Does Using a Backhoe Contribute to Weathering?

Weathering

• Weathering occurs when natural or man-made items wear down due to exposure to natural elements. In nature, weathering can take the form of erosion through the loss of topsoil that washes or blows away. A backhoe, used for lineal digging, will not contribute to topsoil erosion as much as a tractor pulling a plow, which disturbs large surface areas of the soil.

Foundation Digging

• A backhoe is the equipment of choice for digging beside basement walls when making repairs to the foundation or installing a perimeter drainage system. When the project is complete, the backhoe bucket returns the soil to the trench. However, the soil will not be as compact as it was before removal. Disturbed soil is more likely to absorb water, and if you live in an area with cold winters, the soil beside the basement walls can expand and contract as the moisture freezes and thaws. This soil movement can put immense pressure on the foundation walls, resulting in weathering and weakening of the basement.

Trenches and Ditches

• Trenches and ditches are necessary for the installation of pipes and other buried utilities, but once the backhoe cuts a trench, the soil on either side loses stability. Rain, saturated soil or clay-based soil increases the risk of trench collapse, which is common enough that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, sets strict safety standards for protecting workers in a trench.

Trees and Plants

• Digging near the roots of living trees and plants can loosen the soil, increasing the risk that strong rains will wash the soil away, exposing the tree or plant roots to damaging wind and sun. In some cases, such as digging a trench to repair or replace a sewer line, this problem is difficult to avoid. If the roots lie in the path of the trench, some of the roots may be destroyed as the backhoe digs, and that can further compromise the health of the tree.

Remedies

• Digging conservatively will reduce weathering due to loose soil erosion. Remove only the amount of soil needed to complete the project and backfill in “lifts” to prevent erosion. Lifts consist of replacing the soil in the trench in thin layers, usually about 12 inches deep, and compacting each layer before adding the next layer. After the backhoe digs the trenches for foundation walls, place a tarp over loose soil that is heaped on the ground to prevent erosion and runoff into a neighbor’s yard.