A Basic Guide To Sewer Pipe Relining

Pipe lining is sometimes called trenchless sewer repair because it provides an option of fixing your leaking sewer pipe without any need for digging up your yard.

What Is Pipe Lining?

Sewer pipes in the yard can be made of a variety of materials, but metal, PVC, and clay are the most common. Traditionally, if these pipes sprung a leak, then the only option was to dig up the yard so the pipe could be patched or replaced. This was an expensive and time-consuming process, as well as highly destructive to the landscaping.

Pipe lining consists of deploying an epoxy coated liner through the pipe. The lining then expands inside the pipe and lines the walls, curing hard in place so that any leaks are sealed. Generally, only two small holes are necessary — one at the beginning and one at the end of the pipe so that it can be accessed for liner installation. Sometimes no holes even need to be dug, as cleanout and access drains may be utilized for deploying the liner.

Is Pipe Lining an Option?

Pipe lining is not always an option. Generally, if the issue is split joints, cracks, and holes, lining is an option. Some minor collapsing and soil incursion can also be fixed by lining, but only if the bulk of the drain is still open and clear. A pipe camera inspection will be completed first to determine if the damage can be repaired with lining. Sometimes, you may need to have the pipe cleaned out before any lining can be installed.

Major damages, such as a badly collapsed pipe, cannot be fixed with pipe lining simply because the liner will not push the pipe back out to its necessary shape. If only a short section of pipe is badly damaged, your service crew may be able to only replace the short section and then use a liner for the rest of the line. This will minimize the need to dig up the yard somewhat.

What Should You Expect?

Pipe lining usually takes no more than a day to complete, although in more involved cases requiring sewer cleaning or similar, it may take two days. On the day of relining, your water will be turned off, and access points will be opened or accessed through small holes dug in your yard. Then, the technicians will deploy the liner in your drain.

The liner must cure for several hours before your water can be turned back on and you can resume use of your system.

Contact a pipe lining sewer repair service if you have further questions or need more help.


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