If you’re looking at sewer repair or pipe replacement, you may not need to dig up your entire yard to do it. Does that surprise you? If it does, you’re certainly not alone: Approximately 78% of respondents in a poll conducted by Angie’s Listhad never heard of “no dig” sewer technology, even though these techniques, called trenchless sewer repair or trenchless pipe repair, have been available to homeowners for more than a decade.
You might be wondering how it’s possible to repair a sewer line or pipe without excavating. There are actually two different trenchless processes that might be suitable for residential applications; here’s a rundown of both:
Cured in Place Pipe
Many trenchless sewer repairs and pipe repairs are accomplished with something called cured in place pipe, or CIPP technology. Basically, this process involves rehabilitating your existing pipe by inserting a flexible tube into the line. This can be done from just a single upstream point (with water or air flow being used to insert the liner correctly), so it’s not necessary to excavate along the length of the pipe. Once the liner is in place, it is then cured so that it hardens, making a new pipe within the original one. Although these are referred to as liners, CIPP systems aren’t temporary; they’re designed to last for about 50 years, the same as a brand-new line.
Pipe Bursting
The other trenchless technique that’s quickly becoming more popular is pipe bursting. As its name suggests, this process involves breaking up, or “bursting,” the old pipe. But the reason the process can be done without conventional digging is that a special machine is used to break up the existing pipe at the same time the new pipe is put into place. This can be done with just two access points, called the launching pit and the receiving pit, respectively. This type of pipe replacement lasts about the same length of time as a cured in place pipe.
Had you heard of trenchless sewer repair or pipe replacement before? If not, are you interested in learning more now? Share your response in the comments.