Protecting Your Property and Your Party: Why Suffolk County Underground Utility Safety Matters Before Bounce House Installation
Planning the perfect bounce house party for your Suffolk County event requires more than just choosing the right inflatable – it demands careful attention to underground utility safety. If your inflatable or tent will be set up on grass and staked into the ground, it’s important to ensure there are no underground utilities in the setup area. Identifying underground utilities helps prevent accidental damage and ensures a safe setup. This crucial safety step protects not only your property but also ensures your celebration goes off without a hitch.
The Hidden Network Beneath Your Feet
Suffolk County properties are crisscrossed with an extensive network of underground utilities, including any piping on an above or underground irrigation system downstream of the anti-backflow device that requires special licensing to install and maintain. Over 65% of underground utilities are privately owned and do not get marked by calling 811, which locates only public utilities. All irrigation and sprinkler systems are private underground lines that need to get marked.
Many homeowners are surprised to learn that if you have privately owned lines (i.e. lines that you or a contractor installed on your property, such as invisible fencing, sprinkler systems and well and septic systems), it is your responsibility to contact a locating service to mark those lines. This is particularly important in Suffolk County, where pop up sprinkler heads many need to be relocated or we may need to add additional risers due to plant material or flower growth, or the relocation of shrubs or any landscape changes, fence installations, added decks, swimming pools etc.
Why Bounce House Setup Requires Extra Caution
Professional bounce house installations require secure anchoring to ensure safety. Stakes (minimum 24″ for under 15′ tall, 40″ for over 15′) or sandbags (200–300 lb per anchor point) are essential for proper setup. Secure the bounce house firmly with stakes or sandbags on all anchoring points, ensuring they’re driven into the ground or weighted appropriately. Use Heavy-duty stakes: Typically 18 inches long and made of metal for outdoor setups.
The stakes required for bounce house installation can easily damage underground sprinkler lines, which even after a proper winterizing can be extremely hard on your sprinkler systems components. Constant temperature variations, freezing and thawing, cause expansion and contraction as well as condensation, all of which wreak havoc on your systems connections, seals, valves, heads etc.
The Two-Step Safety Process
Before any bounce house installation in Suffolk County, follow this essential two-step process:
Step 1: Call 811 for Public Utilities
By law, it is the contractor or excavator’s responsibility to call New York 811, even if digging on private property. Representatives from these member companies have 48 hours (excluding weekends and legal holidays) to come to the location to mark their underground facilities. If you are unsure about the location of underground lines, we strongly recommend contacting 811 (the national “Call Before You Dig” service) at least a few days before your event.
Step 2: Hire Private Utility Locating for Sprinkler Systems
Since they typically only mark up to the meter or the point where the utility connects to private property. They don’t mark private utility lines, such as those that run from the meter to your building or any lines that were installed privately, such as irrigation systems or septic tanks. You’ll need professional private utility locating services to identify your sprinkler system lines.
Professional Suffolk County Service You Can Trust
When planning your next celebration, choosing experienced professionals makes all the difference. Bounce House Rentals in Suffolk County, NY from The Big Bounce Theory understand the importance of proper site preparation. Family-owned and passionately operated, we specialize in bringing joy to your doorstep with an extensive selection of bounce houses, inflatable water slides, dunk tanks, and much more. From the backyards of Nassau to the beaches of Suffolk, we deliver smiles from Manhattan to Montauk.
We use commercial-grade blowers and secure anchoring systems designed for Long Island’s outdoor conditions. Our delivery team provides detailed safety instructions and ensures proper setup according to manufacturer specifications. The company’s commitment to safety extends to We’re fully licensed and insured, with certificates available for schools and corporate events. Most of our inventory is either new or less than one year old, which means you’re getting equipment that meets the latest safety standards.
The Cost of Cutting Corners
Skipping utility location services might seem like a cost-saving measure, but the potential consequences are severe. By not calling, you risk property or environmental damage, explosion or fire, power or utilities services interruptions, serious injury or death. Damaged sprinkler systems can be expensive to repair, especially when Power up all individual zones and do a detailed inspection of all the supply lines. Check all the sprinkler mist and rotary heads, threaded extension risers, exercise the drip irrigation lines and the emitters for proper operation and water flow direction.
Making Your Event a Safe Success
Suffolk County residents planning bounce house parties should prioritize underground utility safety as an essential part of event preparation. Every 6 minutes a utility is hit in the US, and the cost of utility repairs ranges from 50-100 billion every year. By taking the proper precautions – calling 811 for public utilities and hiring private locating services for sprinkler systems – you protect your property investment while ensuring your celebration proceeds safely.
We understand that planning a party can be stressful, which is why our team is here to make the process as smooth as possible. From the moment you contact us to the post-event cleanup, our dedicated staff in Southampton, NY, and throughout Suffolk County is committed to your satisfaction. Remember, a successful party starts with proper preparation, and that includes knowing what lies beneath your lawn before the first stake goes into the ground.