Repair Underground PVC Pipe Without Digging

Occluded, cracked, damaged, and ratty pipes are a headache for all homeowners around the world. When you know that your conduit has burst or needs critical repair, the smiles on your face will suddenly vanish. Whatever the reason for repair might be, it is not a sweet pill to swallow. There is a common perception that the repair process will include digging the floor. 

This is a dreadful imagination for the owners because it is expensive and requires effort to do it precisely. There will be labor and machinery charges to do the task for you. The added hemicranias are going to be the wreckage of the floor. In short, the homeowner simply wants to avoid the situation. Is there any other solution to the same issue? The answer is yes there are some trenchless methods of doing it. 

There are various ways to repair a damaged or burst conduit. With the advancement of technology, multiple repair methods have been devised. These methods can save you a lot of money and time that you would have lost during the repair work. In this article, we will discuss how to repair underground PVC pipe without digging.

What Pipes can be Repaired Using Trenchless Methods?

Let us have a look at the types of pipes that we can repair using this wonderful technology.

•         PVC pipes
•         Sewer pipes
•         Storm water pipes
•         Clay/earthenware pipes

Repair Underground PVC Pipe Without Digging:

Quite a few methods can be utilized to repair underground PVC Pipes without any digging of the floor involved. These methods include pipe relining, cured-in-place, and sprayed-in-place methods. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. We will try to briefly increase your knowledge of these methods.

Sprayed-In-Place (SIP):

Sometimes, the underground pipes just need reinforcement to work for another few years. The reason is that they are just aged and not completely retarded. If you feel this is the issue with your conduit, you can utilize this method.

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The basic purpose of this method is to prop up the aged pipe and support it against external elements to prevent any further damage. The first step is to slip a camera into the repairable area. Through this camera, we will inspect the affected area of the pipe that needs to be repaired.

Once we are clear about the extent to which the pipe is damaged, we will locate the concerned area of the pipe. A special pipe coating will be sprayed on the interior of the pipe completely. The coating will seal itself within one hour and your pipe is repaired. 

Advantages:

•         Trenchless repair of the pipes.
•         Supports the pipe and increases its strength to bear the pressure of external elements.
•         Prevents you from replacing the complete pipe.

Limitations:

•         This method is widely used for aged pipes, not retarded ones.
•         Cannot help much in clearing the clogs.

Cured-In-Place (CIP):

This method aims to cure the pipes that are significantly damaged and need repair work immediately. This method also works like SIP. A small hole is drilled to thread in the camera. After that, the severity of the problem is analyzed.

The interior of the pipe is lined with a polymer-impregnated felt tube to reinforce the pipe’s strength. However, depending upon the severity of the problem, we may cure the pipe with a coating of hot water or steam. If the problem is still uncured, we may use UV-generated lining.

Cured-in-place pipe lining method is also used to insert new pipes while the damaged one stays intact. This can be done with minimal digging. As a new pipe is placed within the actual one using a small drilled hole.

Advantages:

•         This process is completed in a few hours as compared to the hours-long manual process of digging and replacing the pipe.
•         More severely damaged pipes are cured.
•         The UV-generated lining increases the strength of the pipe manifolds.

Limitations:

•         CIP pipe lining method is also applicable to the retarded and completely damaged pipes.
•         This method is not useful to clear tree roots and other obstacles to clear the blockage.

Pipe Relining Method:

This method is similar to the CIP method to cure the damaged pipes. The Camera is inserted in and measures the distance till the last end to tie a rope and pull it back through. The liner will be placed in the right position using the inside view of the camera. After the lining is complete, the line is pulled back with the help of rope and the pipe is repaired. You can use any of the liners as per requirement.

Advantages:

•         Minimal interruption in daily home activities.
•         Less disturbance than the manual method.
•         Choice of a suitable liner is important to cure the problem.

Limitations:

•         Inappropriate lining can damage the pip.
•         A long rope is required if the endpoint of the pipe is not near.

Conclusion:

PVC conduits are more commonly used for the drainage of household water. These pipes can get damaged or aged. Once this happens, the repair work is important to be carried out as quickly as possible. Few trenchless methods can also be used except the method of digging the floor. In this article, the trenchless methods are explained with their pros and cons. You may choose the best one to repair the underground Pvc Pipe!