The Two Types of Trenchless Sewer Repair

There are two main types of trenchless sewer repair. Either type works in a situation where you don’t want to go through the work and bother of digging up your sewer lines. These two kinds of trenchless sewer repair are pipe bursting and CIPP. One or the other could be the solution to your plumbing troubles.

Type one: pipe bursting

Pipe bursting is a system of trenchless pipe repair that relies on a hard bursting head and a flexible replacement pipe. First, a chain is threaded through the sewer line that you wish to replace. Then a large pipe head, greater in diameter than the pipe you have in place, is winched through the pipe. The established pipe is broken (hence “pipe bursting”) and a new pipe is dragged into place. The new sewer line is then connected to the laterals and other joints of the original pipe.

The pros of pipe bursting

One of the major reasons to choose pipe bursting over CIPP is that pipe bursting can replace a small pipe with a larger one. As long as the bursting head is able to make progress through the earth, you can place a larger pipe down after it.

Pipe bursting is also a very quick process. As the new sewer is essentially ready to use as soon as it’s in place, the only time factor is how soon you can get your sewer pipe connected to the other pipes around it. This short turn around time is great for commercial properties that can’t afford to be shut down for long.

Type two: CIPP

CIPP tackles the problem of trenchless sewer repair from a different perspective. Instead of finding a way to destroy your old pipe and replace it entirely, cured in place pipe (CIPP) replaces the old pipe from the inside. A flexible cloth tube is permeated by a mixture of resin and epoxy. This mixture is kept cold until it’s inserted into the pipe to be replaced. Then hot air is used to cure the mixture into a solid pipe formed entirely within the old pipe.

The pros of CIPP

CIPP is a very flexible solution. It can be used on every kind of pipe in most conditions. Its major selling point, however, is how sturdy it is. CIPP can last more than fifty years in highly corrosive environments. With a functional lifespan of decades, CIPP is an attractive long-term solution to sewer pipe decay.

These two methods of trenchless sewer repair can cover most any problems. One or the other of these pipe replacement tactics will more than likely be a fit for your project. Whether you want to choose long-lasting CIPP or expand your pipe with pipe bursting, trenchless sewer repair is both possible and easy.