#ditchbreakers

Sandbags- The Old Way Ditch breakers have traditionally employed sand bags to stabilize trenches and impede water flow. Sandbags were used to impede the flow of subsurface water along the trench because they are simultaneously durable and flexible. Sand bags conform to land contours initially, and are flexible enough to respond to gradual changes in contours in both pipeline and backfill.

Sandbags Cost More Due to Labor and Transportation However, sandbags use extensive labor and resources because sand supply must be first located, then manually bagged, then transported. Sand also requires durable bond bags, which are another added cost. Once the sand bags are manually filled, they are manually loaded onto a truck, and again, manually unloaded at the site.

Foam Is Better In contrast to the labor intensive sand bag approach, spray foam offers logistical and cost savings advantages. Foam ditch breakers are sprayed at the site to prevent soil and gully erosion, and to prevent blowouts after the lines have been installed and backfilled. Unlike sand bags, foam forms a complete seal of the trench, meaning that water is completely diverted around the foam. Sandbags can break down when backfill is in place, while foam does not.

Foam eliminates the need for manual sand fill, and eliminates the cost of labor to load and unload sand bags. Foam can be sprayed from the ground level, eliminating the need for laborers to position themselves inside the trench. With sandbags, contractors often have to widen the trench in order to fortify it. Spray foam can be applied in precise contours, and follows the trench exactly. Spray foam takes less time to install than sand bags, and can fill the shape of any trench. In addition, to saving labor and costs of filling and transporting sandbags, once it is cured, foam never shifts.