During this transition into “digging season,” Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the association dedicated to protecting underground utilities and the people who dig near them, reminds homeowners and professional diggers that calling 811 is the first step toward protecting you and your community from the risk of unintentionally damaging an underground line.

Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a free call to 811. Installing a mailbox or fence, building a deck or landscaping are all examples of digging projects that should only begin a few days after making a call to 811. Calling this number connects you to your local one-call utility notification center.

According to data collected by CGA, more than half of American homeowners will not make a free call to 811 before digging. Out of those surveyed, 67 percent know that the paint and flags on the ground are used to mark buried utilities, indicating that awareness of underground infrastructure is high among homeowners, but the importance of calling 811 is low.

Here’s how it works:

* One free, simple phone call to 811 makes it easy for your local one-call center to notify all appropriate utility companies of your intent to dig. Call a few days prior to digging to ensure enough time for the approximate location of utility lines to be marked with flags or paint.

* When you call 811, a representative from your local one-call center will ask for the location and description of your digging project.

* Your local one-call center will notify affected utility companies, which will then send professional locators to the proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of your lines.

* Only once all lines have been accurately marked, roll up those sleeves and carefully dig around the marked areas.

There are nearly 20 million miles of underground utility lines in the United States that your family depends on for everyday needs including electric, gas, water and sewer, cable TV, high-speed Internet and landline telephone.

Unintentionally striking one of these lines can result in inconvenient outages for entire neighborhoods, harm to yourself or your neighbors and repair costs. Every six minutes, homeowners and professionals unintentionally damage an underground utility line because they did not call 811 before digging.

According to the most recent data from CGA, damage occurs less than 1 percent of the time when the digger has called 811 before a project. To find out more information about 811 or the one-call utility notification center in your area, visit www.call811.com.

The post Call 811 before every digging project, large or small first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

During the transition into “digging season,” Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the association dedicated to protecting underground utilities and the people who dig near them, reminds homeowners and professional diggers that calling 811 is the first step toward protecting you and your community from the risk of unintentionally damaging an underground line.

Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a free call to 811. Calling this number connects you to your local one-call utility notification center. Installing a mailbox or fence, building a deck and landscaping are all examples of digging projects that should only begin a few days after making a call to 811.

Here’s how it works:

1. One free, simple phone call to 811 makes it easy for your local one-call center to notify all appropriate utility companies of your intent to dig. Call a few days prior to digging to ensure enough time for the approximate location of utility lines to be marked with flags or paint.

2. When you call 811, a representative from your local one-call center will ask for the location and description of your digging project.

3. Your local one-call center will notify affected utility companies, who will then send a professional locator to the proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of your lines.

4. Only once all lines have been accurately marked, roll up those sleeves and carefully dig around the marked areas.

There are nearly 20 million miles of underground utility lines in the United States that your family depends on for everyday needs including electric, gas, water and sewer, cable TV, high-speed Internet and landline telephone.

Unintentionally striking one of these lines can result in inconvenient outages for entire neighborhoods, harm to yourself or your neighbors and repair costs. Digging activity by homeowners and professionals causes unintentional damage to an underground utility line once every three minutes nationwide, and one out of three incidents are caused because someone did not call 811.

According to the most recent data from CGA, damage occurs less than 1 percent of the time when the digger has called 811 before a project.

To find out more information about 811 or the one-call utility notification center in your area, visit www.call811.com.

The post Make Calling 811 a Priority Before Every Digging Project first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Fortunately, you don’t need the budget of a television landscaping celebrity or the storage space of a production studio to get your hands on the perfect tools for your do-it-yourself project. Just rent a compact utility loader with a few attachments, use it to do the work faster and easier, and return it when you’re done.

Contractors have been using compact utility loaders – the landscaping equivalent of a Swiss army knife – for years. And thanks to renting, homeowners can use the same machine without having to buy one themselves. These multi-purpose units do the work of several different tools with a simple change of attachments, saving time and substantial effort compared to doing tasks by hand.

The Toro Dingo is one example of a compact utility loader that’s especially useful for residential applications, since it’s easy to use, reliable and compact enough to fit into tight spots.

Here are five ways you can use a compact utility loader and the right attachments to help ensure your outdoor projects have professional-looking results:

1. Digging Holes
Many outdoor projects involve digging a hole, whether you’re building a deck or fence or preparing to install a fish pond. Set aside the shovel and post-hole digger, and use the loader’s auger attachment – available in widths from a 6-inch bit up to a 30-inch bit. These powerful tools significantly reduce digging time, allowing you to move quickly past this basic first step for many projects.

2. Leveling Ground
Virtually every outdoor building project requires you to start out with level ground. A level surface will make gardening chores easier, ensure a good base beneath a patio or deck, and protect landscaping from erosion and run-off. But manually leveling uneven ground can be very labor-intensive. A loader with a leveler, tiller, utility blade or soil cultivator attachment greatly reduces time and labor, and allows you to achieve smoother, more even ground.

3. Digging/Filling Trenches
Digging or filling a trench is another labor-intensive soil-moving chore that can be much easier with the right equipment. A loader with a trencher attachment can quickly create a trench, even in the hardest soil or clay. And once you’ve placed the irrigation pipe or other material, you can use the trench filler attachment to fill and close the trench.

4. Lifting and Carrying Material
Need to move a load of stone, piles of dirt or lots of lumber? Lifting and carrying heavy loads by hand is not only time-consuming and difficult; it can be downright dangerous. For instance, it can lead to back strain – not to mention mashed fingers and toes if you accidentally drop what you’re carrying. Instead, consider renting a compact utility loader with a bucket, adjustable forks, multi-purpose tool or grapple rake attached to do the heavy lifting for you.

5. Cleaning up Debris
If you have brush, small tree limbs or rocks to clear away, a loader with a bucket or grapple rake attachment can make the job much easier. You’ll be able to carry more debris with every load – and with a lot less effort – than pushing a wheelbarrow. Need to remove a stump? A loader with a stump grinder attachment is another big time-saver.

Bottom line: If your project involves multiple tasks, renting a compact utility loader and the appropriate attachments can be a great alternative to renting multiple tools. You can find out more about the Dingo at www.Toro.com/dingo.

The professionals at your local rental store can help you identify the right tool to rent for your project. To find a rental store near you, visit www.rentalhq.com.

Outdoor projects don’t have to be back-breaking work. You just need the right tools for the job. A compact utility loader can help make your DIY project easier – and ensure those TV guys have nothing on you when it comes to creating a great outdoor environment.

The post Five Ways to Finish your Outdoor Projects Like a Pro first appeared on The How Do Gardener.