Planning a home improvement project that involves digging, like installing a new fence or planting a tree? Before you start, it’s crucial to understand how important it is to call 811—the national “call before you dig” number. This simple step ensures your safety and prevents you from potentially damaging underground utilities.
When to Call 811
In Texas, the law requires homeowners to contact 811 at least two business days before starting any digging project. This excludes weekends and holidays. Even if you’re working in your own backyard, you’re required to call if your project involves any task that requires digging. That means whether you’re installing a sprinkler system or just planting some trees, if your project requires you to disturb the ground at all, you must call or submit a ticket online. Even if you feel fairly confident there are no underground utilities nearby, it’s better to be safe and make the call. After all, it’s free!
What Happens When You Call
After you dial 811, here’s what to expect:
- Ticket Creation: Your call initiates a ticket with Texas811, detailing your planned excavation.
- Utility Notification: Texas811 notifies all relevant utility companies about your upcoming project.
- Site Marking: Within two business days, representatives, or locators, from each utility (water/sewer, gas, electricity, and others) will visit your property to mark the locations of underground lines using color-coded flags or paint. These markings indicate areas to avoid during your project. Note: whoever is responsible for the excavation will need to mark the intended digging site with white paint before the locators come out.
- Confirmation: After marking, you’ll receive confirmation on whether it’s safe to proceed. It’s important to seek this confirmation, better known as a Positive Response, from all utility companies to ensure you’re aware of all markings or potential conflicts.
It’s your responsibility to respect these markings and dig carefully around them.
Why It Matters
In Texas, calling 811 before digging isn’t just a legal formality—it’s a critical step to avoid dangerous and costly consequences. Here’s what can happen if you don’t call before you dig:
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Serious Safety Hazards
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- Gas Leaks & Explosions: Accidentally striking a natural gas line can cause a leak, which may lead to fires or explosions. A small mistake could put your family, neighbors, and even emergency responders at risk.
- Electrocution: Damaging underground electrical lines can severely injure or kill you.
- Flooding & Contamination: Breaking a water main can flood your property, damage your home’s foundation, and lead to costly repairs. Damaging a sewer line can expose your home to hazardous waste and contamination.
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Service Disruptions for You and Your Neighbors
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- Cutting through communication lines can disrupt internet, phone, and cable TV service, not just for you, but for entire blocks of homes.
- Damaging water or gas lines could mean your home (and possibly nearby homes) are without essential utilities until costly repairs are made.
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Expensive Repairs and Liability
If you hit a utility line and didn’t submit a ticket to Texas811 or ignored the locator markings, you are responsible for the damage. This could mean:
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- Paying thousands of dollars in repair costs.
- Receiving hefty fines or penalties for failing to comply with Texas digging laws.
- Facing potential legal action from utility companies or even your neighbors.
A Simple Call Saves You Time, Money, and Stress
The bottom line? One free call to 811 can prevent life-threatening accidents, major financial setbacks, and frustrating service outages. Taking this simple step keeps you, your home, and your neighborhood safe. For more information, visit the Texas811 website.
At North East Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing, your safety is our priority. If you have questions about your project or need professional assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us.
