Trenchless relining is a no-dig, no damage pipe repair method. It involves installing a new pipe liner inside the damaged pipe to rehabilitate it, avoiding traditional excavation. Trenchless relining is cheaper, faster and less messy than replacing pipes.
Trenchless relining rejuvenates damaged pipes via a non-intrusive approach, mitigating the need for extensive digging. This method uses durable epoxy or PVC to line the existing pipe, effectively crafting a new pipe within the old one.
A leading advantage of trenchless relining is its minimal invasiveness, requiring only small openings instead of extensive trenches, thus protecting walls, floors, and gardens. The process is subsequently quicker, neater, and more economical than traditional methods.
Initially, a CCTV inspection identifies damage and measures the pipes. High-pressure water jetting then cleans the pipe, followed by inserting and inflating a resin-saturated, custom-fitted liner, which is cured in place using hot water or steam.
After curing, the liner seamlessly bonds to the existing pipe, forming a smooth, durable, and corrosion-resistant new pipe. The relining procedure thus enhances structural integrity and flow, with minimal property impact and swift return to normal operation.
The trenchless relining procedure encompasses these key steps:
The trenchless drain relining process is minimally invasive, durable, and cost-effective compared to traditional pipe replacement methods. It restores flow capacity and pipe integrity with minimal property damage or disruption.
CCTV camera inspection is a vital first step in the trenchless relining process. A specialist plumber feeds a high-resolution video camera through the pipe to thoroughly inspect its interior condition.
CCTV inspections yield crucial data:
CCTV inspections ascertain the appropriateness of trenchless relining and guarantee that the steps undertaken won’t harm the pipes. It also helps diagnose issues to address before relining occurs, like locating pipe breaches allowing soil or root ingress.
Post-relining, a final CCTV inspection ensures the liner is properly cured with no defects before returning the pipe to service. Overall, CCTV analysis provides vital diagnostic visibility to ensure quality trenchless repairs.
Hydrojetting is critical, thoroughly cleansing the pipe’s interior in preparation for liner installation.
This process employs a powerful jet stream of high-pressure water to eliminate grime, roots, grease, mineral deposits, and other obstructive buildups.
Notable benefits of hydrojet cleaning encompass:
The intense water pressure from hydrojetting eliminates stubborn debris and corrosion, all while preserving the pipe’s structure.
Expert plumbers manoeuvre flex hoses through the pipes, with CCTV guidance ensuring precision. This ensures no section of damaged pipe is left uncleaned.
Hydrojetting not only ensures optimal cleanliness for superior epoxy adhesion but also precludes contaminant interference with the liner’s bonding process.
After cleaning and inspection, a pipe liner saturated with epoxy resin is inserted into the damaged pipe to reinforce and repair it.
Modern pipe liners typically use materials such as:
The seamless liners conform to the original pipe’s shape yet offer superior strength and corrosion resistance. Inflation with air pressure ensures a perfect fit, while hot water or steam cures the hardening resin.
Over several hours the resin hardens, bonding the new liner firmly to the old pipe. After trimming and reinstating connections, the restored pipe has increased flow rate, longevity and built-in protection against leaks, roots and corrosion.
Curing is a critical step in trenchless relining to harden the pipe liner material and bond it firmly to the old pipe wall. Plumbers deploy controlled heat methods such as steam, hot water, UV light, or ambient air to set the resin in the liner.
Commonly, the liner is cured with hot water or steam at 60-80°C, evenly and swiftly setting the resin within 2-4 hours, with precise temperature and circulation control to prevent over-curing.
UV light curing involves flooding the liner with UV radiation to cure and harden. Ambient curing uses the resin’s natural reaction at room temperature but takes 12-48 hours to set.
Controlled cure conditions result in a robust, seamless new pipe, formed from the initially flexible liner, offering superior strength and chemical resistance that endures for many years.
A tight seal also forms between the liner and original pipe to prevent leaks or infiltration. Quality curing procedures ensure trenchless relining effectively restores structural integrity and flow capacity to ageing drains and sewers.
Following the installation and curing of the pipe liner, a thorough re-inspection of the renewed pipework with CCTV cameras is critically important.
Post-lining video inspections carefully check:
CCTV re-inspection certifies that relining adheres to best industry practices and creates a visual archive to monitor the pipe’s condition over time.
If any issues are detected, they can be swiftly rectified before returning the restored pipe to service. Overall, proper finish inspections ensure clients receive durable, long-lasting and quality trenchless repairs.
