The Trenchless Sewer Repair Process – What You Need to Know
When it comes to fixing a home sewer line, a lot of folks imagine a backhoe in the yard and piles of dirt everywhere. Not anymore. Trenchless repair lets us tackle big jobs without the big mess.
First of All: What Is Trenchless Pipe Repair?
Trenchless pipe repair is a modern method of sewer line repair that avoids large-scale excavation. Instead of digging long trenches, we access the pipe through small access points. We use specialized equipment such as hydraulic pipe bursting tools or high-pressure curing systems to repair or replace your existing sewer lines. For pipe lining, we install a resin-soaked liner that cures into a solid new pipe inside the old one. For pipe bursting, we break apart the damaged sewer lines and pull a new pipe into place. Materials like epoxy liners and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) offer strength, flexibility, and resistance to corrosion, tree roots, and shifting soil.
Our Trenchless Sewer Repair Process
- Step 1: Sewer Line Inspection: We begin every job with a detailed sewer line inspection. Using a high-definition sewer camera, we inspect the full length of your existing pipe to identify cracks, blockages, corrosion, or collapse. This step allows us to understand exactly what’s going on and decide whether trenchless sewer repair is the right solution for your home in Kaysville.
- Step 2: Diagnosis and Repair Recommendation: Once we’ve seen the condition of the pipe, we’ll sit down with you and go over our findings. We’ll explain the trenchless sewer line problems we’ve uncovered, and talk through the best approach—pipe lining, pipe bursting, or if necessary, full sewer line replacement. You’ll receive a free estimate with an honest price and zero pressure.
- Step 3: Site Access Preparation: To complete the trenchless repair, we’ll need access to the starting and ending points of the damaged section. These access points are small—typically just a few square feet—and allow us to avoid tearing up your entire yard. We make sure to protect the surrounding landscaping and leave everything as neat as we found it.
- Step 4: Trenchless Repair: Depending on the situation, we’ll either reline the existing pipe or replace it using pipe bursting. Both options result in a new pipe with minimal disruption. Our equipment allows us to handle everything underground, with very little surface interference. This step is efficient and typically completed in just one day.
- Step 5: Final Inspection and Cleanup: Once the repair is complete, we run the camera through one more time to confirm everything is sealed and flowing smoothly. We clean up the site thoroughly, restore any affected surfaces, and leave your property looking just like it did before—only now with a fully functional sewer line.
We keep it smooth, simple, and as stress-free as possible from start to finish.
Traditional vs. Trenchless: Which Type of Sewer Repair Is Best for My Home?
Deciding between traditional and trenchless sewer repair depends on several factors, including the condition of your existing pipe, accessibility, and property layout. Traditional methods involve large-scale excavation, which is often necessary when the pipe has completely collapsed or the terrain makes trenchless work impossible. But for many Kaysville homes, trenchless repair offers a faster, cleaner, and more cost-effective solution.
Trenchless technology avoids damaging landscaping, driveways, and patios. It’s ideal for homes with tree roots, aging clay or cast iron pipes, or long stretches of sewer line under hardscape. If your property has limited surface access or you simply want to avoid a major dig, trenchless repair might be the right solution. We’ll inspect your system and recommend what’s best—not just what’s easiest for us.
Pipe Lining vs. Pipe Bursting – What’s the Difference?
Pipe lining and pipe bursting are two types of trenchless repair methods, and while they achieve similar results, they work very differently.
Pipe lining involves inserting a resin-coated liner into your existing pipe. Once it’s in place, the liner is inflated and cured using hot water or UV light. After curing, it hardens into a smooth, seamless new pipe inside the old one. This method is great for pipes with cracks, corrosion, or small gaps that haven’t fully collapsed.
Pipe bursting is better suited for pipes that are too far gone to reline. In this method, we attach a bursting head to a new pipe and pull it through the old one. The bursting head fractures the old pipe outward while dragging the new pipe into place behind it. This is especially useful when the existing pipe has major structural issues or is undersized.
Both options offer long-term, reliable solutions depending on the condition of your sewer line.
How Durable Is a Newly Lined Pipe? How Long Can It Last?
A newly lined pipe using trenchless technology is built to last. We use materials like epoxy liners that form a smooth, seamless, corrosion-resistant surface inside your existing pipe. These liners are tough, strong enough to stand up to tree roots, shifting soil, and decades of water flow. In most cases, pipe relining offers a lifespan of 50 years or more when installed properly.
And because there are no joints, seams, or weak points, relined pipes are less prone to the types of failures that affect traditional piping materials. With minimal maintenance and occasional inspections, your new pipe will provide reliable service for the long haul.
Bought our home and were unexpectedly and suddenly side-lined for the urgent need to repipe the entire home. We gathered bids, one of which was from Rare Breed. Rare Breed was 1/3 the price of one competitor (heavily commercialized in SLC) and their warranty was literally 10 X a third company who also gave us a bid . Their experienced crew also cut only a 1/3 as many holes making the subsequent sheetrock patching less expensive from the independent contractor. Rare Breed was the the easy choice. Their crew was ontime every day (early) and stayed all day into the evening until the job was completely done. Employees look sharp, are exremely polite and professional (I believe … Greg, Benson to name a few). They went to a great extent to clean up after themselves and there were no traces of their work left behind. My family and I are very wary of strangers coming into our home but this crew put us right at ease. I can’t say enough about this company. The job ran into a few snags that were quickly remedied by them. I would absolutely use them again. Thank you to the owner(s). Great job!