Top 5 Trenchless Tech Options: Pros and Cons of Pipe Lining Methods

Jan 31

Plumbing companies without a trenchless pipe lining service are missing out on some serious opportunities. Not only is it a big bonus for your customers, but it’s also an excellent investment that makes your team members happier. But with several types of lining methods available, how do you know where to invest?

Knowing the pros and cons of pipe lining methods can help you and your business minimize investment costs and maximize profits by getting your team started quickly and with the kind of service your customers need most.

What Is Trenchless Pipe Lining?

Conventional pipe repair and replacement typically require either opening walls and floors or tearing up landscaping and concrete work. That’s because most of the pipes we use are buried within our home’s structure or underground to connect to city sewer lines. And that means that pipe repair is often expensive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive.

Trenchless pipe lining changes all that. Instead of having to uncover the pipes to repair them, this type of repair allows service techs to repair or replace pipes from within. In most cases, this involves lining the interior of the damaged pipes in some way. The pros and cons of pipe lining methods often lean towards a strong advantage over conventional methods, but each method has distinct qualities that make it better for one application or another.

Why Choose Trenchless Pipe Lining?

With trenchless pipe lining, you can eliminate some of the most painful processes of pipe repair and replacement. Trenchless lining solutions require minimal excavation, fewer people, less machinery, and much less time than conventional replacement methods. And with reduced downtime for homeowners or businesses, as well as fewer other repair requirements, many customers are begging for this kind of solution to plumbing issues.

Building a trenchless pipe lining service into your business means increasing work opportunities, decreasing work time and travel requirements, and improving customer satisfaction. There are some situations where trenchless pipe repair may not be ideal, but it stands far above most other methods available as convenient, cost-effective, and fast.

The Pros and Cons of Pipe Lining Methods

There are four main types of pipe lining methods available today, each with certain benefits and limitations. And depending on the types of jobs your business regularly does, one may be a far better choice than others. We’re exploring four types of lining methods below, including CIPP inversion, pull in place, pipe bursting, and sliplining, and taking a close look at the pros and cons of pipe lining methods that matter most.

Pros and Cons of CIPP Inversion Lining

CIPP inversion lining has become the foremost trenchless pipe lining method for single-family and multi-family projects. And there’s good reason for its popularity. This method carries some of the greatest advantages of all the trenchless pipe lining methods. Inversion lining uses air pressure to place a resin-saturated liner into the existing damaged pipe.

The liner is inverted during this process, then pressed against the inner walls of the pipe. After placing and inflating the liner, the resin is cured by heat, steam, or UV light. While some methods may take days to set, UV light curing only takes seconds to cure completely. When the resin is fully cured, the lining process provides a smooth, uninterrupted surface that seals all the cracks and damage to the old pipe. With this list of pros, it’s hard to compete with CIPP inversion lining. But even with these advantages, it isn’t always the right choice.

Pros of CIPP Lining

Almost no need to dig up landscaping or concrete work
Existing pipes do not need to be removed or replaced to complete repair
Pipes are ready for use within minutes, not days
Almost all work can be performed inside the home or building, making it possible to work year-round in comfort
Requires a single access point to complete
Increases pipe lifespan by 50 years or more

Cons of CIPP Lining

Very large and very small diameter pipes may not be serviceable
CIPP doesn’t work for extreme damage, collapses, and bellies
Initial equipment and material costs are higher than traditional trenching methods, but the lack of trenching makes up for the cost in most cases

Pros and Cons of Pull-In-Place Pipe Lining

Pull-in-place lining is another form of CIPP lining, but instead of blowing the liner in through inversion lining, pull-in-place lining requires two access points. The lining, also soaked in resin, is placed in one access point and then pulled through to the other access point. The liner is then inflated and cured with steam or heat.