Drain pipe relining offers numerous advantages over traditional pipe replacement methods:
Trenchless relining strengthens structure, enhances flow, and extends pipe lifespan by renewing from within, bypassing extensive excavation.
With trenchless relining, major disruptions from large-scale excavation are avoided. Access to pipes is gained through small 30-50mm holes, bypassing the costly restoration of structures and landscaping post-project.
By preserving the pipe pathway, trenchless relining avoids interruptions to utilities like water, gas or sewerage. How do I maintain operations? Thankfully, residents or businesses experience no downtime, remaining fully operational during repairs. The short projects also limit noise, dust and waste issues for property owners and neighbours.
The less invasive approach also benefits the environment. With shallow access pits rather than deep trenches, there is far less potential contamination of soils and groundwater. Minimal excavated material also reduces landfill waste.
The limited work area, excavation requirements and rapid process allow trenchless relining repairs to be completed conveniently and cost-effectively. It tackles pipe issues with discretion, limiting disturbance to properties or public infrastructure.
A major advantage of trenchless relining is the rapid project timelines compared to full pipe replacement. While traditional dig-and-replace methods take over a week of excavation, specialist relining can be completed in just a single day.
After inspection and cleaning, epoxy resin installation and curing of the trenchless liner takes only 8-12 hours. The lack of excavation saves significant preparation and restoration time too.
Consequently, property owners experience minimal disruption, with essential services like sewer, stormwater or plumbing affected for mere hours. Businesses sidestep shutdowns, and residents maintain amenity and access throughout the repair process.
Trenchless relining’s expediency, enabling pipe restoration in a single visit, allows for preemptive repairs, blending rapidity with enduring durability.
One of the main benefits of trenchless relining is improved water flow and drainage rates. By installing a smooth, jointless pipe lining, flow capacity increases due to the reduction in friction compared to deteriorating pipes.
Liner materials like PVC and epoxy also resist scale buildup and root intrusion far better than the original pipes. This prevents declining drainage capacity over time.
Reinforcement from relining and advanced liner materials also significantly prolongs the pipe’s lifespan. Epoxy liners boast a lifespan of over 50 years, and PVC liners can last more than 70 years. Such durability exceeds that of standard pipes which are susceptible to cracks, leaks, and corrosion.
By combining immediate flow improvements with exceptional longevity, trenchless relining enhances both the short and long-term pipe performance. It’s a smart, minimally invasive investment that averts the need for full drainage replacement for decades to come.
Trenchless relining offers remarkable cost savings, with prices between $130 and $250 per linear metre, varying by pipe dimensions and access conditions, compared to more expensive traditional replacements.
In contrast, digging up and replacing pipes can cost $400 to $1000+ per metre including excavation, new piping, and structural restoration expenses. Based on a 25 metre project, relining saves $9000+ on labour and materials alone.
The minimally invasive process also avoids landscaping remediation costs or compensation claims for loss of property access or utility downtime from major works. By renewing pipes from the inside out, businesses and homeowners save considerable sums.
While offering comparable or improved pipe lifespan over replacements, trenchless relining provides the added value of faster turnaround times too. The comparable durability and significantly lower costs make relining the most cost-effective pipe renovation solution.
Trenchless relining is recommended over full pipe replacement when:
Many drainage pipes may appear entirely worn but still present a fundamentally solid conduit for repairs. By opting for trenchless relining in these common cases, significant costs, time and disruption can be avoided.
However for fully collapsed or dangerously eroded pipes, replacement may be the only viable option over relining to completely renew the drainage line.
A skilled plumber utilises CCTV diagnostics to recommend the optimal solution, considering pipe condition and property impacts.
Trenchless relining has proven to be an invaluable plumbing solution, providing effective pipe repairs with minimal invasiveness. Advancements in lining materials and equipment promise even swifter, more cost-effective, and durable relining methods.
Robotics and remote-control cameras will drive inspection and cleaning processes to new levels of accuracy and efficiency. Ever-stronger liner materials are being engineered to outlast traditional piping systems. Hydrojetting pressure and precision will also improve over time.
Sustainable construction trends are set to broaden trenchless relining’s appeal and capabilities. Its sustainable credentials and lifespan extension position it as a choice method for eco-friendly drain and sewer works.
As leaders in the field, please call Seven Hills Plumbing to stay at the forefront of these trenchless innovations. Get in touch with our team to explore cutting-edge relining technologies and techniques for your needs.
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