How Does Trenchless Sewer Repair Work?

How does trenchless sewer repair work?
Read more about: Signs and Symptoms of a Broken Sewer Line
- Pipes under homes, commercial buildings, or expensive landscaping
- Cracked pipes that are having trouble with invasive roots and debris
- Leaky pipes
- Corroded pipes
- Vertical stacks in multi-story buildings
- Lateral lines that connect residential homes or commercial buildings to the city sewer or septic tank
- Slightly misaligned pipes. (While pipe lining doesn’t realign the pipe, it will smooth out any rough edges that could cause debris to get stuck.)
There are two different methods of trenchless sewer repair, each of which depends on the integrity and location of pipe.

Sewer lines can be infested with tree roots and will need repair.
1. Pipe bursting
If a pipe is losing its structural integrity, we can use pipe bursting. It’s usually cheaper than pipe ling, running from $60 to $200 per foot. Pipe bursting can replace 600+ feet of pipe. It has some limitations that it make more ideal for straight runs of pipe and horizontal pipe. This is an environmentally-friendly process that involves no chemicals.

Conventional sewer repair involves digging long trenches. Trenchless technology avoids this.
- We inspect the pipe with a special CCTV sewer camera to assess the damage and look for blockages. The sewer line inspection is non-invasive, meaning it does not damage your property of pipes, and only takes 30 minutes to complete.
- The next step involves digging two small pits (around 4ft x 4ft) to access the damaged pipe.
- The new HDPE (high-density polyethylene) replacement pipe is then attached to a winch with a cone-shaped bursting head and pulled through the damaged pipe. As this happens, the damaged pipe is broken apart and the new pipe takes its place. The new HDPE pipe is hooked up to your plumbing system so that the connection is complete.
- Once the repair is complete, the two access points are filled.
- The final step is another sewer camera inspection to make sure everything is running properly.
2. Pipe Lining
- Residential, commercial, and industrial sewer pipes
- Vertical vent stacks in kitchens, laundry rooms, etc.
- Lateral lines
- Building mains
- Branch lines
- Rainwater leaders
- Underground storm lines

Only certified and experienced plumbing technicians with the necessary special equipment should perform sewer pipe lining.
- Your pipe is first inspected by a CCTV sewer camera.
- The pipe is then cleaned using hydro jetting. We make sure the pipe is back to its original diameter (or as close to it as possible).
- Next, we insert an epoxy-impregnated liner into the old pipe. Inside the liner is another layer called a bladder, which will inflate and press the epoxy against the pipe. After a few hours the epoxy cures and now you have a new pipe directly inside the old one.
- The next step involves reinstating any branches that were covered over during the pipe lining process. This is done robotically using special equipment.
- Lastly, we perform another CCTV inspection to ensure everything is completed and then fill in any pits or reinstall any fixtures we removed.

Arman Grigoryan
Founder & President of New Flow Pumbing
Arman Grigoryan is the founder and president of New Flow Plumbing, proudly serving Los Angeles, Sacramento, and surrounding areas. With extensive experience in plumbing diagnostics, he leads a skilled team specializing in advanced sewer and drain camera inspections to quickly identify problems and deliver lasting solutions. Arman is dedicated to using the latest technology to provide reliable service, honest answers, and dependable results for every customer.