Have you ever wondered about orange flags? But this authority only takes place after the initial need for the flags is completed. Have you talked to your neighbor to make sure they've had the work done already? We work with local utility companies to identify gas, electric, and water lines that are already in your yard. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. (We Checked With the USPS). plug them and put some tire slime in the tire. But when I called 811 they directed me to the seller's listing agent before the home was sold, and she was at a loss as to what to tell me and told me to just remove them. Lacks Neutral Wires and Grounding Bus. The other reason why there are flags on your lawn is that there is a bigger excavation project planned in your area. While the purpose of easements are to mainly allow utility companies to access your area for work, your neighbor may also own easements. ; Yellow Lines used for natural gas, oil, steam, petroleum, as well as other gaseous or flammable materials. The only person who should be removing them is the one responsible for the placement of the flags. What are these little colored flags in my yard? | Utility Locator Removing these flags could disrupt any project planned in the area. If a gas main or service line is exposed during digging, call Greater Dickson Gas Authority. I've got 2 properties that are peppered with these flags. Mow around the markings. A working day is defined as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, not including holidays. So far, i've mowed and trimmed around them to the best of my ability. The flags help utility workers locate the lines . In such places, the state is responsible for removing locate flags that are on the streets and public places. However, you may wonder why there are flags on your lawn without your permission or if it is allowed for utility companies to mount utility flags on your property without permission. Automatic Can Seamer Give the utility flag company a call first to inquire about their presence, and whether or not its safe to remove them. If you have blue flags, you can call the water company, and so on. But, before, Read More Can I Put a Pool in My Front Yard? As you spot those flags, you may not be sure what to do or what they mean. (Yes. But just because there are flags on your lawn it doesnt always mean the utility company is going to start digging up your yard. We will see if they are there next week. I can just imagine the neighbors questioning what we're doing to the yard. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. In instances where youve seen the flag on your yard for 14 days without someone doing any work, you can remove them. If there has been no action for more than 14 days, the property owner can delete the find flags because they are no longer valid. (Try Doing This First)Continue, Are you looking for a way to add some personality to your mailbox? i will normally leave the flags for 1 to 2 visits, if they are still there after 2 weeks i pick them up. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. This color is used for communication systems, TV cables and alarm lines. Utility flags are placed to avoid any disturbances or accidents in the area while utility work is ongoing. Avoid digging near buried utilities if possible. OK, so today I am on my virtually new VRide cutting an apartment complex which has some marking flags in the lawn. NO! The locators will mark your yard with paint or flags in various colors that indicate where utility lines are . When they dig the holes do their work and leave. Usually, this involves potable water. The removal usually happens when the job is done. At least they didn't try spraypainting the snow like they did here not long agothat didn't work out well. We won't share it with anyone else. It could be that individuals or companies calling in the dig request cant provide the exact location to mark. For this, a professional may be called upon to handle it. Privacy Policy. If youre going this route, make sure you work with a lawyer that has experience in dealing with utility concerns. There is typically only a few reasons these types of little colored flags will appear in your yard or lawn. When someone is going to dig up the ground for any reason, they are required to locate utilities first. You might also enjoy our post on Can I Dig a Pond on My Property? Utility color flags help workers who carry out the digging identify which utility line is running under the marked spots. Last month a dozen utility flags appeared on my front lawn, my neighbors front lawn and along our property line. Calling 811 will get your underground utility lines marked and your project off to a safe start. Is it Illegal to Remove Utility Flags? Staff Writer By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Ok rant off "Every step we take towards making the State the Caretaker of our lives, Eh, I've tried to plug mower tires before most of the time they don't take too soft of rubber. Inline Figure Skate Frames For red flags, try to call your Electric Company. Utility flags are placed to prevent any disturbances or accidents in the area as utility work is being carried out. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? If you need or want to remove the flags, our suggestion is that you call your local state-run dig center by simply dialing 811 (just like 911 but replace the 9 with an 8!). Generally, flags should not be taken off. If my crew shows up to a site that is marked, they are instructed to get a close as possible, but in no way disturb the flags or markings in anyway at all. "The contractor needs to know the location of the lines in the area in which they are digging in order to stay . Seeing the utility flag means some utility work is about to be done in the area. You can guess at what company placed what flags based on you local utility providers. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Seeing colorful flags in your yard can be surprising and maybe at times, frustrating, especially if you like to maintain a beautiful, pristine yard. Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! You can then speak with this person to see if they have completed the work or if the flags are even needed in your yard. When I can remove them? The answer is NO, you can't remove any utility flags place in your yard. The color codes are as follows: Proposed excavation will be marked in white, power lines will mark in red, gas lines will mark in yellow, all communication lines will mark in orange, water marks in blue, sewer marks in green and Purple is for Reclaimed Water, Irrigation and Slurry Lines. However tempting it may be, one should not remove those flags. One thing to note is that utility companies do have the right to come onto your property, even without permission. Staff Writer This center will take care of communicating with your local utilities, who will send their people out to mark line locations. THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. If for instance you have built a structure or landscaped an area, which is over an easement, the company has the right to remove them to maintain that easement. A perfect example of a utility easement is when the power company is allowed to install electrical lines and erect utility poles to support them. But just because there are flags on your lawn it doesnt always mean the utility company is going to start digging up your yard. How 811 works. Lets take this scenario for example: I wake up to find Verizon digging in my yard because of an service upgrade job. It can be very tempting to play with them or even remove them. Can I remove utility flags in my yard? Do not remove the flags, stakes or paint marks until you have finished . The only person who should be removing them is the one responsible for the placement of the flags. Marking Flags at Lowes.com Its vital to avoid the spot marked with the yellow flags. Question: is it my responsibility to remove the flags? Removing the marks and flags put them at risk. Never heard what happened. Every Wednesday morning, get the week's top crime stories in Denton from the Blotter in your inbox. I was likeman I hope it didn't go all the way in. This gives utility companies the legal right to be on your property to fix any broken lines or install new utility lines, even if it means making changes to your yard. Success! If they are damaged, they can lead to substantial effects on the community. I'm assuming my neighbor needed to dig and had the lines flagged. These will help workers locate important marked spots. How do I align things in the following tabular environment? At this point you might start to wonder, Can I remove utility flags in my yard?. However, waking up to utility flags scattered across your lawn and someone digging in your yard is another story entirely. Yard Blogger provides practical tips and friendly expert advice on everything relating to your home and yard. I sidewall cord separating at 5 MPH on a lawn isn't going to result in the same issue. Red -it is the most common color and its used to mark electric utilities or power lines Marking an area with red will help to avoid a power outage that can affect the whole neighborhood. Asked 8 years, 9 months ago. It only takes a minute to sign up. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. If you found blue flags, you can try your water company. Its even more frustrating to see people come to your yard and put up flags without permission. Other utility flags cannot be removed for any reason because of the utility lines they represent. For instance, she may place marks at the northeast and southwest corners of a piece of land to . Other states place a validity of the flags for 30 calendar days. In general, you should not remove utility flags in your yard. once the construction is done, i will resume normal mowing. Do Butterflies Like Hibiscus? If you or someone you've hired is going to install an irrigation system, plant a tree or do anything else that requires digging, be sure to call 811 at least two business days before starting the project. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In most cases, it is illegal to tamper with these markings. State law ( Wisconsin Statute 182.0175) requires notifying Diggers Hotline before you excavate, grade, trench, dig, drill, augur, tunnel, scrape, plow cable or pipe. Is a PhD visitor considered as a visiting scholar? Legal Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only, and shouldnotbe interpreted aslegal advice or acted upon as such. Besides owning and operating a landscaping company, I work for the local power company in NJ. That could be as long as 14 weeks. How To Remove An Easement From Your Property The Right Way, Can You Get Street Lights Turned Off? Known as "locate flags," the person who called for their placement is responsible for removing them when the job is complete. Digging on a spot without knowing beforehand the location of underground utility lines can be risky. custom marker flags Green flags are put up to mark drain lines and sewers. I had 811 mark my utility lines. But generally, the law requires utility companies to pay compensation. Make sure you're prepared with the Denton Record-Chronicle's coverage of Denton County's key races, and the candidates in the running for them. 4. It could be that individuals or companies calling in the dig request cant provide the exact location to mark. A property owner concerned about lingering flags could call 811 for more information about who called in and sought utility locations, according to Denton city spokesperson Jessica Rogers. But if it happens to you, you should know that it means someone is planning to turn it into an excavation site. Utility flags are placed to avoid any disturbances or accidents in the area while utility work is ongoing. For yellow flags, try to call your natural gas provider, and for green flags try to call your local sanitary sewer authority or DPW. One way to do this is to call them three times a day. Also, most flags bear the name of the company that placed them, so you should be able to see the contact information. I've had sidewall plugs hold the life of the tire. Each color of paint/flag represents a unique type of underground utility. Construction workers do road repair near the intersection of Alice and Egan streets in June. Before You Dig | City of Longmont, Colorado Chinese Breaker Box (240v split-phase?) This year they pulled into the drive and drove their trucks and equipment across the lawn at a angle to get to the NW corner. This year alone they have flagged it 4 times.From the flags I can tell you there is 4 utility's running alone the state road. How To Protect Your Cable and Internet Lines When You're Digging in Damaging this line could release poisonous gases and may cause a flood in the neighborhood. We'll come out and mark the underground lines for free. Give the utility flag company a call first to inquire about their presence, and whether or not it's safe to remove them. Then, plan accordingly when you're ready to plant so that there's ample space between the plant and utility line. Give the utility flag company a call first to inquire about their presence, and whether or not it's safe to remove them. The yellow flags will help identify contractors that a gas line is on that spot. Understanding your rights as a landowner is important so youll have knowledge on how to approach this issue, especially if you feel like your privacy has been violated. Email your question for Insight Denton to pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com. Worse, you could end up in court. Talk to an Expert Today | Weekdays 6AM - 6PM. Staff Writer Those are utility location flags. In some, they are valid for only two weeks especially if you havent observed any activity. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Red utility flags are used to mark underground electric and cable lines. