What is Vacuum Excavation?

Vacuum / Suction Excavation has been operating within mainland Europe in excess of ten years in one form or another, but it is relatively new to the UK.

This vacuum, or suction excavation system as it is sometimes referred to operates under various names such as Vac-Ex, Vacuum-Ex, Suc-Ex, as well as Hydro Vac, and Aqua Vac (both combining water jetting) but in all cases, the principals of this excavation method remain the same.

Vacuum excavation in simple terms allows the use of a vacuum excavator, also referred to as a vacuum tanker or vacuum lorry, to operate and excavate material around buried services or utilities including gas, electric, water, telecoms and fiber-optics by removing the soil, earth or other material covering the services by means of high volume air flow.

Vacuum Excavation, or Suction Excavation as we have mentioned it may be referred to, avoids the requirement for invasive digging methods such as hand digging or the use of traditional mechanical excavators, thereby virtually eliminating possible cable or service damage.

Over the previous two years vacuum/suction excavator vehicles have made a significant appearance in the UK with an ever increasing number of companies utilising this technology to help reduce service strikes and also avoiding possible injury to site operatives.