Can drains be repaired without excavation?
Most people don’t think about their drains too much – until the system fails. The idea of being without plumbing and sewage services is almost inconceivable, but historically the work required to put them right has been costly and disruptive. However, there are now modern solutions to many of these issues which can be deployed rapidly and far more easily than a full excavation and replacement.
Finding the leak
In the past, although the homeowner may have been aware that they had a leak due to the symptoms their system was presenting, the difficulty then came in locating the problem. This would have entailed excavating in order to visually inspect the system, and if the problem was some way along this system, this would of course be highly disruptive and costly. However, specialists can now use modern CCTV technology to inspect pipes internally and gather the data needed to plan a fix. OfWat have helpfully produced clear guidance about who holds responsibility for repairing different aspects of the sewerage system.
Fixing the leak
Not only can pipe problems be diagnosed without digging, in many cases they can now be fixed without excavation too. Once the problem area has been identified, a felt liner to fit the gap is made and coated with epoxy. This is inserted in the pipe, using the same CCTV technology to guide it into place, and then a balloon is inflated within the new liner in order to fix it into place to repair the damaged area of the pipe. The epoxy resin then hardens, and the pipe is sealed and repaired, all without expensive and disruptive mechanical excavation.
In places with older pipe networks, challenging layouts and trees to factor in, the best solution is often drain lining Oldbury for example there are specialists who can provide a rapid diagnosis and repair service such as www.wilkinson-env.co.uk/sewer-repairs-drain-lining-concrete-cutting/drain-repairs/drain-repairs-oldbury.
CCTV technology and clever solutions mean that many drain problems can be identified and fixed quickly and easily without resorting to excavation. This has environmental advantages, avoiding disturbing the soil and local wildlife, and allows the existing pipe to be reused. This, in turn, reduces the amount of new pipe which needs to be manufactured, thus delivering additional environmental benefits. Property owners can have their pipe and drain problems diagnosed and fixed efficiently with minimal disruption when using this technology.
