Trenchless Sewer Repair

Is Your Pipe a Candidate for Trenchless Sewer Repair?

Lining works when the old pipe still holds its shape. The camera check sorts that out. In general:

Good candidates

• Cracks and fractures in the pipe wall
• Tree root intrusion at the joints
• Joints that have separated slightly

Not good candidates

• A section that has fully collapsed
• Pipe too far gone to hold a liner

A fully collapsed pipe needs traditional excavation. Our sewer line repair page covers dig-and-replace and spot repairs.

How Pipe Lining Works

1. A camera inspection confirms the damage and whether the pipe can be lined.
2. The line is cleaned with hydro jetting so the liner can bond to the pipe wall.
3. A flexible liner soaked in resin is pulled into the old pipe through a small access point.
4. The liner is inflated so it presses against the inside of the old pipe.
5. The resin cures in place, usually in two to four hours, forming a new pipe.
6. A final camera run confirms the result.

This method is called cured-in-place pipe, or CIPP. The new surface is smooth and seals the joints roots used to get in.

Trenchless vs. Digging It Up

Trenchless: one or two small access points, your yard and hardscape stay in place, and most jobs are done in one day.

Traditional excavation: a trench along the pipe, several days of work, and yard or concrete repair afterward. It's still the right choice for a collapsed line.

What Trenchless Repair Costs

• Camera inspection (required first): $150 to $350, often applied toward the repair
• Trenchless pipe lining: $80 to $250 per foot, depending on pipe size and access

Your written estimate is the final number, and it's given before any work starts.

Before the Lining Goes In

Two steps come before any liner. First, a sewer camera inspection shows exactly what's wrong and where.

Then hydro jetting scrubs the pipe clean so the liner bonds properly.

Roots are a common reason a sewer line gets lined. If roots are your problem, see how tree root removal and lining work together.