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. 99% of the time they do. In certain cases, temporary repairs will be made to avoid disruption in your mail delivery. Press J to jump to the feed. Never fear, because in this article, were going to go over what utility flags are, what the different color utility flags mean, as well as what you can do as the property owner. (Is This Illegal to Do? For instance, a water company may ask to have that area marked with yellow flags so that when there is an installation, repair, or maintenance on the water lines, the marked spot wont be touched. If the marks are past the row remove and mow. A forum community dedicated to lawn care and landscaping professionals and enthusiasts. Good point! The color of the utility flag placed on your lawn or neighborhood would help you determine the type of utility line there and, in times of repair, what kind of repair work would be done. Please let us know if that helps answer your . The flags wont be there for long. Part of their maintenance program is to mark their lines whenever someone places a "notice" or "ticket" with the Virginia 811 center. The purple flag indicates another set of utilities that should not be tampered with. In some, they are valid for only two weeks especially if you havent observed any activity. Mailboxes that have been directly hit by a snowplow will be repaired at the City's expense as soon as time and weather permit. Utility companies usually place flags to mark . You would be really upset if you lived in my area, we also spray paint on the ground above the utility path. Get answers directly from our subject matter experts.Never report a natural gas leak online. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. 2. The first one is that there will be an excavation project planned in the spot where the flags are. Error! Instead, call 811 dig hotline, report what happened, and request for them to mark the utility lines again. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. And at highway speeds, that is dangerous. Cannot fix sidewall punctures, its either a new tire or a tube. Utility color flags help workers who carry out the digging identify which utility line is running under the marked spots. you can plug sidewalls. For this very reason, it is vital to be in-the-know when it comes to an easement on a property youre eyeing before buying it. You should always consult with an attorney or legal professional before taking any action. Avoid digging near buried utilities if possible. We will label this asEOI(End of Information). When calling for locates, please have the following information ready: Who the work is being done for (general contractor or project) Type . If damages have been done to your property, its best to notify the company. Utility flags are important in the functions they play in informing people of utility lines that are specially placed underground. This will result in everyday inconveniences that can affect not only you but also other people in the community. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'yardpit_com-box-4','ezslot_3',117,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-yardpit_com-box-4-0'); The utility companies are given this right for the major purpose of public safety as these utility lines are placed underground. Property Owner Rights & Electric Power Easement (Do This First), Can I Dig a Well on My Property? They should be able to let you know the best times for them to make the repair. I've had decent luck with plugs in mower tires. Marking Flags, Plastic Marking Flags, Utility Flags - EngineerSupply You're better off leaving them where they're. According to Krueger, once a project is completed, it's the responsibility of the contractor to remove the flags. What is the law, when a cable company digs up a yard. and then - Avvo A utility company working on power lines, telephone lines, and what-not, are doing their job and its a necessity. Doing so could result in fines. Can I remove utility flags in my yard? they will stay there forever until you remove them or the home owner. You may have no idea what it is and you just see it as something that ruins the overall aesthetics of your yard. ), Do You Need a Permit to Dig a Pond? Try to avoid digging on top of or within 18-24" on all sides of utility marks, which may mean moving your project to another part of your yard less congested with buried lines. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. You may panic as someone just came to your property to put up the marking flags. Neighbor Keeps Hitting Balls in My Yard: What To Do? When you see flags, you not only tend to question what it is and what purpose it serves but also what the different colors are. These will help workers locate important marked spots. If locate flags are in place for more than 14 days without any activity, the property owner can remove them because they are no longer valid at that point. In most cases, you will be given compensation. The other reason flags have appeared in your yard is because someone is planning to do work. Having a decent security system like a Ring Video Doorbell or Outdoor Security Cameras (both on Amazon) is a smart thing to do. This repair in such situations involves sections of the utility line that pass through your yard. This happens all the time due to the use of easements. What is utility easement anyway? Its expected of a property owner to be bothered by the sight of colorful flags in their yard. Flags protect you and your community. Refresh Marks requests can only be submitted for excavation projects that were started within 14 calendar days of the initial locate requests. Utility Flags & Markings - Nebraska City Utilities And a damaged gas line can cause soil contamination and even explosion. Image Credit: Rick Beauregard, Shutterstock. That said, If you are the subsequent owner of the property or if you are planning to buy a house in general, it helps to know the easements of your chosen property before sealing the deal. For most homeowners, your insurance policies will likely not cover the damages that arise from what the Utility Commission will classify as negligence. Anyone who plans to dig should call 811 or go to their state 811 center's website a few business days before digging to request that the approximate location of buried utilities be marked with paint or flags so that you don't unintentionally dig into an underground utility line. Utility flags are placed to prevent any disturbances or accidents in the area as utility work is being carried out. A surveyor places survey markers to label major points on the land's surface. Homeowner FAQs - Kentucky 811 pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com. This is because they are placed on public right of way. These utility contractors are also responsible for removing locate flags and any other utility flags installed when necessary. PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881 and via Twitter at @phwolfeDRC.