Homeowners dealing with sewer line issues or needing drain inspections may now have a less invasive option to do a trenchless sewer repair. This avoids having to dig up the whole yard with a backhoe, and costs less because of avoiding that. The two methods used are called pipe lining and pipe bursting, and they have been available to homeowners for 15 years. These two methods of trenchless sewer repair are considered equally durable, and their warranties range from 10 to 50 years.
Sewer line inspection is recommended if your home is more than 40 years old, as pipes can corrode in that amount of time and causing leaking. According to Angie’s list, 78% of homeowners haven’t heard of the possibility of trenchless sewer repair, even though this can greatly reduce the amount of work put into sewer pipe repairs. Most homeowners would rather their lawn and landscaping not be torn up by invasive digging, and their lives not disrupted as much as is typical with conventional repair methods.
Trees often interfere with sewer pipes, as their root system can be three times the width of the tree’s leaf system. For this reason, trees should be carefully planted on a property, and kept to a minimum of 10 feet from pipes. Traditional sewer repair can disrupt trees as well as require digging up of sidewalks and driveways.
Trenchless sewer repair can actually be more expensive than traditional digging, but overall money can be saved on not having to dig up extensive land and possibly even the street in front of the house. Restoration of disrupted areas surrounding the house may in the end cost the same or more than using trenchless technology. Since so few homeowners know about trenchless sewer repair, it may eventually be more cost effective and more affordable, when the services are more widely in demand.
