If you’ve decided on a trenchless method for a pipe replacement or sewer repair in your home, you probably already know that doing so can save you from having to dig up your yard and disrupt your life. But you still may be a little confused on the details. Here’s what to expect throughout the process:
- Step 1: Preparation
Before any repair or pipe replacement takes place, it’s important to ensure that the problem has been accurately diagnosed, normally by use of a sewer camera inspection or drain pipe inspection. Although not all companies will offer you this technology, a camera inspection is a great way to know for sure what’s going on inside a sewer or drain pipe; rather than just knowing there’s a clog, for example, you could learn whether that clog is because of tree roots breaking through the pipe or because of material you’ve been putting into your drainage system. A sewer camera inspection will also allow your plumbing company to recommend the best trenchless method. If necessary, the pipe may be cleaned of corrosion or other materials that would inhibit rehabilitation.
- Step 2: Repair/Replacement
Depending on the outcome of your inspection, you are likely to have either a pipe bursting replacement or a repair using a CIPP (“cured in place pipe”) liner. For the former, your repair company will need only two access points, called launching and receiving pits. Special equipment will then be used to destroy the old pipe at the same time a new one is put into place. For a CIPP repair, a special liner impregnated with resin or epoxy will be inserted into the existing pipe, pressurized so that it adheres to the existing pipe, and then cured, or hardened, to form a second pipe within the existing one. This method typically requires only one access point.
- Step 3: Cleanup
For a traditional repair, this stage would involve cleaning up any sewage mess and re-burying the pipe — and then leaving you with major landscaping repairs to deal with. But with a trenchless repair, your plumbing company should be able to quickly fill in their access points and leave your home looking as if they’d never even been there. The whole process, from start to finish, can be done in a single day.
Are you looking at a trenchless pipe repair or sewer repair? What questions do you still have? Join the discussion in the comments.
