Trenchless Sewer Repair

When Trenchless Sewer Repair Is an Option

Trenchless repair is worth asking about when a camera inspection shows cracks, root intrusion or corrosion, but the pipe still holds its basic shape, and especially when the line runs under a driveway, patio or mature trees.

• Root intrusion through the pipe joints
• Cracked or corroded sewer pipe
• Recurring backups caused by pipe damage
• A sewer line under a driveway, patio or mature landscaping

Pipe Lining vs Pipe Bursting

• Pipe lining (CIPP) cures a resin liner inside the existing pipe. It needs the old pipe to still hold its shape, and it slightly reduces the inside diameter.
• Pipe bursting pulls a new pipe through the old one, breaking it apart. It works when the old pipe is too damaged to line and can keep or increase the pipe size.
• Neither works on a fully collapsed section or a line with a severe sag. Those usually need excavation at that spot.

How Pipe Lining and Pipe Bursting Work

There are 2 main methods. Pipe lining cures a resin liner inside the old pipe, creating a smooth new pipe within it. Pipe bursting pulls new pipe through the old one, breaking the old pipe apart as it goes.

1. Inspect the line with a camera and measure it.
2. Clean the pipe thoroughly before lining.
3. Install the liner or burst in the new pipe through the access points.
4. Reinstate connections and inspect the finished line with a camera.

What Affects the Cost of Trenchless Sewer Repair

Trenchless cost depends on the pipe's length and diameter, the method used and how much prep work the line needs.

• Length and diameter of the pipe.
• Lining versus pipe bursting.
• Cleaning and root removal before lining.
• Number of access pits and connections to reinstate.
• Permits and inspection.

When Sewer Repair Can't Wait

• The line has collapsed and sewage is backing up.
• Sewage is surfacing in the yard.

Trenchless Repair Under Driveways and Mature Trees

Trenchless methods matter most where digging is expensive. In older neighborhoods of Portland and Seattle, mature street trees and older side sewers lead to root intrusion, and the lines often run under landscaping or driveways. Pipe lining seals the joints roots grow through, without a trench across the yard.

Local plumbing details: Portland, Seattle

Sewer Lines by City

What our city pages say about sewer lines:

• Reading, PA: Old clay laterals under narrow lots crack and clog.
• Cheektowaga, NY: Roots, age and heavy rain back sewage up through basement drains.
• Glen Burnie, MD: Old sewer laterals crack, fill with roots and back up into the lowest drain.
• Elk Grove Village, IL: Original sewer service lines from the 1960s crack, sag and take in roots.
• Jackson, TN: Roots and grease block the line from the house to the street.
• Paradise, NV: Old laterals crack, sag and collect roots and grease.
• Quincy, MA: Roots and cracks in old laterals send sewage back to the basement.
• Burbank, CA: Old clay laterals under street trees crack and clog.

Before the Plumber Arrives

• Get a camera inspection report showing the damage.
• Note what's above the line, such as a driveway, patio or trees.

Other Sewer Line Repair Services

• Sewer Camera Inspection

Trenchless Sewer Repair Questions