Sewer Replacement
Trenchless or Traditional
Traditionally, all sewers were replaced by trenching down to the pipe and replacing either just the failed section, or the entire line if it all looked bad. A few years ago new methods started appearing on the market, from pipe-lining--which lines the inside of your existing pipe with a new plastic surface, to pipe-bursting--which forces a bursting-head thru your old pipe, causing it to break into pieces as a new pipe is dragged along after the bursting head.
Both pipe lining and pipe-bursting can work, but neither method will correct the problem if your old sewer had a sag, a low spot, or a flat spot that allowed material to gather and clogs to form. Both methods leave the new sewer following the same path as the old one, including all of the flaws that the old path had. In addition, pipe lining depends heavily on the quality of the lining material, and its durability over time. We've seen some lined systems work really well over the years, while others have failed catastrophically after a very short time.
An even newer method in use today is called directional boring. In this case, a boring head is run thru the ground from the beginning of the length to be replaced, ending just outside your house, where it can be tied into your existing drain system. Our personal opinion, backed by decades in the industry, is that trenchless methods can work well for water services, but we do not like them for sewer replacements. We can't see what is under the ground. If the boring head hits a rock and is deflected, you could be left with a sag or a bump in your sewer line, which is guaranteed to cause trouble in the future!
Ultimately, our recommendation will depend on the exact details of the situation we're facing, the type of soil and rocks we'd be going thru, how deep the pipe is, what's around it... We can't make a recommendation without seeing the situation in person. Give us a call at 541-343-9339, we'd be happy to look at it!
In the meantime, here's an interesting discussion on Angie's List that describes a few of the pros and cons of the various techniques in common use today.
Is Trenchless Sewer Replacement a Good Idea? - Angie's ListAnd while you're there, don't forget to check out our reviews on Angie's List!
Useful articles by Petersen Plumbing
- PLEASE don't flush antibacterial wipes! TL,DR - Experts tell us that we should only put two things down a toilet - human waste (of course) and toilet paper. NOTHING ELSE. Here's a helpful List to print out and post near your toilets.
- Put a Vent In It! A blocked vent pipe can cause almost as much trouble as a blocked drain! Here's what to look for if your drain starts surging and gurgling.
- Don't flush that! Out of sight is not out of mind when your drains clog! Some things should never go down your drain! Here's a helpful List of Do's and Don'ts to print out - from Petersen Plumbing.
- Spring is coming! There are certain plants that you do not want growing over your septic system and sewer pipes.
- What on earth is Orangeburg Pipe and why should you care?!