Impact moling: A quick & efficient water, gas & electric supply solution with minimal disruption to your property & surroundings.
In the building services environment and construction industry there is becoming an increasingly large demand for impact moling services.
This rapidly growing sub-sector of civil engineering has risen in demand to such an extent, that moling contractors are required on a huge range of works, but many people do not know what this service actually consists of.
What is Moling? (or impact moling)
As the name implies, moling refers to an underground method of installing pipes, cables and ductwork, as opposed to traditional methods which require the digging of long, continuous trenches first.
Moling, however, makes use of a pneumatic machine which behaves like a ‘mole’ would, pushing through the earth, moving it to one side and creating the perfect path for the pipes to fit into.
How Does Moling Work?
Moling specialists have been perfecting this groundbreaking technique in order to provide solutions that don’t become eyesores or negatively impact the environment.
Rather than open cut methods which see the digging of mile-long trenches, the moling contractor will see the placement of intermittent excavating pits in which they can deploy the mole. The mole then enters into the earth from one pit and will work towards the next pit, known as the ‘destination pit,’ which is where the mole can reappear.
With the ideal sized space made by the mole, the pipework or cabling services can then be pulled through. The dugout pits can then be covered up and in no time at all, the project is complete.
Impact Moling Equipment
The mole is powered by a pneumatic cylinder which forces compressed air into the steel body of the mole. This air pulses into the mole, which in turn causes the head of the mole to persistently hit against the soil.
As the mole goes along, it chips the soil away, shifts it to one side and creates the path for the pipework.
Advantages / Benefits of Using Moling
- As mentioned above, one of the key benefits is the lack of disturbance. This is in regards to both the social and environmental aspects of our modern world. Moling lessens the impact in areas of particular natural beauty, making it less damaging to the environment, but also makes difficult to reach areas like around/beneath rivers more accessible. Meanwhile, in more built-up areas, moling also means less disturbance to residents and/or businesses whilst being easier to manage in sensitive areas like nuclear or military bases.
- Similarly, the time the installation takes to complete the average moling pipe replacement is far quicker than traditional routes. This makes working in busier environments easier, such as motorways or railways as trenchless moling services cause little to no delays.
- To top it off, the cost is substantially cheaper too, as it is saving both equipment hire costs and manpower.
- Most ground types can also be catered to, so it is likely that moling could be a solution that suits your needs.
How Much Does Moling Cost? Impact Moling Cost Per Metre
Due to the fact that moling is suitable for most soil conditions and is quicker and more eco-friendly than traditional methods, it comes as no surprise that this service is more cost effective.
Not only are you taking less time and fewer man-hours, which will save you money, but due to the less disruptive methods, you will find there are reduced extra costs and fewer requirements for premium rate working and restricted hours work.
Moling Contractors Near Me
If you are wondering if there are any moling contractors near you and think a mole drilling company could provide you with the quote you’re looking for, the first step is to check that this trenchless method is suitable for your ground type and the work that you want to complete.
Make sure you consider the size of your project. For example, pipe sizes can range from 20mm to 180mm (using at least 10% larger than the size pipe you actually have) and up to 20m can be installed in one go, depending on the mole drilling company used.
There are a variety of types of services that are particularly suited to this method including, water mains, gas lines, ductwork beneath structures/difficult to reach, short lengths of cable, oil lines and sewer lines.
If this sounds like an option you may want to pursue, speak with a member of our team and they will help find a solution that works for you.
With many years on the tools in all aspects of the engineering industry has given me a second to none skill set which enables me to provide a leading professional service to my customers with a wealth of knowledge and highly skilled engineers to successfully cover all your plumbing, heating, AC and catering equipment requirements.