It may look like some unruly kids turned loose with a spray can, but those colored lines in your yard could save your life. Living in a four season area, it’s natural to want to get busy in our yards as soon as spring arrives, but taking the time to get your underground lines located shouldn’t be skipped. By getting lines marked, it can prevent damage that could create injury, or a loss of electric or gas services to you and your surrounding neighbors.
It’s tempting to fit in a quick project over a nice sunny weekend, but every digging job warrants a call. Before beginning any outdoor project, call 811 at least two business days before you begin digging. Calling 811 will get a professional locator to your site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines. This service is free for homeowners. Remember, you may have your own utilities, such as a buried gas or electric line to a shop or garage.
Knowing where underground utility lines are buried before you dig will help protect you from injury, prevent damages to utilities and service disruptions, and avoid potential fines and repair costs. The depth of utility lines varies and there may be multiple utility lines in a common area just about anywhere, so keeping your shovel in the shed or garage and calling 811 first is a smart move (and it’s the law).