To avoid injury, costly delays and expensive repairs, contact your local One Call Center or call the national referral hotline at 1-888-258-0808 to have underground utility lines marked, at no cost to you. Gas leaks and explosions may occur if you do this. If you struch the line with a shovel, either the line was too shallow or you where digging to deep. In extreme situations, costs may exceed $10,000 if there is large damage, such as personal injuries, fire, property damage, or explosion. Meanwhile, in California, a line break can break your bank via a $50,000 fee. (No, that was not a typo.) found on the sides of roadways). Yes, but gas lines are typically quite strong, made of metal or plastic. Even sparks from a cell phone can impact the gas in the air. You should never shovel snow up against your gas meter. The state of Kentucky, for example, has a $4,000 municipal fee for a broken gas line. Can you break a gas line with a shovel? An earthquake could easily break a gas line, and the resulting gas leak could cause a fire or an explosion. Once your gas line has been located, you must hand dig within 18" of either side of the marked gas line. Line size over that run length . Striking Gas Damaging a pipeline can cause an explosion. For this repair, you'll need a shovel of some sort. You're allowed to dig a hole on your property up to five feet deep after calling 811. Can you Break a gas line with a shovel? Yes, gas does freeze in your fuel line when it gets cold out. 00:00. As you know, fire mixes with gas to disastrous results. Use a gentle, prying motion to break away soil as you approach . If you want to dig deeper than five feet deep, you will need a permit. Begin excavating towards the utility line that has been designated. They are most commonly thick enough to withstand any damage from hand digging with a shovel. You do *not* want to find one of these by accident. Likewise, something as subtle as static electricity can cause an explosion. shovel) when digging within 24" of utility marks to ensure adequate clearance & confirm the buried utility's location. How do you know if your fuel line is leaking? You can tear up some shallowly buried wires such as cable TV and phone lines even when tilling an area for grass seed or to prepare a new garden bed. Contact Enbridge Gas immediately at 1-866-763-5427. Never attempt to control the gas flow or . It poses a threat not just to you, but to any other nearby structures that may also be affected by the broken line. You are digging to locate underground water lines. You're allowed to dig a hole on your property up to five feet deep after calling 811. However, you should still exercise caution when digging by hand. If you do break a gas line, follow these tips: Move away from the site. If you break a natural gas line, move to a safe location, call 911 & your natural gas utility. If plastic, they're very likely thick enough to withstand most hand digging with a shovel. How . While digging I ran into an old gas line that goes from the house to the garage. hand tools (i.e. Call 811 right away so that the line can be identified and inspected. How do you make an 811 call? Dig with care. You can go up to 10-15 feet deep as long as you have the strength to climb out of the hole. Depth of gas lines must be to code. 03:06. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, the OUPS call center answers an average of 3,000 phone calls a day. Contact the utility company Before you dig in New York City, call New York 811 at 811 or 1-800-272-4480, or visit NewYork-811.com. The electric is placed. Snow plows should be used carefully. Call 911. Whenever you hand dig near buried utility lines, take care to prevent damage: Use a rounded or blunt-edged shovel. You don't want to make the break worse with overly enthusiastic digging. Whether you are just planting small shrubs or installing fences, CGA says any time you are putting a shovel in the ground you need to call due to the fact that many utilities are buried just a few inches below the surface. If you do break a gas line, follow these tips: Move away from the site. Fuel Lines Repair Cost A busted fuel line is the most likely reason that your car is leaking fuel. Costs depend on different factors, such as pipe materials and the extent of the repair. • Never plant trees or other objects . You can go up to 10-15 feet deep as long as you have the strength to climb out of the hole. The OUPS state-of-the-art call center operates 24-hours a day 7-days a week answering calls from anyone who intends to dig in the state of Ohio. The real line should be found, not merely a tracer cable or caution tape. Marking a gas line that's buried in the ground is easy. Clear everyone from the area. But bear in mind that it is also possible to turn off the gas to any given gas line, so . Signs that you've hit a gas line include: Feeling the shovel strike Seeing a bare line Laws typically require hand digging within some distance (18" in my state) of a marked line. Gas lines are typically metal or plastic. 12 inch bucket is used to dig 'trenches' for burying. If you strike hard enough or consistently strike a gas line, it is . Begin digging off to the side of the marked utility line. Or some depth like that. Snow buildup may cause serious damage to your gas meter. If plastic, they're very likely thick enough to withstand most hand digging with a shovel. Just stay away. Inquire at the sity office and install per code or have a professional licensed gas piping plumber do the work. You need to add antifreeze to your gasoline or diesel fuel before you fill up your car. Also took out a few underground drain lines, seen it all. Antifreeze prevents the gasoline from freezing. To protect underground pipelines, New York state law requires you to call the local one-call center at 811 two to ten working days days before you dig or excavate on public or private property. Hearing a hissing sound. Some gas lines can be as shallowly laid as six inches beneath the surface, while