The Air Spade is an advanced air excavation tool that helps you safely uncover underground utilities and other structures. The AirSpade has many benefits, including safety for the operator, reduced compaction, and minimal damage to the critical root zone. It’s a great tool for utility workers, arborists, and landscaping professionals. Read on to learn more. You’ll want to have one of these tools on your worksite.

Safety of the operator

The Air-Spade 4000 series of excavation tools is designed specifically for digging around buried pipes and utilities. These air-powered devices utilize compressed-air to create high-speed laser-like jets that dig deeper in tough soils and minimize operator exposure to electrical currents. Unlike traditional digging methods, these air-powered machines are safe for the operator and can be used in many situations. They are especially useful for utilities, where traditional digging methods can puncture underground pipes and utilities.

The AirSpade incorporates a dead-man trigger to automatically shut off the air supply when the trigger is released. Homemade air lances, which are typically made of iron pipe, can cause serious injury. The AirSpade is designed to minimize operator fatigue with a lightweight aluminum and fiberglass body. This lightweight airspade also has a dead-man trigger to prevent accidental actuation by the operator.

Compaction of soils

An Airspade excavation tool can aerate densely compacted soils without damaging trees. It works by driving a modified airspade into the ground, causing cracks and holes that allow for recompaction. The compacted soils are then loosen by air, increasing the amount of organic matter in the soil and ensuring a healthier tree root system.

The patented supersonic nozzle of the AirSpade creates an ultra-fast jet that dislodges a couple of inches of soil in just a few seconds. The jet’s high velocity can cut through work boots, gas lines, plastic piping, and other objects. Aside from cutting through clothing and boots, the high-pressure water can also damage pipe coatings. Aside from the health risks associated with the water jet, introducing mud into the excavation site increases the volume of the soils and promotes poor footing around the job site. Moreover, mud is messy to contain and can become an environmental problem if it dries out. Lastly, mud doesn’t blend into the environment.

Before using an AirSpade, it is essential to assess the overall health of the trees in the vicinity of the excavation site. A certified arborist should evaluate the trees to be affected by the process, and ensure proper care for them before and after the procedure. Because trees are particularly susceptible to cold, injury, drought, and pests, it is imperative to assess the health of the trees before performing any work on them.

Damage to critical root zone

While using an air spade for excavation can reveal tree roots, there are other issues to consider. This type of excavation tool can cause damage to the critical root zone, especially when using it to excavate for a pavement or foundation. In the Pacific Northwest, trees are often evergreens, which have wide-spreading shallow root systems, while maples have a more constrained root system.

The AirSpade can be used for other root structure corrections. Common problems with trees include being planted too low, soil built up at the base, and restricted growing space. All of these issues can be magnified by urban conditions. Poor soils and improper planting systems can thwart tree growth and lead to pavement heaving. Using an air-spade allows an arborist to detect problems with tree root structure and determine whether an excavation is necessary.

Cost

If you’re looking to make a big difference in the cost of excavation work, an Airspade can help. This pneumatic excavation tool uses compressed air to rip up compact soil and expose tree roots without damaging them. This type of tool is ideal for areas where digging could damage sensitive objects like trees or underground utilities, such as piping or cables. The supersonic jet dislodges soil within a fraction of a second, and is ideal for working near high voltage electrical lines. It also features a high-voltage insulated barrel, which protects workers from injury caused by sparks during excavation.

The patented supersonic nozzle of the Air-Spade allows for the excavation of underground utility lines without damaging roots or cables. This tool is designed to be used by landscaping professionals and arborists to make precise excavations without damaging existing trees or the surrounding landscape. Another great feature of the Air-Spade is its low cost. The Air-Spade excavation tool costs approximately $7,500. The air-powered tool requires minimal maintenance and can be operated for years without experiencing any problems.

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