Trenchless plumbing

OVERVIEW

What is trenchless plumbing?

Trenchless plumbing refers to a specific no-dig solution to repair and restore main, lateral, and vertical sewer and drain pipes. The method involves relining pipe systems with tight-fitting, jointless, and corrosion-resistant replacement pipes made out of cured epoxy, essentially building a new pipe inside the old pipe.

Trenchless plumbing has many names, sometimes referred to as trenchless pipe relining/pipe lining, CIPP sewer lining, or epoxy pipe lining.

What isn’t trenchless plumbing?

Trenchless plumbing is sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably with pipe coating – which is a completely different process. Pipe coating is a proactive coating treatment for the inside of functional pipes to prevent rust and corrosion damage. In other words, it relies on the original pipe to be fully functional, while the purpose of trenchless plumbing is to repair damaged pipes.

GET IN TOUCH WITH US

COMPARISON

Trenchless plumbing vs. Pipe replacement (repiping)

No-dig solutions provide several advantages over replacing the old pipe system with new pipes. Not only is it completely non-invasive, meaning the walls or floors won’t have to be opened up, but it is also a much more convenient method for both building owners and the contractors.

The owners won’t have to be evacuated or deal with the noise and dust from heavy machinery. This is especially important for businesses to avoid any interruptions in their daily operations. Trenchless plumbing is also both more cost- and time-effective than traditional repiping. The total cost of relining is significantly lower than removing the old pipes, installing new ones, and the remediation (repairing and repainting walls, floors, and structures). While it ultimately depends on the extent of the job and the amount of demolition required, repiping also takes longer to perform, sometimes up to a few weeks. In contrast, relining can take a few hours up to a few days to complete.

HOW IT WORKS

How do no-dig solutions for pipe repair work?

No-dig solutions for pipe repair consist of four steps:

Step 1: The pipes are cleaned and descaled to expose leaks and damages. It is done to expose and open up the old pipe to its original inner diameter to ensure the new pipe will be big enough to allow a smooth water flow. Also, if any scale is left, important clues that might be crucial to the success of the relining might be overlooked.
Step 2: The felt liner is saturated with two-part epoxy.

Step 3: The liner is installed in the old pipe. This is done by one of two methods: the pull-in-place method, which is primarily used for section or remote installs, tee, wye, and straight liners, or the inversion method, which is used for longer installs. Regardless of the method used, the epoxy will always be on the outside of the liner. It is important that the new liners are 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: The liner is cured either passively, called ambient curing, or actively by heat using 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, and corrosion-resistance new pipe.

METHOD

The Repiper StepbyStep method

The Repiper StepByStep method ensures superior pipe and sewer repair with a no-dig solution. Neither floors nor walls have to be removed – regardless if it’s a residential, industrial, or commercial sewer repair – which minimizes disturbance for the building owners. The entire restoration only takes a few hours up to a few days, depending on the size of the project, and is carried out at a fraction of the price compared to traditional repiping methods. Read more about the Repiper method.

What advantages does the Repiper trenchless plumbing method offer?

Our method provides several of advantages benefiting the building owners as well as the contractor:

No-dig solution. The Repiper method is non-invasive without needing to dig or excavate floors or walls. This is especially important for businesses to avoid disruption to their operations. Trenchless plumbing is also invaluable when pipe systems in buildings with historical value need to be repaired.
Time- and cost-efficient. Not only is the Repiper trenchless plumbing quick and safe, but it also does not require any expensive or heavy machinery.
Scalable. Any relining company is able to get started with the Repiper relining method without any significant investments as the initial costs are significantly lower than traditional methods.

Environmentally friendly. There is little to no waste after a completed relining project using our StepByStep method, tools, and products.
Increased quality. The epoxy lining creates a smooth, corrosion-resistant pipe inside the old pipe which increases the flow capacity while preventing calcification deposits from sticking.

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 information.

Products

Explore a wide offering of Swedish-developed relining technologies adopted for the US market – everything you need to ensure a high-quality relining repair. A complete product catalog of relining products as well as our own patented tools.

Education

We offer on-site training and education about our StepByStep method, products, and tools with our experienced staff. You will also get access to educational “how to” videos and other 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

How does trenchless plumbing work?

Trenchless plumbing is a method of installing or repairing underground pipes without digging a trench. It involves techniques like pipe bursting, where a new pipe is pulled through the old one, breaking it apart; cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), where a resin-coated liner is inserted and cured inside the existing pipe; and horizontal directional drilling (HDD), which drills a pilot hole for the new pipe to be pulled through.

Why is trenchless plumbing a good alternative to pipe replacement?

Trenchless pipe methods are preferred due to their minimal disruption, cost-effectiveness, faster completion, environmental benefits, and avoidance of extensive excavation.

How does trenchless plumbing work?

What is the meaning of trenchless?

Trenchless means installed without breaking the ground or the pavement surface to access and repair the pipes.

What are the advantages of trenchless plumbling?

Trenchless plumbing methods offers minimal disruption, cost-effectiveness, time savings, and durable, long-lasting repairs.

Can trenchless sewer repair fix a belly?

Yes, no dig solutions, such as pipe relining, can be utilized to fix a belly in a sewer line without extensive excavation, effectively restoring the proper flow of wastewater.