Trenchless pipe repair is a minimally invasive, less intrusive, and environmentally-friendly method of repairing damaged sewer pipes. Trenchless pipe repair is the exact opposite of traditional sewer pipe repair methods that involve digging trenches into the ground to replace or repair damaged drain pipes.
The best thing about trenchless pipe repair is that it only focuses on the bad pipes by fixing them internally since there’s very little digging involved. It gets the job done while also preserving the landscape in your yard. If you run into a situation where you quickly need to replace or repair a damaged sewer pipe without worrying about messing up your yard, the best solution is often getting a sewer and drain specialist to carry out a trenchless pipe repair on your sewer system.
How Does Trenchless Pipe Repair Work?
Trenchless pipe repair is mostly recommended as an alternative to traditional sewer pipe repair methods. It is efficient for replacing, damaged, or broken sewer pipes. If you observe that water is no longer flowing out from the building, it could be a broken or blocked pipe. This is why trenchless pipe repair is often preceded by sewer pipe cleaning methods like hydro-jetting or snaking.
This would clean out any blockage or debris obstructing the flow of wastewater out of the building. Once this is out of the way, the trenchless pipe repair may then be implemented.
Before starting, a live camera is inserted into the sewer for a preliminary inspection. This helps the sewer and drain specialist to assess the nature and extent of damage in the pipes. Note that trenchless pipe repair is not advisable for all pipe repair scenarios. If the old pipe is still substantially intact, then trenchless pipe repair could be used. To better understand how trenchless pipe repair works, you’ll need to consider the different types of trenchless pipe repair.
Type of Trenchless Pipe Repair
The three main types of trenchless pipe repair known are pipe bursting and pipe relining.
Pipe bursting is often used when the pipe damage stretches long over the sewer line. The concept here is to pull a new sewer line right through the old one, giving you a newer pipe fitted within the old pipe. As long as there is space to pull the new sewer line through, pipe bursting will work. Note that pipe bursting involves digging two access holes on either side of the lateral sewer line.
Unlike traditional pipe repair methods that involve the digging of trenches in your yard and making the whole place messy, smelly, and inhabitable during the repairs, pipe bursting is limited to only two holes dug for the repairs. This is where the new sewer line is passed (A pointed installation head – also known as bursting head – is pulled along in the length of the bad pipe, replacing it in the process). The two holes dug holes only traverse the length of the damaged pipes. Pipe bursting essentially replaces the old pipe with new high-density HDPE pipes.
Cured-in-Place (CIPP) Pipe Relining
Pipe relining involves installing a pipe liner, also known as a cured-in-place pipe-lining. This process is also called advanced slip lining, as it involves inserting a resin-saturated liner into the existing pipe. In this case, only one access hole is needed to insert the pipe liner. The flexible pipe liner (an inflatable tube), which is made of resin, is pulled into the old pipe and then inflated or expanded. It solidifies and cures into place by heating the liner after a few hours.
The resin lining material coats the interior of the pipe and hardens inside, creating a new pipe inside the old one when the inflatable material is removed. Like the pipe bursting technique, you’ll have a new pipe fitted within the old one. If the old pipe is weak or leaking, you don’t have to remove it – and that’s the beauty and comfort of executing trenchless pipe repair.
Although both processes will reduce the diameter of the sewer pipe by about a quarter-inch, it does not affect the flow of liquid through it. At the end of every trenchless pipe repair process, the camera is again inserted into the hole to confirm that the repair was effective and complete. The equipment used for trenchless pipe repair is sophisticated, so it takes a professional to execute the process effectively.
This technique may eliminate the need for trenchless pipe replacement. It focuses on a localized part of the pipe that is damaged and restores it.
This procedure can replace a damaged pipe in a localized area without cutting out the whole pipe and completely replacing it. It is focused on the damaged section of the pipe and restores it to its original structure.
There are a lot of different trenchless pipe repair techniques to choose from, but spot repair is one of the most popular.
It’s a great, cost effective solution for pipes with small, localized damage. If you need this type of pipe repair instead of replacement, make sure to have plumbing professionals
Benefits of Trenchless Pipe Repair
- Consumes less time: Trenchless pipe repair may consume less time since it does not involve the digging of trenches. This is why conventional methods take several days to complete.
- Less expensive: If you’re looking for a cost-savings option to clear the severe sewer line clogs in your home or business facility, trenchless pipe repair is an option you should try.
- Non-invasive: Since there is less digging, you can easily preserve the integrity of your yard, driveway, and foundation.
- It is convenient: Traditional methods that involve digging would almost all the time shut off your water supply, deny you access to all toilets, and might even cause you to stay at a neighbor’s place or a hotel until the repair is completed.
- Durable: Compared to regular PVC pipes, the epoxy-saturated tube lining materials and cured-in-place liners can last 50 years after installation.
- Environmentally-friendly: Trenchless pipe repair is gentle on the environment, as it removes every risk of emptying hazardous waste materials into the environment. This makes it an eco-friendly procedure.
Why Trust N.W. Sewer & Drain for Your Trenchless Pipe Repair Work?
Whether you’re looking to repair the sewer pipes in your residential property or office building, you can rely on our experience and expertise at N.W. Sewer & Drain. For about 20 years, we have provided top-notch drain cleaning services in Seattle, especially in Everett, Marysville, Arlington, Oak Harbor, Burlinton, Bellingham, Bellevue, Kirkland, Shoreline, Renton, Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace, Auburn and other surrounding areas.
Our trenchless pipe repair procedure at At N.W. Sewer & Drain often includes the use of hydro-jetting (during trenchless pipe repairs) to clear out existing clogs before repairing the pipes. We also perform an initial inspection of your sewer line using a specialized live camera. For a highly effective, affordable, and timely sewer pipe repair, feel free to contact us today at 206-931-7728 to schedule an inspection of your sewer line and pipes.