Trenchless pipe repair is a great, affordable option that allows you to fix your plumbing pipes without breaking through walls and digging up your landscaping. However, there are certain instances where trenchless pipe repair may not be your best option.
Your Pipes Are Beyond Their Useful Lives
Trenchless pipe repair only works if you have some useful life left in your pipes. If the walls of your plumbing pipes are incredibly thin or significantly cracked, they may not be able to withstand the preparation process that trenchless pipe lining technology requires. In order to successfully install pipe liners and epoxy coatings, your plumbing pipes must be cleaned using either a specially designed tool that has cutting blades or an abrasive material that is blown down the pipes. If it is determined that the preparation process could cause significant damage to your pipes, due to their current wear and tear, you would be better served by having your pipes traditionally replaced.
Your Pipes Contain a Significant Amount of Corrosion
Metal pipes always experience some type of corrosion. As the water passes through the pipe, it slowly interacts with the metal. This is due to the chemical properties of the water and the temperature of the water. Hot water corrodes metal pipes faster than cold water. When it comes to chemical composition, water that is slightly acidic can, over time, eat away at the walls, which causes pits and pinhole leaks. Certain types of metal pipes, like iron and galvanized steel, may also start to rust, which weakens the structural integrity of the pipe and can lead to leaks. If the corrosion is significant and/or the pipes have begun to rust, there way not be enough structural integrity left in the pipe to support the liner.
Part of the Pipe Has Collapsed
Trenchless technology relies on your existing pipes being intact. This is because they must be cleaned and dried and free of all dirt and debris in order for the liner to fit down the pipe. If part of the pipe has collapsed on itself, the liner cannot be installed correctly. In this instance, you would have to remove that section of pipe and replace it with a new section in order to restore the integrity of your plumbing system.
Underground Pipes Are Not Buried Deeply
If you have a sewer line or potable water pipe that is buried relatively close to the surface of the soil and not in an area that would significantly impact the operation of your building, you may do well to get an estimate for traditional pipe repair and a trenchless repair in order to compare the costs. In some instances, the costs may be so similar that you’d do better to go ahead and replace the entire pipe rather than line it.
Determining if Trenchless Technology Is Right for Your Building
Here at Nu Flow, we are dedicated to helping you solve your plumbing issues with the right technology. This is why we like to start the process of pipe lining with a camera inspection. Threading a camera through your plumbing pipes allows us to intricately check for corrosion, cracks and other problems that might prevent us from being able to install the pipe liner or epoxy coating. At the end of the camera inspection, we’ll let you know if your pipes would benefit from a liner or epoxy coating. If we determine that we can install a liner or coating in your plumbing pipes, we will provide you with a detailed estimate.
To learn more about trenchless technology and to schedule an assessment for pipe lining, call us at 815-790-9000.