What Is Trenchless Sewer Repair?

If your sewer line is leaking, cracked, or collapsed, you might assume excavation is required to fix the problem. However, you'll be pleased to learn that another, less disruptive option is available called trenchless sewer repair. This technique has been around since the 1990s, but many Chicago homeowners are unfamiliar with it. Could trenchless sewer repair be the right option for your situation? What is trenchless sewer repair, anyway? Read on to find the answers to your questions or call ABC Plumbing, Sewer, Heating, Cooling and Electric at (888) 868-6667 to learn more.

Characteristics of Trenchless Sewer Repair

When you picture traditional sewer repair techniques, a giant excavator and a torn up lawn probably come to mind. The inconvenience, mess, and cost to repair your landscape when the repair is complete might fill you with dread. But there's no need for alarm, not when a trenchless sewer repair is an option for many homeowners. When you choose this option, here's what you can expect:

• Repairs often take one day or less to complete.
• Your landscape is barely touched during the sewer repair process.
• There's no need to pay thousands of dollars for restorative landscaping work.
• The finished product is a permanent solution designed to lasts up to 50 years before requiring service.
• Trenchless repairs meet industry standards for your peace of mind.

Types of Trenchless Sewer Repair

When you ask a plumber, “what is trenchless sewer repair?” you can expect to hear about two options: pipe relining and pipe bursting. Both are viable options that use trenchless techniques to restore your sewer line with only minimal digging required.

Pipe Relining

Also known as cured-in-place piping, this trenchless sewer repair technique is a good option if the pipe has sound structural integrity. Don’t worry—a Chicago plumber from ABC will inspect the line from the inside out with a tiny video camera before recommending pipe relining. If you end up choosing this technique, your plumber will dig one small access hole needed to perform the repair. A flexible tube coated in epoxy resin is pulled through the sewer pipe and then inflated. The resin hardens, lining the old, damaged pipe with a seamless, corrosion-resistant inner lining. A relined pipe is just as durable and reliable as a brand new sewer line.

Pipe Bursting

If your sewer line failed because it collapsed or had its structural integrity damaged in another way, pipe bursting might be the best trenchless sewer repair option. This requires the plumber to dig two access holes on either end of the damaged pipe. A cable with a bursting head is inserted through one access hole and pulled along the path of the sewer line using a winch at the second access hole. The bursting head fractures the old pipe and pushes it out of the way, and a new polyethylene pipe immediately takes its place as the plumber pulls it into position behind the bursting head. This seamless, corrosion-resistant replacement pipe will provide decades of trouble-free service.

Is Trenchless Sewer Repair Right for Your Chicago Home?

Every sewer line is unique, and the issues your system has right now may or may not be eligible for trenchless sewer repair. However, you should always consider this your first option to save money and help preserve your yard. Trenchless techniques are usually appropriate for fixing the following:

• Pipes damaged by tree roots or household debris
• Improperly installed pipes prone to leaks and backups
• Pipes damaged by settling soil
• Pipes damaged by the freeze/thaw cycle
• Difficult-to-access pipes buried beneath buildings and hardscapes

Choose ABC for Trenchless Sewer Repair in Chicago, IL

If you want to learn more about trenchless sewer repair and the possibility of using this technique to restore your damaged sewer pipe, please contact us online or call (888) 868-6667. We promise to provide a quick, minimally disruptive repair to get your sewer line back up and running as soon as possible.