Having the right tool for the job goes a long way to ensure productivity and efficiencies remain high. Selecting the right vac truck for your project in Ontario may take time to properly assess the job site and involve some planning around your vendors, but Super Sucker Hydrovac Service can do all that for you. There are many hydrovac vendors that offer the standard wet vac for all safe digging excavations, but Super Sucker Hydrovac Service is the only provider with a vast selection of equipment best suited to match your specific job scope.

In this article, we will offer some basic guidance on what to consider when you are choosing a vac truck.

Choosing between water excavation (hydro vac) and air excavation (dry vac)

In the current market, when selecting a vac truck, you will generally have your pick of some of the best models of hydrovacs that Ontario has ever seen, and they all typically have the same power and rate of excavation, so it really comes down to capacity. With the most common hydrovacs your capacity limit is reached between 3 and 5 cubic meters (standard capacity), so Super Sucker Hydrvac Services includes a “large” and “extra-large” capacity in its fleet to handle some of the larger excavations ranging from 6 to 12 cubic meters. Having a diverse fleet to handle your project’s capacity ensures that productivity is maximized.

But if cost-effectiveness is your goal because the scope of your excavation is rather large, then a dry vac may be your best option. When possible, an excavation site should have a designated storage area for excavated materials, and, if on-site dumping can be established, then a dry vac can save your project thousands of dollars. Super Sucker’s advanced suction excavators consistently dig at a rate 40% faster than a hydrovac, and with the ability to dump onsite they can eliminate hauling and disposal costs. Realizing it can be difficult to arrange to reuse excavated materials onsite, the dry vac comes in capacity sizes ranging from 4 to 8 cubic meters.

Whether you choose a wet, or dry vac for your project, Super Sucker Hydrovac Service is the only provider that gives you such a wide range of the most advanced vacuum equipment to select from.

Scope of Work

The type, size, and weight of the vac truck you choose will be determined in large part by the type of soil you are working with. Digging in hard-packed clay, for example, may require the jet stream power of a water lance to loosen up the material and turn it into a slurry that can be removed. Or perhaps you’re digging contaminated material that you need to bag or load into roll-off bins.

Super Sucker Hydrovac Service has a full team of subject matter experts available to help you accurately assess your job scope and provide you with the best options for your specific requirements.

Do you need locates? Permits? Traffic Control? We can handle all of that too, you just need to know what material you’re digging in and how much you need to move, and our sales and support staff will handle the rest.

Site accessibility

When choosing a vacuum truck, you also need to consider sizing and maneuverability of vacuum excavation equipment so that your excavation site can be safely accessed. Would you need to work right off the truck? Or does your site only allow for work from long range?

Super Sucker Hydrovac Service has crews and support equipment that allow for vacuum excavation to reach up to 300 feet off the truck or provide equipment small enough that it fits into tight urban spaces and dumps into bags for easy material management.

You want to make sure you’re getting the right truck, the right crew and the right support equipment needed.

Budget

Although you’ll primarily be looking at an hourly rate when selecting vacuum excavation equipment, the variable that is going to have the most significant impact on your project’s excavation budget is the rate of material moved per hour. When you factor in that a standard hydrovac needing to move 9 cubic meters will have to stop and dump twice, you’ll need to include your disposal fees and the downtime in the overall cost. So keep in mind that an hourly rate that’s well under budget can still come in over budget if not properly planned.

Contact Super Sucker Hydrovac Service today to book the right tool for your next project!

If you are looking to hire a vacuum truck in Ontario for your next project, Super Sucker Hydrovac Service is the only provider with a diverse selection of sizing in both hydrovac and dry vac trucks. A member of our customer service team will be happy to discuss the scope of your project needs and go over the assessment and options available to you so that you can make the best choices for your timeline and budget.

Hydro Vac Truck Capabilities

Suitable Application Debris Capacity Water Soil Displaced
Hydro Vac Truc Locating, Pot Holes, Post Holes, Tight Access, Highly Maneuverable 7 Yards / 5.35 m3 3 Cubic Meters 2.91 Yards / 2.35m3
Super Vac Truck Trenching, Remote Hose, Deep Excavation 15 yards/11.46 m3 4.54 Cubic Meters 9 yards / 6.92 m3
Super Vac Trailer Project Work, Multiple Days, Large Pole Holes, Trenching, Large Excavations, Maximum Production 24 yards / 18.35m3 5.67 Cubic Meters 15 yards / 12 m3
Dry Suction Excavator Dry Material, Environmental Sites, Tree Protection Zones, Reuse Soil on Site,
Able to Vacuum all Particulates including sand, gravel, dirt, grains, liquids, ‘sloppy material’
  • 6 yards / 4.5m3
  • 10.5 yards/8m3
  • On-Site Disposal
N/A (total capacity)
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(total times filled)