Enlist a Local Hydrovac Company in Alberta for Thawing Frozen Culverts
The winter months in Alberta can be a busy time for hydrovac vendors, with customers requesting an array of services. These range from identifying leaking pipes underground to clearing the clogged section of a frozen septic pipe. Occasionally they also receive calls for their thawing culvert cleaning services. Their trucks are equipped with two pumps, one for pushing high pressure water through a hose and the other to pull loose materials and slurries into a debris tank.
Unblocking culverts with hydrovac cleaning services
Culverts are constructed or installed anywhere that a stream of water needs to flow under a street, highway, or railway track. In Alberta, many culverts freeze and need the trustworthy expertise of a hydrovac crew. The first step is to locate the blockage that is hampering the smooth flow of water. Depending on this, a safe solution is discussed by the hydrovac operator and swamper. There are two critical tools required for cleaning a frozen culvert, a ‘wand’ for close to boiling temperature water and a ‘snake’ with an experienced operator.
Most hydrovac vendors have experience with frozen culvert cleaning services using a wand for thawing the ice. This instrument is connected to the water tank on a hydrovac truck and operated using a wireless remote control. The water sprayed at high pressure through the operator’s wand is heated using a one million BTU boiler on the truck. If the blockage caused by frozen water is visible and accessible from one of the entrances, the wand is used to spray hot water inside it to thaw the ice. As the blockage at the culvert entrance starts turning to water from the inside it gradually melts away.
If the frozen section is inside the culvert, an alternate solution is used for the clean-out. The method involves using a snake, which is a small hose with a special tip. One tiny jet in the front and six at the back use high-pressure water from the hydrovac truck’s water tank to penetrate the blockage in its path. The six jets at a 45-degree angle thrust the snake forward and push the displaced frozen chunks of ice back to the suction hose where the hydrovac’s vacuum is pulling them out.
Local hydrovac companies know the terrain and projects in Alberta
There are an array of services offered by the hydrovac crews in Bonnyville and other neighboring towns. Ice build-up removal is a common request and requires a solution similar to thawing culvert cleaning services. Most of the crew are from Alberta, they have attended the training and special courses necessary to be on specific long-term project sites.
Hydrovac services have gained popularity because of their cost-effectiveness, safety, and innovative solutions for a multitude of problems that are prevalent because of issues related to utilities and infrastructure below the ground. If a project site needs to be daylighted, hydrovac vendors are the first choice in Alberta.
