Sewer line repairs have come a long way in the last decade or so. Gone are the days of needing to dig up your entire house in order to repair or even replace an entire pipe. Now with the use of camera drain inspection, a plumber can diagnose what’s wrong with your pipes by feeding a tube with a camera through your drain and watching it on the screen. Sewer line repair has become so efficient and easy to do, it’s almost no big deal; almost. Let’s take a look and the pros and cons of the trenchless methods of sewer line repair.
Advantages
- There is no longer a need to dig up roads and foundations and landscapes in order to get to the sewer line repair. One or two holes at either end of the pipe is all that is needed to either pull or push the new pipe into place.
- Rather than taking weeks and months to complete a project, the trenchless method guarantees that the sewer line repair will be complete within hours and that most, days.
- There is less manpower in time and equipment used which makes the whole process less expensive overall.
- The trenchless method typically comes with a 50 year warranty.
- The new material of pipes that are used are resistant to corrosion and extremely durable. They are higher quality then current pipes. These pipes or seamless and cannot be damaged by tree roots or blockages.
Disadvantages
- Although the overall cost can be less expensive the initial investment may be higher than traditional methods.
- The trenchless method is not always possible with certain circumstances. it is not a cure all for every situation.
- Not all plumbers specialize in trenchless methods so it may be harder to find a reliable plumber. Also, they may charge a higher rate for their services because of the extra training they have been through.
- The material of the pipes that are used in sewer line repair must be specially ordered depending on the diameter and length of the pipe and severity of the repair so this may take longer.
- If the repair is performed incorrectly, such as not allowing the epoxy to cure for long enough the repair will have to be done again as blockages or breaks occur.
- If the pipe is too far gone and it has been more than 40 years it will need to be replaced entirely. If the pipe replacement job is too big for trenchless repair or pipe relining than a traditional method will need to be employed.
Even though the disadvantages seemed to be more than the advantages, the benefits still do outweigh anything else. For example, if you have a leak in your water lines, it can be detrimental to your bank account and your property. The trenchless method will be able to fix it quickly and save you the money you would pay on your water bill. If the break is underground it can cause a massive water leak especially if it is attached to a water line. You can loose hundreds and even thousands of dollars worth of water and not know it until your bill arrives. Typically there is nothing that the water company do to assist in those kinds of bills. Once the water passes through the meter, that’s it. If there is a break after the meter, the water company will hold you liability for the amount of water that has passed through the meter already. If the break is before the meter, then you’re in luck and as long as you find the leak as stop the water flow then you can avoid damage. However, not all your sewer lines are connected to your water lines so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your water bill and if there is a significant increase in how much you are paying, it is a good indicator that there is breakage or leakage somewhere.
If you do find yourself in need of a repair, contact a plumber who specializes in trenchless repair to save yourself the headache and time of having your property dug up and turned inside out for months on end. Most homeowners say they would gladly pay for the trenchless method.
