How Does Pipe Relining Work?

There is nothing worse than having a leak discovered underneath your driveway or directly beneath your favourite flower bed. Pipe repairs and replacements have long been a nightmare for many homeowners.

But gone are the days of digging up your yard, demolishing your driveway, and dismantling your walls in order to replace a damaged pipe. Nowadays pipe relining is becoming more popular; offering a non-invasive alternative to the past pipe repair methods.

Here at Jetset Plumbing we use the latest in pipe relining technology to ensure your home can stay intact while we repair the pipe system.

What is Pipe Relining?

Pipe relining, also known as cured in-place pipelining, is a method of repairing existing pipelines without having to perform any excavations to replace them. Because of this, the practice is becoming more and more common in plumbing.

Pipe relining is a process used to internally repair any damage done to any pipes in your plumbing system. It does so by coating the internal lining of said pipes with a two part mix that creates an epoxy resin.

This cures to form a fibreglass shell that is both stronger and more durable than the pre-existing pipes. With this liner, tree roots will no longer be sneaking their way into your pipe systems so easily.

The Pipe Relining Process

Step 1:

Before repairs can begin for any pipe related plumbing problems, all of the blocked drains need to be cleared. High pressure water-jetters allow plumbers to clear out any blockages without needing to dig up the pipe. Robotic cutters are then used to cut out the more difficult blockages that the water-jetter could not clear.

This is the stage at which any tree roots and obstructions are removed, revealing the extent of the damage. It also cleans the internal pipe walls of any oils and greases that might prevent the resin from bonding.

Step 2:

After the pipe has been cleaned out, the plumbing system needs to be inspected in order to pinpoint the damage. A plumber can assess the state of your water pipes and sewer lines using a CCTV drain camera. This helps to determine the size of the job and whether pipe relining would be the best method of repair, or if a replacement is needed.

Step 3:

Once the source of the problem has been discovered, a custom felt liner and an inflatable bladder are created to match the specifications of the pipe needing to be repaired. The bladder is then inserted into the felt lining.

Step 4:

The felt layer is coated with epoxy resin before the relining is ready to install. The liner is then inserted through the nearest access point, and ropes attached to each end of the bladder are used to pull the liner through the pipeline before adjusting to sit in the correct location.

A drain camera is then used to confirm that everything is lined up before the bladder is inflated with air to create a tight seal between the liner and the existing pipe. Once the resin has cured completely, usually sped up by the use of hot water or steam, the bladder is deflated and removed leaving behind a fibreglass shell.

Step 5:

A final CCTV camera inspection is performed on the relined pipes to ensure that everything has been properly installed and sealed.

Benefits of Pipe Relining

It's quick, it's quiet and it's clean.

As with any new technology there are always those who are apprehensive, however the benefits of pipe relining far outweigh those of past technologies.

Less Intrusive

One of the main and most obvious benefits of pipe relining is the lack of disturbance to your property. Traditional methods of pipe repair and replacement often involved digging up lawns, gardens, or even concrete. Not only do these jobs take longer to complete, the clean up that is required to fix your yard can be incredibly costly.

Pipe relining takes away the need for any property demolition.

Cost Effective

Leading on from the lack of intrusivity, trenchless pipe repairs are the more cost-effective alternative to traditional methods. While materials for relining can be expensive, the absence of digging takes away costs for any heavy machinery, the clean up, and longer labour hours.

Durability

The materials used in relined pipes are more durable and reliable than those used to build new pipes. They are also less likely to be infiltrated by external obstructions, such as tree roots, meaning less broken pipes for you.

Jetset Plumbing believes in the quality of our pipe relining services so much we offer a 25-year guarantee for any of our pipe relining jobs. We also throw in a free drain camera inspection every 12 months to make sure the repairs are performing as intended.

Pipe relining is quickly becoming a popular practice in the world of plumbing. So if you're beginning to fear what that leak is going to mean for your property, give the pipe relining experts a call on 1800 443 996, to discuss your options today.