Trenchless sewer repair and replacement

What "trenchless" means

Traditional sewer work opens a trench along the whole pipe. Trenchless methods work from the existing cleanout or from small pits at each end of the section, and renew the pipe underground. There are two main methods, and they solve different problems.

Pipe lining (cured-in-place pipe)

A flexible liner saturated with resin is inserted into the cleaned host pipe, inflated against its walls and cured until hard. The result is a jointless pipe inside the old one.

Good fit when

• The old pipe has cracks, small holes, root-prone joints or minor corrosion
• The pipe still holds its round shape along the section to be lined
• Access is available from a cleanout, and digging would disturb expensive surfaces

Limits

• The liner follows the old pipe, including any sag; it does not correct slope.
• It cannot line pipe that has collapsed or flattened.
• Inside diameter becomes slightly smaller.
• Branch connections inside the lined section have to be reopened from inside.

Lining can cover one damaged section (a point repair) or the full length of the line.

Pipe bursting

A cone-shaped bursting head is pulled through the old pipe by a cable or rods. It breaks the old pipe outward into the surrounding soil and pulls a continuous length of new HDPE pipe in behind it.

Good fit when

• The old pipe is too damaged to line but still has a continuous path
• You want a completely new pipe, possibly one size larger
• Entry and exit pits can be dug at each end

Limits

• Needs two pits, which are small but still excavations.
• Follows the existing route, so a badly sloped line stays sloped.
• Other utilities very close to the old pipe have to be located and protected first.

Trenchless versus traditional excavation

Our guide on trenchless versus traditional sewer repair goes through these trade-offs with examples.

How a trenchless job works

1. Inspect and measure. Camera inspection to confirm the pipe is a candidate, with lengths, diameter and the location of every branch.
2. Clean the pipe. Roots, scale and debris are removed so a liner bonds or a bursting head can pass.
3. Access. Lining usually works from the cleanout; bursting needs a pit at each end. Sunshine 811 locates come first.
4. Install. Cure the liner, or pull the new pipe through.
5. Reconnect and reopen. Restore connections at each end and reopen branch lines inside a liner.
6. Verify. Camera inspection of the finished pipe, with the footage provided to you.

What affects trenchless cost

• Length and diameter of the section
• Condition of the old pipe and how much cleaning it needs first
• Number of bends and branch connections to reopen
• Pit excavation and restoration for bursting
• Access to the cleanout and to each end of the run

Why it comes up often in Sarasota

Many Sarasota-area homes have pavers, pool decks, screened enclosures and dense landscaping over or near the sewer route, and barrier-island and bayfront lots often have little open yard. Those are the conditions where avoiding a trench matters most. Whether a specific line qualifies still comes down to what the camera shows.

Where we do this work

We work across Sarasota and nearby Sarasota County communities, including downtown and the in-city neighborhoods, North Sarasota and The Meadows, Siesta Key, Gulf Gate and South Gate Ridge, Palmer Ranch and Fruitville and the Sarasota County side of Lakewood Ranch. The service area page lists every ZIP code we cover. If you are near the edge of that area, ask; we will tell you plainly whether we can reach you.