If you want to have a well on your home's property you might try to drill it on your own, but this can be a shortsighted mistake. Even if you're accustomed to doing work around your home's property and have researched how to drill or dig a residential well, consider why you always want to have a professional handle this work for you.

1. You may hit a variety of materials while drilling

As you're drilling or digging you may hit anything from solid rock to soft and sandy soil. Each of these types of soil will require different drilling tools and techniques. Trying to force your way through rock can damage your equipment and not removing moisture from very damp soil can allow it to simply seep through your dig. A professional will not only understand the best methods for each type of soil but will also have the tools and equipment needed to dig properly.

2. The walls of your dig need to be properly braced

If you don't properly brace the walls of your dig you can see it collapse which is not only dangerous but also time-consuming. Depending on the extent of the collapse of your dig, you may need to actually start all over again.

As with digging itself, the method used to brace your walls will depend on the materials you hit. Dense rock won't need as much bracing but sandy soil and moist soil will need stronger bracing. A professional excavator will understand how to keep the walls braced as he or she digs so that the dig itself is protected as it progresses.

3. Your well may need to be pumped as its dug

Pumping your well as you dig it can allow for easier construction, but the ground shouldn't be pumped so much that it becomes dry. A professional will know how to pump the well as it's dug while still preserving its integrity. He or she will also typically have a hydrovac on hand, which actually vacuums soil rather than digs it so that the moisture is collected with it.

4. A professional will know how deep to drill

You need a deep well to provide adequate water supplies but if it's too deep, the walls may be vulnerable to collapsing. A professional excavator, like Milne Water Drilling, can ensure that the well is dug the proper depth so that it's safe while still providing an adequate supply of water.