When is Trenchless Sewer Repair the Right Option

Trenchless Sewer Repair: A Primer

Home ownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream. Having a bit of land and a home that you can see, touch, and most importantly, call your own is what separates the truly independent from everyone else. Of course, owning your own home isn’t all about romanticism; sometimes harsh reality rears its ugly head, and in ways you might not look for or expect. For example, sewer lines, durable though they may be, can break at any time for almost any reason. To repair them can cost a homeowner (or a business owner, for that matter) tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention all the time, stress and other, shall we say “earthier” unpleasantness associated with repairing a damaged waste disposal system. But what if there were another way? An easier, quicker, less costly method of fixing what needed fixing? Well, it just so happens that there is. It’s called “trenchless sewer repair”, and it’s no surprise that it’s gaining more and more popularity as it becomes more and more well-known. If you’d like to learn more about this innovative method of fixing your sewer lines, including its specific advantages and disadvantages, the technologies involved in the procedure, and so forth, just keep reading.

Trenchless Sewer Repair: An Overview

Every home and business owner knows that sooner or later, repairs / improvements will need to be made to their existing home or business. Some of them will be minor in scope and scale, even fun. Some, though, will be something else entirely. Nightmarish, even. A pipe bursting at an inconvenient time is just such a problem – just ask anyone who’s had to fix a befouled sewer line. When disaster strikes, you have to fix it, but the real question is how to go about it. Done the traditional way, it can take ages (and a ton of money and mess besides) to locate and fix a breach in your sewer or water line. And heaven help you if your problem should happen to extend onto property owned by the government! You won’t just be paying for your own repairs at that point, but for any necessary repairs to their property, too. On the other hand, you can say no thanks to this expensive, onerous, and let’s face it, awful-smelling process and opt for a no-dig, no-smell option that’ll often take less than one day to complete (rather than the two or three day time frames traditional sewer / water line maintenance jobs usually span).

At this point, you’re probably quite curious as to the particulars of the procedure, which is only natural. In a no-trench sewer repair job, a series of near-invisible holes are placed above your old pipe and a video inspection of your sewer line is conducted using various cameras and other implements. Once the breaks, blockages, or other disturbances in the lines are detected by way of this video camera inspection, it’s time to get to work on the actual repair job. Using a technique called “Cured in Place Lining”, a specialized balloon and a supply of high-test epoxy resin is threaded into your existing sewer lateral. Once the epoxy has coated the interior of your existing line(s), the balloon is inflated with air while the epoxy is left to harden, creating a pipe within a pipe. This process occurs over a period of a few hours (exact times will vary based on a variety of factors; maximum times usually do not exceed six hours) The balloon is pulled out, and you’re ready to go! The best way to think of Cured in Place Lining is this: You’re giving your sewer or water lines a subterranean angioplasty, only the pipe lining is many times more durable, obviously, than its delicate medical counterpart. A more rarely used technique is called “Pipe Bursting”, which is exactly what it sounds like – your old pipes are destroyed and replaced with a brand new one, all without a tool ever seeing the sunlight.

In any case, the great thing about this operation is that no matter the cause of the disruption – cracks due to tree roots, a break resulting from settlement of the surrounding earth, a blockage in the pipe itself, improperly installed pipe, or something else entirely, trenchless technology means that only minimal excavation is required to fix the problem. In the meantime, you’ll hardly know anything is wrong at all – unlike with traditional excavation-based operations, this method of sewer / water line repair leaves your lawn, landscaping, driveways, pools, gardens, and other surface-based items neat as a pin. In fact, it’ll be hard to tell you ever had a problem to fix in the first place!

When Going Trenchless is the Smart Choice

There are a plethora of situations and circumstances in which the choice of a trenchless repair job is the clear winner. For a brief rundown of TSR pros, consider the following list:

* This procedure almost always costs much less and can be accomplished in much less time than its traditional counterpart.

* Non-intrusive; won’t damage patios, lawns, gardens, swimming pools, flower beds, and other surface artifacts and landscaping

* This is an industry-approved procedure that, barring catastrophic incident, will produce permanent results / repairs for your home or business.

* Suitable for use in virtually all climate types

* Suitable for use in the majority of repair situations, including earth settlement, root intrusion, improper installation of pipe by previous contractors, pipe erosion and breach due to various natural and man-made circumstances, and blockage mitigation

* Because of the unique properties of the liners used in this procedure, which inhibit the growth and attachment of the various mineral and “junk” deposits one normally finds on metal, clay, and concrete piping, TSR-treated pipes actually tend to benefit from an increased flow capacity.

* The liner / curing agent that gets piped into your extant, effected pipe(s) acts as a pipe within a pipe, as you know. What you may not realize, however, is that this new pipe will last up to 50 years with absolutely no care at all, due in large part to the fact that it is resistant to the corrosion and general wear and tear which plagues normal piping systems. As such, TSR-treated pipes are an economical alternative to full-scale sewer or water line replacement.

When to Seek Other Options

As great as repairing your sewer or water lines with trenchless technology can be, sometimes it can actually be better to seek an alternative. To help you see if you happen to be in such a situation yourself, consider the following list of TSR cons:

* First and foremost, it can be difficult, even extremely so in some cases, to find a competent and caring local contractor who happens to be skilled in trenchless repair of sewer and/or water lines. You may have to spend some time scouring the Internet, the Yellow Pages, or asking your friends before you find someone who knows what they’re doing, comes well-recommended, and is willing to meet your price.

* If your sewer or water lines are actually structurally unsound (chronically sagging, for example) under normal conditions, you may have no choice but to undertake repairs by way of a full excavation. A pipe relining procedure such as the one talked about in this guide would only waste your time and money, and may actually exacerbate the problem if attempted.

* Older pipe networks with many joints are often sub-prime candidates for TSR; proceed with caution under the guidance of a trusted contractor / plumber.

* Depending upon climate, soil, and overall job type, trenchless repairs can actually end up costing more than a full excavation in terms of a simple dollar amount. While other costs such as restoration expenses and the intangible cost of one’s time must also be taken into account when weighing such a decision, it’s important to understand that you should always consult a reputable, trusted contractor / plumber – every job is different, and will carry a different price tag as a result.

* Trenchless repair being what it is, the unscrupulous businessperson won’t hesitate to market it as a miracle drug, taking the money of the unwary in exchange for shoddy work (if any work gets done at all). Trenchless repair of sewage or water lines is indeed fantastic technology, but make no mistake: TSR is skilled labor. Don’t be taken in by charlatans.

* On a related note, shoddy or simply improper workmanship related to trenchless repair of your sewer or water lines can lead to burst pipes, new or recurrent blockages, back-flow of various waste products, and other unpleasantness.

Conclusion / Closing Thoughts

There are few things that resonate more deeply with the human psyche than the pride of home ownership. Sadly, one of them is the fear and disgust of a broken sewer pipe. Happily, there’s no longer any need to worry. After all, this guide to trenchless sewer repair should go a long way in arming you with just the sort of info you need to tackle the problem head-on. Thanks for reading, and good luck!