Sewer line replacement is a job homeowners wish to replace at all costs. With the damaged pipes sitting underground, replacement for sewer pipes has traditionally involved extensive excavation of the property surrounding a home. Installing replacement pipes caused significant damage to lawns, landscaping, paved surfaces, and other features of the property. While once the only option, pipe bursting using trenchless technology provides a new method to replace pipes without disturbing the ground above.
Trenchless pipe bursting is a relatively new and innovative method for the replacement of underground sewer lines. A trenchless method is also available for the repair of buried piping. Installing new pipe the trenchless way requires no excavation and minimal disturbance to your property. The process is completed faster and is more environmentally friendly than the traditional trenching method for sewer replacement.
Jarboe’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing offers noninvasive pipe bursting for the installation of new underground sewer main lines. By accessing the existing pipe, new lines are placed along the same path while the old pipe remains in place. This process upgrades your underground sewer without damaging the property and structures above.
Approximately 15 to 20 years ago, trenchless methods for sewer line repair and replacement started to gain traction in the plumbing world. Trenchless pipe bursting is one such method, which allows a new pipe to be installed along the route of the existing pipe. The old pipes are left in place but broken up during the installation process, and left buried rather than removed.
Pipe bursting is used to replace aged or damaged sewer pipes composed of certain materials. Old sewer lines made from vitrified clay, asbestos cement, concrete, and PVC are easily replaced through trenchless pipe bursting. Many wonder if this method is appropriate to replace old cast iron sewer pipes, but this material is too brittle and unfortunately is not ideal for replacement with pipe bursting.
Pipe bursting is performed relatively fast and with no need for extensive digging – only a small access hole is made to access the sewer line. Pipe bursting equipment is used to lay new pipe below ground.
Another trenchless method used both for pipe repair and sewer replacement is called pipe lining. Essentially, a liner is installed within the existing sewer pipe. The liner can be installed in a section of pipe to repair cracks and damage or used throughout the old lines to create a new sewer pipe within the existing line. This method is appropriate for use in sewers with pipes made of almost any material, including clay, concrete, cast iron, and PVC.
Pipe lining is also referred to as cured-in-place pipe. A resin liner is drawn through the existing pipe and then inflated using air pressure. The liner hardens and seals against the existing pipe interior walls. This trenchless method repairs pipe damage or creates what is essentially a brand-new pipe within a pipe. Pipe lining creates no difference in drainage through the home’s sewer.
Poor drainage from a home’s many plumbing fixtures is often the first symptom that points to sewer pipe issues. Clogs are a common cause, but damage to the underground pipes can also restrict or block drainage.
Jarboe’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing uses video inspection to assess problems within underground sewer pipes. A plumber feeds a camera down through the home’s main drain and into the sewer line to discover the problem and where it is. With this information, we know whether there is just a clog to be removed or if the pipes need to be repaired or replaced.
The home sewer can sustain damage due to many factors. Tree root intrusions are a potential source of clogs as well as pipe damage, as the roots break through the pipe walls and grow into the line. High pressure can cause damage and broken pipe joints. Shifts in the soil surrounding the pipe can lead to breakage and cracks and cause displacement that leads to bellied pipes.
We use the information found from our camera inspection to determine your options for repairing or replacing the sewer line. Depending on the type and source of damage as well as other factors, trenchless or traditional methods may be recommended to perform the needed plumbing work.
Typically, trenchless replacement and repair is preferred as opposed to trenching. Homeowners prefer to cause as little damage to their properties as possible, which is not really an option when digging must be done to access the sewer. Your property and sewer line must be assessed to determine which method is the best choice for the needed work.
Price is one of the most important factors to Louisville homeowners who face extensive plumbing work such as sewer replacement. When comparing costs, trenching methods may be less expensive compared to trenchless pipe bursting or pipe lining for completion of the job. However, trenching comes with many hidden costs that homeowners often fail to factor in when examining which choice is the most cost-effective.
When digging to access a home sewer line, damage isn’t always restricted to the lawn. While grass and landscaping may be wrecked to access the pipe below ground, other features both on and off your property may need to be demolished to access the sewer. Portions of paved driveways and sidewalks may need to be torn up to access the pipe. It may even be necessary to excavate part of the road bordering your property, generating the need to reroute traffic. Municipal sewer lines may be damaged during the process.
The damage caused by trenching can be quite expensive to correct, depending on the access needs of your sewer work. Restoring your landscaping, driveway, and sidewalks isn’t cheap, and paying for damage caused to city sewers and roads plus costs associated with rerouting traffic adds even more expense to your project. When factored in, trench replacement of the sewer can cost several thousands of dollars more than trenchless methods.
With virtually no digging and disruption, the end cost of pipe bursting or pipe lining often comes in much less than trench work. Using a pipe burster makes quick work out of what once was a long, intensive process. Pipes installed through trenchless technology offer an expected service life of 50 years. These advantages make trenchless repair and pipe replacement well worth it for many Louisville homeowners.
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