If you’re thinking about your next irrigation project at your home or business, chances are you’ve stumbled across the term directional drilling or directional boring. And if you’re not in the irrigation industry, chances are you’ve been left scratching your head about what directional drilling means.
In this article, we’ll set the record straight about directional drilling. You’ll learn what directional drilling is, why it’s helpful for many property owners when it’s time for their next irrigation project, and how to avoid spending an arm and a leg when choosing an irrigation company for a directional drilling job.
What is directional drilling?
[let’s show a diagram of what directional drilling looks like. We’ll have to find this as stock imagery, or illustrate it ourselves]
Directional drilling (sometimes referred to as directional boring) is a specialized technique that can be used to install an irrigation system in your residential or commercial lawn.
The way directional drilling works is by setting up a single point of entry into your lawn. The drill enters the ground at an angle, and the irrigation crew can control the path it takes beneath the surface with a remote control.
Directional drilling cuts down on the need for many drill sites into your lawn. From that single point of entry, an irrigation crew can install underground pipes across a very large area. This is especially helpful if you have a large piece of property that’s crossed by sidewalks, driveways or other above-ground obstructions.
What are the benefits of directional drilling?
[photo of a directional drilling crew at work]
Installing a modern, WiFi-enabled irrigation system carries too many benefits to name for your lawn. You’ll enjoy lush grass, water and cost savings just to name a few. But when it comes to installing an irrigation system using directional drilling specifically, there are two main benefits to be aware of:
1) Less damage to your lawn
You’ve worked hard to maintain a beautiful lawn. Innovative Irrigation wants to keep your hard work intact while upgrading your irrigation system or installing a new one.
Directional drilling lets us install underground pipes across a wide area from a single drill site. That means fewer machines onsite, fewer holes in your lawn, and minimal disturbance of your grounds’ stability.
Less construction also means less downtime for your facility. You won’t have to worry about closing down parts of your lawn or rerouting traffic, since there will be fewer pieces of equipment and active sites across your lawn.
2) Easily navigate hardscapes
Roads, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, courtyards — these are all obstacles that get in the way of traditional drilling techniques, and make some irrigation jobs nearly impossible.
But with directional drilling, those obstacles are simple to bypass. We simply bore along a path under the concrete, reducing or eliminating the need for hardscape repair following an irrigation job.
Again, the fact that directional drilling allows us to navigate your facility from underground means your sidewalks and roads are still fully usable for you and your guests at your residential property, or your customers at a commercial location.
Is directional drilling expensive?
[photo of directional drilling equipment]
It can be, if your irrigation company isn’t equipped for it! Directional boring is a highly specialized process, so it requires highly specialized equipment. Some irrigation companies don’t own that type of equipment, so they have to rent it before they can start a project.
Renting directional drilling equipment can take weeks, which means you’ll have to wait until your project can begin. And since there’s a rental fee, the irrigation company may try to pass the costs on to you.
If you want your directional drilling done with less cost and less waiting, call on Innovative Irrigation. We own all of the specialty equipment needed for directional drilling, so you won’t have to wait — or pay extra — to get the job done.
Innovative Irrigation is the clear choice for directional drilling across Indiana. We’re equipped to handle large installations our competitors can’t, and we’re ready and eager to help your lawn be the best it can be. To book your appointment, call us at 317-823-4506 or fill out our contact form right here.