If your home needs sewer line repairs, one alternative to digging up the sewer line or replacing it is sewer line relining. If your sewer line is a good candidate, a relining can be an excellent alternative to replacement or traditional repair of the existing sewer line.
There are some slightly different techniques in use for relining a sewer line, but they all create a new inner wall for your sewer line rather than replacing it. The first step in any sewer line relining is to thoroughly clean the inside of the old sewer line using high pressure hydro jetting.
Once the sewer line is clean, it is inspected with a video camera to make sure it is in good enough condition and ready for the relining process. Some techniques spray the inside of the sewer line with an epoxy type material that dries to create a new inner wall of the sewer line.
Other techniques insert a flexible PVC or fiberglass liner which coated with epoxy. Once the liner is in place, an inflatable tube is inserted inside the liner and inflated which presses the liner against the walls of the old sewer line. Once the cement has dried, the inflatable tube is removed and the relined pipe is ready for use.
In order for relining to work, your old sewer line must be in reasonably good condition. A collapsed sewer line cannot be relined and if the pipe is broken, the ends must still be aligned.
Relining requires very little digging. In some cases, your plumber or sewer septic professional may be able to get access through a clean out and no digging at all will be necessary.
