What Every Property Owner Should Know About Pipe Replacement

Trenchless sewer repair

In most cases, a professional plumber can be trusted when in need of sewer repair. Replacement is a huge cost, and is unavoidable unfortunately. It's important to note that before a property is sold, the owner has to report any potential issues to buyers, so it's smart to get it taken care of and avoid any drama.

When it comes to an expensive repair like this, it's important to shop around for the best deal. One should also make sure any contractor is bonded, licensed, and has references that can be checked. Expect most bids to be thousands so there is no shock.

History of Piping

First off, if there is any clay pipe it needs to be removed. Cleaning is never a good option and will only delay the inevitable which is replacement. Use of copper sulfate or rock salt is not a great idea as it will create more work by the owner having to remove the tree permanently, and then fix up the yard.

Clay sewer pipe has not been used for a very long time, as joints were packed by mortar and movement of the soil breaks them with ease along with tree roots. They are just not a smart choice, of course builders had no way of knowing this decades ago.

After clay pipes came iron and they featured a similar bell joint to the clay pipes. They were joined using hemp oil and molten lead. Though the joint was stronger, it still didn't withstand the eventual movement of earth. After clay and iron, no hub cast iron and rubber couplings with steel bands were used. They couldn't withstand root infiltration though.

The Pipes of Today

Today most locations use plastic piping. Plastic pipe uses glued joints, and many are looking into trenchless sewer repair. For trenchless sewer repairs, a cable is pulled through the existing pipe after careful examination, and hooked to a bursting head. That head is hooked to the new pipe. It splits the current pipe and pushes it out-of-the-way as the new one is pulled in. It has the same diameter as the old or can be increased in size if the home or business owner decides.

This way of trenches sewer repair only needs one hole at each end of the line, and no trench which is usually a mess. Hence, why many prefer it over traditional methods.

Downsides of Trenchless Sewer Repair

While being the perfect option to other methods, there are some downfalls to trenchless sewer repair. If the company is fairly new and not knowledgeable about how to pass inspection, it may become a headache that no one wants. One of the main concerns is pooling water at a low spot in the line. However, if discussed before installation this can be avoided.

Other issues are deflection and sag which cause concerns. Experienced crews know what deflections in the current line can be taken out, but it depends largely on soil conditions, and the degree of deflection. A less brutal soil like sand allows for deflections to be removed but soil like shale is not so kind.

Further, proximity of utilities is an issue in some cases. The method used can damage other lines depending on how close they are to the action when the outer pipe is pushed away. No one wants gas leaks or cut water lines. Contractors must mark existing lines and formulate a plan to make sure there's enough room for the installation.

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