The sewer main is an important part of a plumbing system that lies beneath the surface. Many homeowners do not concentrate much on it until a problem occurs. Should this happen, you should hire the pros immediately so that you have to suffer from minimum damage. If you fail to do this, the sewer system can flood, causing extensive water damage in the process. It can also contaminate groundwater and endanger your health.
In most instances, sewer pipes crack open, mainly because of frozen ground or shifting soil. In some cases, they may also suffer from corrosion.
When you hire a professional sewer repair service, they will first inspect your system and then solve it by a suitable technique. This usually involves repairing the pipes or replacing them as the situation demands. Here are the most common methods of repairing sewer pipes.
Traditional Repair Method
In this method, a trench is dug so that the location of the repair can be accessed. A backhoe is used for this. Once the repair is completed and the pipe is sealed, the area is refilled.
Trenchless Repair Method
Pipe Bursting
If a sewer pipe bursts out, access holes are dug at the starting and ending point of the pipe. A hydraulic machine is then used to replace the old pipe with a new pipe of the same size. For this, the old pipe is used as a guide, and once the new pipe takes up its location, it also damages it.
Though any quality of pipe can be used for this, we suggest that you the new pipe which you install offers a greater resistant to leakages and is made of a high quality material. It should also be durable and should have a sufficient lifespan.
Mending repairs in this manner is faster than other methods. It is also applicable in many situations and can be used to replace pipe of any material, be it cast iron, PVC, terra cotta or concrete. Unlike traditional methods, the surroundings only suffer from minimal damage. Some professional services also use this method to upsize lines.
Pipe Relining
Pipe relining, also called as epoxy lining or trenchless repair method, is often used in a commercial application when a demo is not possible. In this technique, a damaged sewer pipe is mended by enforcing another pipe into the damaged one. This restores function and blocks all the leakages. The new material used for relining the damaged pipe is epoxy, which takes up the shape of the old pipe and creates a durable, smooth, inner wall.
In most instated, pipe relining can be conducted through a clean-out access and involves only limited digging, which can also be avoided if you hire a quality sewer repair service. Pipe relining is used for repairing rusted pipes, sealing holes and cracks and sealing joints. The process does not involve a lot of time and the results last longer than other methods.