I'm planning to rent a trencher to install a French drain system around my property, but I'm worried about accidentally hitting my sprinklers or any buried utility lines. What are some reliable methods or best practices to avoid these lines while I dig? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
Definitely call 811 to get all the major lines marked out. Just a heads up, though—they won't mark private utilities like your sprinklers, so you'll need to take some extra precautions on that front. Better safe than sorry!
If you're dealing with buried irrigation tubing like 1/2" polyethylene, don't stress too much. If you accidentally hit it, it's pretty easy to repair. Just make sure to tell any utility workers about it beforehand. For tougher materials like PVC, though, you might want to locate everything first to avoid any issues while digging.
For your sprinklers, I suggest potholing to find the lines before digging. Just dig small holes where you think the lines are, then you can pull a string between them and mark the path. They generally aren’t buried too deep, so it shouldn’t take too long to find them.
Exactly! Just be mindful as you dig, especially if you know roughly where the lines are. It's good to have a plan.