You love your home. You particularly enjoy the shade of that stately tree in your yard. But what you see as a good friend might one day become your worst enemy. Hidden from view, the roots of that beloved tree may have put a stranglehold on the line leading from your house to the main sewer and severely damaged the pipe. The professional you called to remove a simple clog now delivers the bad news; you need to replace the damaged sewer line.
In addition to anticipating a big bill, you also envision heavy equipment running over lawn and flowerbeds to dig an open trench from your house to the curb. But, wait! Your plumber has good news for you; the pipe is not irreversibly damaged, affording you the option of trenchless sewer line repair.
Traditional Sewer Repair
Traditional sewer repair involves exposing the sewer line by excavating a trench. Specialists remove the damaged or aging pipe, insert the replacement, and backfill the trench. The trench is gone, but its path is still sadly visible, leaving you with the need to re-landscape your yard.
Trenchless Sewer Repair
Whichever trenchless method – pipe bursting, slip lining, or cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) – your plumber uses, he can repair your sewer line without digging an ugly trench in your yard or dragging heavy equipment across your lawn.
Pipe bursting
In this method, the plumber digs two holes, one at each end of the repair, and snakes a “bursting head” through the damaged pipe to literally burst away the old pipe. The head also threads new high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe behind it to replace the burst pipe.
Slip Lining
To slip line an aging pipe, the installer digs two holes and pulls the HDPE pipe through the old pipe. The installer grouts the space between the new, smaller pipe and the old pipe and seals the ends. (This method may reduce flow rates because of the reduced diameter of the new pipe.)
Cured-in-Place (CIPP)
CIPP involves inserting felt-like tubing soaked in resin through a small hole into an existing pipe. The installer inflates the tube, forcing it against the walls of the aging pipe and allowing the lining to dry and adhere to the damaged pipe. The cured liner effectively serves as a new pipe.
If you suspect you’re facing a clogged, damaged, or aged sewer line, see if trenchless pipe repair might be an option for you.
