The Sewer Pipe Lining Process
Realizing that one of the sewer pipes in your home is backed up or damaged can be a stressful experience. Thinking about how time-consuming and troublesome the upcoming repairs could be is not pleasant either, but that doesn’t necessarily need to be the case if you opt to utilize the pipe lining process.
It’s no secret that sewer pipe repairs can be huge undertakings, but you can do it more efficiently now. Instead of stressing out about the blocked sewer pipes affecting your property, you can take more effective action by leaning on the pipe lining process.
Read on to learn more about that process and why you should consider using it for your home.
What Is the Pipe Lining Process?
Nothing strikes fear quite as quickly into the heart of a homeowner as news of a broken sewer pipe. That’s because homeowners understand how difficult it can be to address that particular issue.
Replacing a sewer pipe is no joke, and it can eat into your schedule and resources as a homeowner. Because of the cost and time concerns, you could even find homeowners who would hold off on having those repairs done.
The good news for homeowners is that pipe lining is a reasonable alternative to the conventional practice of replacing sewer pipes.
Also known as cured-in-place pipelining or even pipe relining, they designed this newer process to be a less intrusive way of implementing sorely needed sewer pipe repairs.
Eric Wood from London, England, first implemented the technique. Mr. Wood filed a patent for the technique on Jan. 29, 1975, and they granted that patent two years later on Feb. 22, 1977.
Not long after they first used the technique, it became widely adopted in parts of Europe and Japan. The practice also made its way to the United States in the 1980s, and it continues to be offered by repair specialists today.
The pipe lining process involves creating a new pipe inside one that is already there. You can think of it as applying a new coat of paint to make a wall look brand new, except you’re working inside out this time around.
Another interesting aspect of this approach to repairing sewer pipes is that it does not involve the usage of an entirely new pipe. In lieu of an actual pipe, this process features the utilization of epoxy-resin along with some felt tubing. They make the felt tubing out of something such as fiberglass or other comparable materials.
They cure the tubing so it can create a strong enough seal that will hold once the pipes transfer sewage materials again.
Pipe lining often addresses problems involving sewer pipes connected to homes, but we can use the process in other applications. We can repair chemical, gas, and water pipes via this method.
What Causes Damage to Your Home’s Pipes?
Even though pipe lining does offer a more convenient way to fix your sewer-related problems at home, it would still be better if you didn’t need the repairs in the first place.
So, what are the reasons why your sewer pipes may end up clogged?
Among the reasons why your pipe may experience problems are a nearby tree. Previously, you may not have found that tree to be a problem, but that could change as it grows.
If the tree grows in a certain way, its roots could make their way into the sewer pipes. Once inside the pipes, those tree roots may cause a blockage that prevents any solid waste from getting through. The roots may also grow to the point where they burst through the pipes, causing even greater damage in the process.
Another reason why the sewer pipes may be damaged is due to corrosion. Different kinds of minerals found in water can have a damaging effect on the sewer pipes. Granted, these minerals probably aren’t going to render the pipe useless right away, but the damage that accumulates over time could end up being significant.
Combine those minerals with water and scaling could take place inside the pipes. The scaling itself could lead to blockages forming inside the pipes. If that process continues for an extended period of time, you can expect your pipes to become more corroded.
From there, it will only be a matter of time before the pipes become incapable of doing their job.
Trees and corrosion are the main causes of sewer pipe breakdowns, but they are not the only possible explanations.
External forces may also play a role in your sewer-pipe related problems. Something hard may hit the pipe, causing a small gash to form. Your pipe will no longer be able to function properly once that happens.
As you can see, it’s not easy keeping your pipes in great working condition for a long time. It’s almost inevitable that they will need to be repaired at some point. That’s why all homeowners need to know about the pipe lining and how it can be beneficial to them.
What Are the Benefits of the Pipe Lining Process?
Pipe lining is one way for you to fix your busted sewage disposal system at home, but you can also opt for replacing the pipes altogether. Why then should you go with pipe lining instead?
Below are the main benefits to pipe lining as opposed to completely replacing them.
You Can Cut Down on the Repair Expenses
Getting your home repaired is not cheap, even if you’re only focusing on the sewer pipes. Beyond the cost of obtaining the supplies, you also need to consider that more people will work to carry out replacing the pipe.
Having to excavate the ground to lay down the new pipes could also lead to your bills skyrocketing.