Pros of Pull-In-Place Pipe Lining

Minimal digging, although some excavation may be required, depending on location
Curing takes hours rather than days for trench repairs
Does not require removal of old pipe lines to complete
Less expensive for initial investments in equipment

Cons of Pull-In-Place Pipe Lining

Works better for shorter runs, but it is less likely to be successful for longer runs
Friction could make the winch-and-cable process of pulling the liner through nearly impossible
Small diameters and large diameters are less likely to be repaired with pull-in-place lining.

Pros and Cons of Pipe Bursting

Pipe bursting uses hydraulic pressure to push a bursting head through an existing pipe while simultaneously pulling a new pipe behind to replace the old pipe. Pipe bursting works with nearly every kind of pipe, and it makes it possible to replace pipes that are too damaged to repair without excavating a large stretch of land or tearing apart building structures.

Pros of Pipe Bursting

Completely replaces damaged pipe lengths without extensive excavation
Can be used to place multiple new lines of pipe at the same time

Cons of Pipe Bursting

Does not preserve old pipes
Still requires excavation for its access point
Less budget-friendly than other pipe replacement methods
Well-suited for large projects but not for small repairs

Pros and Cons of Spray-In-Place Pipe Lining

Spray In Place (SIP) pipe lining offers an alternative to conventional repairs, but it also uses a different technology from CIPP and pull-in-place lining. Instead of using a sleeve or liner to seal the leaky or broken pipe, SIP lining utilizes a machine that sprays epoxy resin onto the interior of the pipe. This inner coating is then cured with heat or steam.

Pros of Spray-in-Place Pipe Lining

Short service time, so pipes are usable within hours
Minimally invasive, keeping landscaping and buildings intact
Extends pipe lifetime anywhere from 50 to 100 years

Cons of Spray-in-Place Pipe Lining

Large diameter pipes are less serviceable with this method
Repairs are permanent, so any additional leaks or damage may require replacement
May constrict water flow, resulting in potential issues elsewhere in the system
Delaminating is a concern since epoxy shrinks during curing

Pros and Cons of Sliplining

Sliplining is one of the oldest forms of trenchless pipe repair. The host pipe (the broken pipe) is fitted with another pipe of a smaller diameter that fits inside the original pipe. Once placed, any gap between the new and existing pipes is filled with grout to seal the two together. It is still one of the most common trenchless lining options, but it is losing ground to newer, more efficient methods like CIPP lining.

Pros of Sliplining

Less expensive for customers, as well as for repair companies
Simple process with little downtime
Can be used for larger cracks and breaks without issue

Cons of Sliplining

Significantly restricts water flow, which may cause problems in other areas of the system
Cannot be used for small-diameter pipes
May delaminate, allowing more rapid corrosion of the existing pipe
Repair time is not as short as UV light curing CIPP methods

Which Trenchless Pipe Lining Method is Best?

Although each method has its own advantages, few methods work as consistently and efficiently as CIPP lining. The pros and cons of pipe lining methods deal most with where they can be used, and what problems might come with use. But with its ultra-fast curing time using UV light-cured resins, as well as its minimally invasive servicing, CIPP lining can be used for most diameters of pipes without the threat of delaminating or breaking. And today, inversion liners can do more than just straight runs of horizontal plumbing. Scoping technology allows CIPP repair techs to navigate and repair T-joints, turns up to 90 degrees, and vertical stacks.

For a residential plumbing company looking for a smart investment that can pay for itself in service opportunities quickly, CIPP inversion lining is an easy choice. And for a company that focuses on commercial pipe repair, you can guarantee shorter downtimes for businesses that need to get back up and running.

How do we know? Because this is what we do. T3 is dedicated to providing the best equipment and materials available today, as well as the highest quality technical training to its customers. We can train you on equipment we sell as well as the pipe lining equipment you already have. And we can meet you where it works best for you: online, at your business, or on-site at one of our two locations. Talk with us today to see what CIPP pipe lining can do for your business.

Trenton Wollman