Sunshine 881 reminds Floridians to contact 811 before tackling outdoor home improvement projects this May to prevent utility damage, service outages and safety risks.
DEBARY, Fla., May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Florida homeowners are reaching for their shovels as May marks the start of peak DIY season. From landscaping and planting to installing fences and outdoor lighting, it's an exciting time to transform outdoor spaces, but before digging, experts warn: know what's below.
During National Home Improvement Month, Sunshine 811 reminds residents and professionals to contact 811 at least two business days before digging to request a locate ticket and have public underground utility lines marked.
Projects like installing fences or mailboxes, planting trees, building patios, or adding outdoor lighting all involve digging and serious risk if lines aren't located first. Plus, utility lines are often much shallower than homeowners may expect, making lines even more vulnerable to damage by a shovel.
And if you're pulling up plants or trees, watch for utility lines woven through the root systems.
"Contacting 811 is a lot like using a seatbelt. It protects you from harm and dangerous situations," said Wendy Schaefer, education and safety manager for Sunshine 811. "When you dig safely, you safeguard yourself, your home, your neighbors and the underground lines that power your life."
Visit sunshine811.com to learn more about digging safely and protecting Florida's underground infrastructure before your next project breaks ground.
Home Improvement Projects That Require a Call to 811
Many popular outdoor upgrades involve more digging than homeowners realize. Common Home Improvement Month projects that require contacting 811 include:
- Planting trees or large shrubs
- Installing fences or deck posts
- Adding irrigation or drainage systems
- Building retaining walls or garden beds
- Anchoring mailboxes, signs or home features
- Outdoor kitchen or firepit installation
- Running outdoor lighting or electrical conduit
Why Calling 811 Matters
In 2025, more than 30,000 utility line strikes occurred in Florida, caused most often by someone digging without knowing what's below. Striking a single line can cause injuries, fires or explosions, service outages, and thousands of dollars in repair costs, expenses that homeowners can easily prevent. Calling 811 is quick, free and the law in Florida.
By contacting 811 at least two business days before digging, homeowners and contractors trigger a process where utility locating technicians visit the property and mark the approximate locations of underground public lines using flags and paint. One important note for homeowners: private lines, including irrigation systems, electrical lines running to sheds, outdoor lighting, pool pumps and gas lines to grills, are the homeowner's responsibility to have marked separately.
About Sunshine 811
Celebrating more than 30 years of work to make Florida the safest place to dig, Sunshine 811 is the state's resource for education and training on the Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act, Chapter 556. It's also the organization the law requires you to contact before starting any digging project. Sunshine 811 maintains a toll-free number and a 24/7 online system to notify its member utility companies of pending excavation projects so buried utility lines can be located and marked to protect the underground infrastructure.
Sunshine 811's efforts are about protecting the public and preventing underground utility damage. With Florida's continued ranking as one of the top states in the country for construction activity and related jobs, safe digging in Florida and Sunshine 811's role has never been more important.
Media Contact
Kaitlyn Myers, Sunshine 811, 1 5619068767, [email protected], https://sunshine811.com/
SOURCE Sunshine 811
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