Commercial sewer repair

OVERVIEW

What is trenchless commercial sewer repair?

Trenchless commercial sewer repair is a non-invasive (“no-dig”) method to restore damaged main, lateral, and vertical sewer and drain pipes. It involves relining leaking pipe systems with tight-fitting, jointless, and corrosion-resistant replacement pipes made out of cured epoxy. It essentially builds a new pipe within the existing one.

Trenchless commercial sewer repair is used synonymously with pipe relining, CIPP sewer lining, and epoxy pipe lining, among others, within the industry.

What isn’t trenchless commercial drain repair?

A common misconception is believing trenchless commercial drain repair is the same thing as pipe coating. While they may sound similar on paper, pipe coating is a proactive coating treatment for the inside of fully functional pipe systems to prevent rust and corrosion damage. In other words, it relies on the original pipe to be intact and would most likely be a wasted effort in a damaged pipe.

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COMPARISON

Relining vs. Pipe replacement/repiping

Repiping includes opening up walls or floors to remove the pipes and replace them with new ones. It is an invasive process that is slowly but surely being phased out and replaced by relining – and with good reason. Traditional repiping involves acute inconvenience for the building owners where they must either be evacuated or have to deal with noise and dust while the restoration of the pipes is in progress.

Not to mention, trenchless commercial sewer repair is more cost- and time-effective than traditional repiping. The total cost of removing the old pipes and installing new ones and the remediation (repairing and repainting walls, floors, and structures) is often significantly higher than the total cost of relining. While it ultimately depends on the extent of the job and the amount of demolition required, repiping is also a time-consuming process that can take weeks to complete. In contrast, relining can take a few hours up to a few days to complete.

HOW IT WORKS

How trenchless commercial sewer repair works

Trenchless commercial sewer line repair is performed in four steps:

Step 1: The pipes are cleaned and descaled to expose any leaks and damages and, more importantly, to expose and open up the old pipe to its original inner diameter. If any scale is left in the pipe, important clues crucial to the lining install’s success might be overlooked. Cleaning the pipes is the single most important step, as inconsistent cleaning leads to inconsistent installs and can make or break a project.
Step 2: The liner is carefully and properly saturated with the two-part epoxy before it is installed in the old pipe.

Step 3: The liner is installed in the old pipe, either by the pull-in-place method or the inversion method. The pull-in-place method is primarily used for section or remote installs, tee, wye, and straight liners. The inversion method is used for longer installs. Regardless of the method, the epoxy will always be on the outside of the liner. Air pressure is then applied to ensure the new liners fill out the old pipes. The new liners must be installed in the flow of the water, overlapping each other. This prevents sewer or drain water from getting behind the new lining material over time, ensuring the lifetime of the new lining without the risk of seal failure due to poor adherence in the old pipes.
Step 4: Once the new liner is in place, it needs to be cured. This can be done either passively, called ambient curing, or actively with heat by hot water or steam to speed up the curing process of the epoxy. During the curing process, the epoxy resin hardens to create a seamless, smooth, structurally sound, and corrosion-resistant new pipe.

METHOD

The Repiper StepbyStep method

When using our patented tools and the StepbyStep method, neither floors nor walls have to be broken up – regardless if it’s a residential, industrial, or commercial sewer repair – which minimizes the disturbance. The entire process only takes a few hours up to a few days (depending on the project size) and is carried out at a fraction of the price compared to traditional methods. Read more about the Repiper method.

Advantages of the Repiper commercial sewer repair method

The Repiper StepbyStep method for commercial sewer repair offers a host of advantages to benefiting the building owners and the relining company:

It is non-invasive. This is the most important aspect of trenchless commercial sewer line repair as the building owners will experience minimal disturbance, especially so for businesses to avoid disruption to their operations. Relining is also the method of choice when pipe systems in buildings with historic value need to be repaired, as the surrounding walls, floors, and structures will remain untouched.
It saves both time and money. The Repiper trenchless commercial sewer repair does not require any expensive large machinery, is fast, and does not require any excavation or demolition, making it both a very time- and cost-effective method.
It is scalable. The Repiper StepbyStep method is more scalable than repiping because it does not require any big and heavy equipment to repair the pipe system. Any relining company, regardless of size, can get started with trenchless commercial drain repair without any significant investments.

It is environmentally friendly. The Repiper method produces little to no waste. Structurally fine parts of the building remain untouched since the work is performed inside the pipe through accesses such as vents or cleanouts.
It increases quality. Epoxy lining creates a smoother pipe inside the old pipe, increasing the flow capacity and preventing calcification deposits from sticking. It is also very corrosion-resistant, which greatly increases the longevity of the new pipe.

OUR OFFERINGS

What we offer?

Through innovative trenchless commercial drain repair solutions, increased dissemination of knowledge, and with long experience within the industry, Repiper contributes to the sustainable pipe renovations of the future. Contact us for more

Products

Repiper offers everything you need to ensure a high-quality relining repair. A complete product catalog of relining products and our own patented tools. The offering consists of Swedish-developed relining technologies adopted for the US market.

Education

Repiper offers detailed on-site training and education about our method and products from our experienced staff. You will also get access to educational “how to” videos and material available on our website.

Consulting

Receive support from one of our experienced staff members to plan and ensure the success of your relining projects. We guide and instruct you on how to use our products, tools, and StepByStep method.

FAQ

Can a commercial sewer line be sleeved?

Yes, a commercial sewer line can be sleeved using multiple relining commercial sewer line repair methods to create a new pipe inside the existing pipe line.

How long does a commercial sewer line repair last?

A commercial sewer repair job can last up to fifty years or more if properly maintained.

How do you fix a cracked commercial sewer line without replacing it?

By using relining. It is one of the most cost- and time-effective commercial sewer line repair methods for repairing a cracked sewer line without having to replace the old pipe.

How do you seal a leaking sewer pipe?

Using pipe sealants temporarily seal small leaks. Commercial drain repair methods such as relining or bursting methods create a new sealed pipe or replace the old one for more significant leaks in sewer pipes.

What causes sewer lines to crack?

Sewer lines can crack due to various factors age and deterioration, ground shifting, tree root intrusion, freezing and thawing, corrosion, heavy load or traffic, poor installation or quality.

How do you fix a broken underground drain pipe?

Traditional commercial sewer repair methods include excavation to access the pipe. However, using relining, underground pipes can be fixed without any need for excavation, saving time, money, and hassle.

How long do PVC sewer lines last?

PVC sewer lines have an expected lifespan of around 100 years.

How long does it take to fix a collapsed sewer pipe?

The time required to fix a collapsed sewer pipe can range from a day for simple repairs to several days or even a week for more complex replacements, depending on factors such as the extent of the collapse and the chosen commercial sewer line repair method.

How serious is a crack in sewer line?

A sewer line crack is serious, leading to leaks, backups, odors, contamination, and property damage. Timely assessment and repair are crucial for prevention and proper functioning.

Are commercial drain cleaners safe?

Commercial drain cleaners are generally considered less safe due to their harsh chemicals and potential harm to users and the environment.