ROANOKE, Va. - Many home projects involve digging, such as planting a tree, building a fence, or installing a sprinkler system. But even shallow digging has the potential to harm underground utilities.

This year, August 11 has been set aside as National 811 Day, and Appalachian Power is joining utilities across the country in reminding the public to always call 811 before they dig.

Failure to call 811 can result in service disruption, property damage, and even serious personal injury. That’s why homeowners and professional excavators are urged to “Dig with C.A.R.E.” and follow this simple set of steps to keep you safe:

• Contact 811
• Allow sufficient time for marking 
• Respect and protect the marks
• Excavate carefully

When homeowners and professional excavators call 811 a utility professional will mark the approximate location of utility lines on the property. These marks provide guidance for safe digging. Call at least 72 hours before digging in Virginia and Tennessee, and 48 hours in advance in West Virginia. Calling 811 before you dig prevents injuries, property damage, and inconvenient utility outages.

Excavation damage can affect any type of underground utility, including electrical, gas, telecom, and plumbing. Failure to contact 811 in advance of a project could make the property owner liable for the cost of repairs in the event damage occurs.