Cracked Pipes? Here Are Four Types of Sewer Lining You Should Know About

If you’ve ever had cracked or leaking pipes, you know what a big ordeal it can be to repair them. In some cases, you’ll end up having to replace all your sewer lines and completely wreck the area around them. This can mean removing landscaping, demolishing walls, or in some cases, busting up concrete. But if you have recently noticed some leaks, you may have a better alternative. Sewer linings can help you repair your cracked pipes without a complete line replacement and without destroying any surfaces surrounding them, and there are four types that you can use to get the job done.

Pull-In-Place Liner

The pull-in place lining method is the best for larger cracks and works for almost any pipe material. It’s a method intended for indoor plumbing which includes PVC, clay, and iron pipes. The epoxy lining is threaded through the pipe and forced to expand against the interior. It is melded into the pipe using heat and then pulled into place. You just have to have one area to feed the liner and one to pull it through. It will then dry against the inner walls, creating a tight seal.

Cured-In-Place Liner

The cured-in-place lining method is designed for trenchless relining. In this sewer pipe relining method, a felt tube saturated with resin is inserted into the pipe, using air or water pressure. The tube can be made of fiberglass or cloth or any other material that can be saturated with the resin. The tube is inserted at the upstream access point, such as the excavation point or manhole. It is then cured in place by the heat of the air or water to form a tight seal.

Pipe-Bursting

Pipe-bursting is the best method for treating pipes with extensive damage, or for damage that includes large sections of the sewer line. In this method, two access pits are used at each end of the line to be repaired. They then put a bursting head in the access points and use hydraulic equipment to pull the bursting head through. This breaks the old, damaged pipe apart and pulls a new seamless pipe into place. The pipe used for this is made of a heavy-duty plastic material built to last for around 100 years.

Internal Pipe Coating

Internal pipe coating is used for piping that is leaking into the soil surrounding it. For this method, the pipes are drained completely. Next, they are sandblasted, if needed, to clean out build-up and corrosion. This also roughs up the surface so that the coating material can stick to it well. Then a thick epoxy material is sprayed into the pipes to create a permanent seal. This seal makes your pipes like new, with a seamless, durable coating.

Internal pipe coating works for all types of piping, including copper, PVC, concrete, fiberglass, and even lead. It’s an economical way to restore even old pipes and keep harmful materials, such as lead out of the system.

Each of these methods is designed as a way to keep costs and destruction of property to a minimum when you need pipe repair in your sewer lines. Replacing pipelines means having to dig around the pipes. This can disrupt vegetation and landscaping and become quite costly. But using a trenchless repair system can preserve your environment, cost you much less, and sometimes even restore your pipes to like-new condition. Pipeliners can also be used to repair sections of the pipe if needed so that less material has to be used.