Sewer Lining Repair is a Trenchless Method of Sealing Open Joints
Sewer lining repair is a trenchless method of sealing open joints or even covering up holes in pipes without the need for open excavation or surface impact. Sectional or complete liners will not work in pipes with a catastrophic break (i.e., collapse, etc.) or offsets.
Sewer liners work well if the pipe is symmetrical (round all the way down) but has open joints or holes (missing parts) of the pipe. This method leaves little to no site impact.
When to Use Trenchless Technology for Sewer Lining?
Trenchless technology is used in cases where it is preferred that open excavation is not performed, so that surface restoration is not required.
Trenchless technology such as lining also has the benefit of repairing (or ‘rehabilitate’) areas where surface excavation would be impractical. Examples of impractical surface excavation would be: repairing pipe beneath a train track, rehabilitating pipe beneath a busy street or highway, repairing a pipe beneath a pool, beneath other buried utilities, etc.
Trenchless technology has been used for years, but the technology has been rapidly improving and changing to make the repair better, more efficient, and easier to use in different applications.
Lining Sewer Pipes
The lining of pipes or trenchless rehabilitation is typically used to remedy several different types of sewer problems. The two most common types of issues that trenchless lining repairs are: sealing bad joints that allow root and water infiltration (or exfiltration) into or out of the pipe. Other repairs are if the pipes are lined up well (an excellent symmetrical cylinder); however, lining to seal off a missing piece of pipe, as though there is some type of hole in the pipe.
Trenchless lining is typically performed through a cleanout in a basement (access to the sewer pipe), or in some cases, through a manhole if the pipe has a manhole connection. Not all sewers have manhole connections.