Pipe lining is not the most affordable type of home repair, but you can save more money if you opt for it over complete pipe replacement.
Plus, when they complete the pipe lining, there will be no need to repave any portions of the ground. That translates to more savings on your end.
There Will Be No Need to Potentially Damage Your Property and Other Surrounding Homes
To replace a sewer pipe completely, workers will likely need to excavate the ground. At a minimum, that means they will dig up some of the soil in your yard.
The best-case scenario is that dirt will be the only thing workers will have to dig up so that they can position the replacement pipe. That may not be the case for your home, though.
If you have a garden nearby, there’s a good chance they will need to remove it temporarily.
Depending on the pipes in your home, there’s also a possibility they will dig up concrete before the workers can start with the replacements. That could mean the workers will bring in power tools. The chances of debris flying toward your neighbor’s home and causing damage will increase significantly in that scenario.
You may also need to excavate some portion of your neighbor’s yard if the homes in your area are clustered together.
Simply put, replacing a pipe can be a disruptive and potentially destructive process. Your home and the others nearby may not look the same following the pipe replacement.
Pipe lining is still a significant project for sure, but your home and the neighboring properties will likely not be damaged. For the most part, they can do the work in one place, and there is often no need for digging or excavating.
You Can Avoid Doing Damage to Any Underground Utilities
We could have included this in the previous entry, but it’s worth emphasizing further.
As soon as you go digging underground, the chances of someone hitting a utility line spike. Try to picture that scenario in your head, and the nightmare it would be if you had to answer for a broken utility line along with the pipe repairs already underway.
Oh, and don’t forget about how much more you’ll spend if the workers do end up nicking a utility line. Avoiding that headache would seem to be in the best interests of all homeowners.
Safety Is Not a Concern while Pipe Lining Is Taking Place
Due to all the excavation needed for pipe replacement, they will create holes and trenches around your property. Those could be the reasons why accidents start to take place.
Someone walking by could fall into a hole, especially if your home is near the sidewalk. Now, you have hospital bills to worry about on top of your repair costs.
You can eliminate that risk by going with pipe lining.
You Don’t Need to Wait Long for Pipe Lining to Be Completed
One more reason to choose pipe lining over pipe replacement is speed. Pipe replacement projects can take a long time to finish. Compared to that, pipe lining is remarkably quick.
If you cannot afford to sit around at home for a week or potentially longer, pipe lining is the wiser solution for your sewage system.
Are There Any Drawbacks to Pipe Lining?
Probably the biggest drawback to choosing pipe lining over pipe replacement is that you will need to keep a close eye on the repaired part of your home for a set period of time. The curing process can take longer than one day, and during that time, the repaired pipe must be monitored closely.
If it’s possible, try to schedule your pipe lining for the weekend or whenever you can stay at home for consecutive days.
How Is the Pipe Lining Process Performed?
Let’s discuss the pipe lining process here so that you have a better idea of what to expect if you need it done for your home.
The first step will involve inspecting the pipes using a camera. This is important because the camera will allow the workers to pinpoint the locations of any cracks present along the pipes.
Once they complete the inspection, the workers will clean the pipes. They will remove any foreign materials.
The workers will get the pipe tubing and saturate it with the epoxy-resin. After saturating the tubing, they will turn it inside-out with the help of an advanced inverter drum.
If they do the prior steps correctly, the epoxy-resin should be on the outside of the tubing. That will allow it to stick to the pipes that they need to repair. They will then place the tubing inside the damaged pipe.
With tubing now in position, the curing process can get underway. Curing is needed to remove all the moisture and allow the tubing to meld with the pipe. Remember that this process can take over a day, although some methods can cut the curing time down to a few hours.
Is Pipe Lining an Option Available to Everyone?
In many cases, pipe lining should be more than enough to get your sewage system operating properly again. There are some exceptions, though.
If the pipe you want to line has big holes, the felt tubing is probably not going to do you any good. That is a time when replacing the pipe completely, may be your only course of action.
Finding out your sewer pipe has been clogged or damaged in some other way can cause stress. Before you give in to your stress though, it’s worth remembering that there are efficient solutions to that problem, with one of them being pipe lining.
Get in touch with Best San Diego Leak Detection and seek their expertise in fixing your sewer pipe.
March 18, 2020 Categories:
