Much of the expense in replacing or repairing your sewer line has to do with the structures and landscaping that resides above it. Think of the costs involved in having to restore driveway or sidewalk concrete, or garden landscapes if they had to be disrupted or broken in order to reach the sewer pipe beneath.
Sewer lines wear out, they become brittle and blockage prone due to root infiltration and collapsing. Though sewer pipes typically last about 50 years, over time the minerals in the ground and waste from your home deteriorate the pipe. Tree roots are a big factor in sewer pipe replacements. Often homeowners don’t consider the kinds of root systems trees have when they plant them in their yard. Trees like Sycamore, Willows, Oak, Fig, Maple, Aspen, Elm and Birch are known for penetrating and ruining sewer lines. Once roots enter the sewer line, they can create a blockage that homeowners often learn about when sewage backs up into their drains.
When it comes time for a new sewer line, you’ll have to weigh out the benefits of a traditional trench dug repair vs a trenchless method.
Traditional Method
The traditional method of sewer pipe replacement and repair involves digging a trench above your current sewer line to gain access to the pipe. This can mean having to cut through concrete structures like your driveway or sidewalk if the sewer pipe goes underneath it. Landscaping may also have to be uprooted. Once the old sewer line is exposed it can be removed and a new sewer pipe can be installed in its place. After that, our sewer line repair team reburies the pipe.
Trenchless Method
At Black Diamond, we utilize two trenchless sewer line repair or replacement techniques. Both methods require an access hole to be dug to allow our repiping tools access to the current sewer pipe. In contrast with the traditional trench dug method, the trenchless method is minimally invasive and a relatively quick process. Depending on the project, the trenchless method can usually be completed in a day, sometimes in a matter of only a few hours.
The most common trenchless pipe repair and replacement methods are pipe relining and pipe bursting. Avoiding the need to dig a large trench to solve your sewer pipe issue saves your landscaping, surrounding concrete, and can save you from the hassle of dealing with permits.
What is the Pipe Relining Method?
The pipe relining or cured in place repiping method is a process that sends a new pipe lining through your old pipe (after it has been completely cleared of debris). The pipe lining hardens into a new pipe that is just as strong as a traditional pipe but with the added benefit of not having any joints and being resistant to corrosion. sewerPutting a new pipe on the inside of an old pipe allows you to replace pipes that may have been damaged or cracked but have not collapsed.
What is the Pipe Bursting Method?
If you have a pipe that has collapsed and want to utilize a trenchless sewer repair method, pipe bursting may be your solution. The pipe bursting method works by sending a pipe bursting tool into your old pipe. As it goes along it breaks or bursts apart the old pipe while pulling a new pipe in place behind it.
If you need a trenchless sewage pipe repaired or replaced, contact the experts at Black Diamond Electric, Plumbing, Heating, and Air. We can have your sewer pipe fixed and running smoothly in no time! To learn more about the trenchless sewer pipe repair method and how we use it, click here.
