step can prevent these avoidable interruptions. Damages on any of the systems can cause personal injuries, loss of essential services and creating a safety risk for others.

If you digged in the wrong area and damaged a system, you may be liable to pay for its expensive restoration. Your neighbours or local utilities can also sue you for further damages. One of my neighbours actually paid the full cost of gas pipe repair, the cost of gas loss and the fire crew called to work on this accident. The simple drill for a fence post cost him over $9000.

Call Before You Dig

If you are planning to do your landscaping, putting in fence posts, planting a tree, excavating for a pool, your first step is to call your local "locate" telephone number.

There are telephone numbers for "Dial Before You Dig" for all Canadian provinces. Do a web search to find your local numbers when planning your digging.