Trenching for Electrical Service Upgrade in the Greater Bay Area
New Electrical Service for home or business
Do you frequently face power issues in your home? These problems can not only be frustrating but also dangerous. Attempting to resolve electrical issues on your own can lead to further complications and risks. For your safety and peace of mind, entrust any changes or upgrades to your electrical service to licensed and experienced contractors.
At Big Valley Pipelines, the safety of our clients is paramount, and we stand by our work with a 100% warranty on craftsmanship, labor and parts.
Electrical Service Upgrades
Many older homes still rely on outdated electrical service, often below the modern standard of 200 amps. Upgrading your electrical service not only enhances safety and ensures compliance with current codes but also eliminates frequent power outages, ultimately boosting your home’s value.
You might have learned to manage with an aging circuit breaker and an outdated electrical system, but investing in a service upgrade can eliminate headaches, frustrations, and hazards. Modern homes require higher amperage and more circuits to accommodate the increasing number of electronic devices and systems, including air conditioning units, computers, TVs, and high-powered appliances. Some homeowners may also need an upgrade to meet insurance company requirements.
Regardless of your motive, upgrading your electrical service to 200+ amps, the modern standard, ensures you have the power needed to run all your electronics and appliances safely and conveniently. Say goodbye to voltage drop-offs, blown fuses, overloaded circuits, electrocution risks, electrical fires, and other dangers.
Is an Electrical Panel Upgrade Necessary?
Here are some indicators that you might require an electrical panel upgrade or replacement:
- Frequent circuit breaker tripping
- A burning smell emanating from your electrical panel
- Deterioration of your electrical panel.
- Increased amperage needed for new loads (e.g., electric vehicle charging, oven, fireplace, heat pump)
- Your circuit breaker panel is over 30 years old or in poor condition
- Lights dim when you start appliances or use the AC
- Your circuit breaker emits a hissing sound
- Addition of new appliances that strain your existing electrical system
- Expanding your home with new rooms or finishing your basement
How can we help?
We specialize in new underground services or converting from overhead to underground electrical service. Here’s a brief overview of the process:
- Excavation- Trenching from PG&E power source (electrical vault, Pole, transformer, etc.) to your new or existing panel location.
- Conduit Installation- We only use PG&E approved sand, conduit, fittings. Knowing what PG&E wants is key to your service upgrade. PG&E conduit installations are highly regulated. Selecting a contractor who has a history of working on PG&E infrastructure is paramount to avoid project delays and frustration.
- Inspector Coordination- Scheduling inspections with PG&E requires the installing contractor to think ahead and forecast project durations. During summer months, PG&E can be booked out on inspections for up to 2 months. There is no way around the backlog. Critical thinking and planning is crucial. We work with our inspectors during the pre-con meeting to identify target dates and durations. All inspections are scheduled prior to the start of work to not cause any unnecessary delays. A typical service upgrade will need multiple PG&E inspections. The inspection schedule is as follows.
- Preconstruction meeting. -It is critical to have the installing contractor on-site to work through any routing and obstruction questions. This is step 1 to a smooth running project.
- Conduit installation- Sand bedding, Conduit installation, and conduit connection to existing PG&E Infrastructure (PG&E must be present to open or work inside). The inspector will also verify proper trench depth confirming to PG&E Greenbook Standards. Trench depth vary based drive surfaces, landscape areas, and existing utility obstructions. PG&E requires vertical and horizontal separation between new and existing utilities. These crossings must be verified, and photo documented by the PG&E inspector for record keeping purposes.
- Sand Shading & Warning tape- The sand shading in the trench must cover the top of the conduit by 12”. This ensures proper protection for anyone who may encounter this trench path during future work. 6” wide detectable warning tape sits on top of the sand to help identify the sand protection and what’s underneath it.
- Backfill and Mandrel Testing. PG&E inspects the backfilled trench path to confirm the burial depth is sufficient and all project plans have been followed. A mandrel must be pulled through the conduit using approved materials. This is to ensure the conduit is clear of any rock, sand, or obstructions. The meter box will need to be installed on the home or business prior to this inspection. This is the fourth and FINAL INSPECTION!
Site Restoration- Big Valley Pipelines prides themselves on the finished product. What goes underground must absolutely be right, but what it looks like on the surface is just as important. We focus on property preservation throughout the project and inform our clients thoroughly of expectations. Excavation and earth work is a dirty business. We keep it clean and presentable throughout the project. Whether that’s ordering steel plates to protect hard surfaces, or simply moving landscape features and rock/bark to restore the area to its original look. Some things cannot be saved and we’re sorry about that. We’ll absolutely communicate with prior to any big decisions that need to be made. We want to leave with a smile on our clients’ faces. It’s hard to find a contractor that will say that these days.