others may be as deep as several feet in. They really will charge you that much for a broken line in some districts. Answer (1 of 9): I was helping my Dad as we put in a hot tub at their house… he was digging and suddenly the lights flickered and we heard an odd popping sound. He pulled the shovel out of the ground and there were two new notches in the edge of the shovel - 3/8″ diameter semicircle cutouts where. . Signs that you've hit a gas line include: Feeling the shovel strike. Code may be 2 or 3 feet deep in you area. Conclusion Use these strategies to locate gas lines in your yard and avoid an explosion! Also if there are trees nearby you want to have an axe handy. Therefore, it is often used in automotive applications to seal and lubricate fuel line joints. In extreme situations, costs may exceed $10,000 if there is large damage, such as personal injuries, fire, property damage, or explosion. Then, carefully poke the line with a probe to locate where it runs through the ground. Call 811 right away so that the line can be identified and inspected. I'm in the middle of replacing the wiring to my garage. Smelling a rotten-egg scent. If you do find a gas line with your shovel and notice any damage beyond, perhaps, very minor scraping, call the gas . What to do if you damage a natural gas line or smell gas. Basically you want use a tipped shovel - not a straight edge and dig down around 45 degrees and about 10 inches down at a time, one shovel full. Gasoline is made up of hydrocarbons, and the main component of gasoline is propane. Also, if telephone. Use a shovel with a round or blunt edge. Immediately call your utility company's emergency number or 911. Make sure that as you dig, you are careful - regardless of if there are gas and power lines around. In the event of a gas leak, make an emergency call and wait for the proper response from the authorities. How much you can expect to pay varies wildly, depending on where you live. May 9, 2006. Due to its chemical inertness, PTFE tape is resistant to both petrol and oil. Sharp tools like pickaxes, mattocks, pry bars or pointed spades may gouge or puncture lines. This method is inexpensive and very effective. type of line you damaged. Hi. They are most commonly thick enough to withstand any damage from hand digging with a shovel. Can you Break a gas line with a shovel? However, you should still exercise caution when digging by hand. Yes, but gas lines are typically quite strong, made of metal or plastic. There is a way to prevent it. Can you break a gas line with a shovel? Just call before you dig at least 48 hours in advance: 800-362-2764. You can tear up some shallowly buried wires such as cable TV and phone lines even when tilling an area for grass seed or to prepare a new garden bed. The most popular and easiest way is to apply a "marking" paint that sticks to the pipe. Extinguish any flames, including cigarettes. electric 'and' gas services. I've been on jobs where we've hit the gas line and evacuated an entire neighborhood, i wasnt the machine operator on that one, but I've taken overhead lines right off a house when i was trying to squeeze under them with a trac-hoe. Yes, a gas line can be damaged with a variety of tools, and even a small ding to the coating of the line can be significant. There is no national standard when it comes to the depth that gas lines are buried, which is why it is so crucial to call the authorities before you dig. You will be looking at closer to $100 to $120 if you need to have the fuel line replaced entirely. Stop work and shut off all tools, machinery or equipment. The penalty for hitting the gas line ranges from $400 to $800 on average, but can go up to $2,300. Seeing a bare line. If you want to dig deeper than five feet deep, you will need a permit. Yes, a gas line can be damaged with a variety of tools, and even a small ding to the coating of the line can be significant. In this neck of the woods, usually a back hoe with a. Can you break a gas line with a shovel? But make that call from far away. Costs depend on different factors, such as pipe materials and the extent of the repair. Once your gas line has been located, you must hand dig within 18" of either side of the marked gas line. Gas lines also can be quite near the surface . Proceed with caution. To remove soil, never scrape against a utility line. It's no longer connected to anything but a crappy old stove in the garage, no gas source at all. Technically, you can easily dig ten inches into the soil with a garden shovel. If you do smell it, make sure to call 9-1-1. Technically, you can easily dig ten inches into the soil with a garden shovel. The penalty for hitting the gas line ranges from $400 to $800 on average, but can go up to $2,300. The first step is to dig a hole around the line. Digging holes in your yard may seem like it's a . Gas lines are typically metal or plastic. There is no legal minimum depth that you can dig before calling 811. Extinguish any flames, including cigarettes . Gas lines also can be quite near the surface . Do not attempt to control or stop the gas from escaping. in one corner of the trench and the gas in the other. The pipe is about 10' long with another 2' off at an angle and then the pieces that run up into the buildings. The smell may not be apparent at first, but gas is certainly deadly. You must take care to avoid hitting anything while you're driving. If this happens to be the case you might get away with just $50 to $70 to repair the line. Any resulting electrical fires will be obvious, but also take note of natural gas. This is due to the fact that environmental conditions such as ground settlement, rainfall, floods, surface runoff, soil erosion and deposits can change the depth of topsoil, reducing or increasing the cover for underground services. Not fool-proof as anything can happen but if you do this you are 99.5% of the time either not going to hit it or glance off of it. Ditches are depressions dug to carry water, (often.