Collection: Benefits of Air Excavation

AirSpade 5000 in Action

Advantages of Excavating with AirSpade

Air excavation has become a preferred method for digging on many jobs ranging from utility work to advanced tree care. Excavating with the AirSpade offers a number of advantages over conventional tools such as picks, shovels, and backhoes, including:

  • Harmless to buried, solid objects such as utility lines, telecommunication cables, tree roots, hazardous waste containers, or military ordnance.
  • Two to three times faster than hand excavation.
  • Avoids wastewater disposal issues, water tank refills, and the hazards of water near high-voltage lines that come with hydro excavation.
  • Less worker fatigue than a pick or shovel.
  • Eliminates sharp metal edges as featured on picks, digging blades, or buckets.
  • Excavates some rocky soils where a shovel is difficult to use.
  • Breaks soil into small particles that are ideal for re-compaction.
  • Powered by common, tow-behind air compressors.

Pairing AirSpade with AirSpade Vac

Pairing AirSpade with a portable vacuum unit, such as the AirSpade Vac, offers further significant performance advantages such as:

  • Soil is dislodged and driven airborne by AirSpade, then vacuumed directly into the AirSpade Vac container.
  • Non-contact, non-striking digging methodology will not harm sensitive underground objects or infrastructure.
  • Ideal for small diameter, deep excavation (potholing) where a hand shovel or backhoe bucket cannot fit or reach.
  • AirSpade Vac features high-head performance that is particularly effective with heavy sludge and liquids.
1 of 5
  • Learn how AirSpade's patented supersonic nozzle delivers faster, more efficient excavation through a focused Mach 2 air jet.

    Learn About the Nozzle
  • Find the recommended compressor size and airflow requirements for your AirSpade tool and application.

    View Requirements
  • AirSpade arbor tools work effectively in virtually all soils, including hard clays, with excavation speed varying by soil type and nozzle size.

    View Excavation Rates
  • Learn how soil type affects AirSpade excavation performance, from stable rock to soft granular soils.

    Explore Soil Types
1 of 4