Bellows Plumbing, Heating & Sewer

Trechless Sewer Repair

How the Trenchless Sewer Replacement Method Works

Monday, 3/26/2010 by jason schlunt

1. We start out with a FREE DrainScope video inspection

of the sewer line. A visual inspection is the best way to determine what's going on in the sewer line. We can locate root intrusions, offsets in the pipe, bellies in the pipe and more. It allows us to see what material your sewer line is made of and if it needs repair or replacement. Our sewer and drain camera allows us to pin point the problem. After a thorough camera inspection we'll be able to determine what caused the sewer problem (roots, break in the line, belly, cracks) and then provide you with a detailed bid and a list of client references.

2. Starting the Sewer Replacement

Replacing a sewer line is a difficult and labor intensive process. We've completed 100s of sewer lines over the past years and know that an early start is a must. You can expect our crew to arrive between 7:30 and 8:30 am. We typically start by cutting two 3 x 3 foot holes. We always do our best to maintain the condition of your property and keep the job site clean during the entire process.

3. Assembly of sewer lateral

The next step is fusing the pipe. A major advantage of trenchless pipe bursting has over traditional methods is that there are no joints our couplings. Which is important since roots typically find their way in at the seems and couplings. Once the pipe is fused to the appropriate length we attach a splitting head to the new HDPE piping. The splitting head attached to the new piping gets hydraulically pulled into your old pipe bursting the old pipe and being replaced with the new seamless HDPE pipe.

4. HDPE stands for High Density Polyethylene Pipe.

The pipe is made from a stress-relieved resin in order to prevent scale build up, cracking, brittleness or fatigue. It is also non-reactive to most aggressive chemicals and corrosive elements. Extensive testing has shown that the HPDE pipe will generally outperform steel pipe in application for abrasion resistance. The smooth inner surface of the pipe allows for minimal resistance to the flow inside the pipe. Since there are no seems and the pipe is as non porous as they come, there is no way that roots will be attracted to the line in order to try and penetrate it for a source of water. Your new HDPE sewer line is designed to outlast you!

5. Finishing the project.

We make all of our connections with shielded couplings and install cleanouts where necessary. A sewer clean out allows for easy access incase something ever blocks the line again. We then fill any street or sidewalk openings with slurry and compact and dirt in the yard. We replace planets and grass to best possible match. We clean up any left over mess and rubble. Finally we leave everything, as it was when we arrived on the job.

Time frame of trenchless repair

Typically most sewer replacement projects take 3 to 4 days to get the new line in place and then an additional 3 - 5 days for all the concrete, slurry, and asphalt to dry and harden. The good news is we've perfected our method and you won't have to move out or stop use of the home's normal facilities while the project is taking place. So calm down and give us a call, our friendly experts are happy to walk you through of the project from start to finish.

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